Down and Dirty with Dolly

A hilarious commentary on sexism in the workplace, "9 to 5" displays the slow evolution of the female image. In the "revenge" sequence, in which Dolly Parton, Lilly Tomlin, and Jane Fonda fantasize about punishing their boss, conventions are turned upside down as the women manipulate common cultural narratives to empower themselves. Parton's character, an unwitting sex object, becomes the aggressor and terrifies her boss. Tomlin takes on a classic appearance and defeats her superior using disturbingly cute means. While Fonda's fantasy is not featured here, she takes on the supposedly masculine aspect of the hunter to achieve her ends. All three women have dominant roles within their fantasies, yet maintain their femininity as they deem it a source of pride rather than something of which to be ashamed. Basically, it echoes the initial question as to what truly empowers a woman as a woman.