Back in the day when both men and women referred to professionals of a certain gender as “girls” instead of a “women” and expected blondes to be more fun for lecherous male bosses to chase, a single mom proved that she could survive the pecking order of the workplace even when it left her bloodied and in need of a tetanus shot. In this Working Girl Blues movie, Sienna Miller plays model-turned-actress Tippi Hedren, who is taken under the wing by the most celebrated director of the moment, Alfred Hitchcock (Toby Jones) and his wife, Alma (Imelda Staunton). Unfortunately, despite their gentle cooing over cocktails, the two turn out to be less a pair of loving mentors than an ominous couple of crows eyeing easy prey. Poor Tippi has no clue about their plan to cut, print, and move on to the next Nordic blonde who fits into the designer wardrobe pieces.
Mauled, brutalized, and subjected to the filming of every moment of psychological horror in the script or improvised on the spot, the “girl” shows that when a woman’s career is dependent on getting through the next take, she can put up with just about anything. The key, apparently, is to remain fiercely focused on your own goals, replenishing yourself with some much needed feminine-energy time out from under the harsh spotlights, basking in the kindness of the afternoon sun so you can remember who you are when you aren’t just the latest expendable “girl” taking orders and following directions.
Watch The Girl when you need a mental health break from work. It will help you renew your confidence in your ability to soldier, make your mark, and then move on to something better and more worthy of you. This Working Girl Blues flick can provide cinematherapy for anyone who needs reminding that the best opportunities may not be all they seem, so focus on what you can get from the situation and be ready to take flight at just the right time for YOU.
cinematherapyblog 