Streaming service Philo is honoring iconic country music legend Dolly Parton this week by making her breakout comedy film “9 to 5” available to stream for free through its platform.
The film is available to subscribers of Philo’s pay television service and to those who use Philo’s free, ad-supported streaming TV tier, a source familiar with the decision confirmed to The Desk. The film became available to stream through the platform earlier this month; the service promoted it through a “hero” image placement on its home screen Tuesday, shortly after Parton passed away.
Released in 1980, 9 to 5 starred Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Parton as three office workers pushed to the breaking point by their sexist, arrogant boss, played by Dabney Coleman. The movie used broad comedy to explore problems that were familiar to many women in the American workplace but still rarely treated with such directness in mainstream studio films.
Parton made her film debut as Doralee Rhodes, a secretary whose boss spreads false rumors that they are having an affair. Tomlin played Violet Newstead, a capable office manager repeatedly passed over for promotion. Fonda played Judy Bernly, a newly divorced woman entering the workforce and learning how little power women had inside rigid corporate hierarchies.
Parton wrote the iconic theme song for the film — one memorable anecdote is that she rubbed her fingernails against themselves to make a sound similar to a secretary’s typewriter, and that sound was used in the percussion bit of the song, which is widely available to stream on music services.
The song helped define the film’s identity and became an anthem for working people far beyond the movie’s original audience.
Streamers who are interested in watching the film for free can do so by downloading the Philo app or logging on to the service through its website.
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Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story said Philo made 9 to 5 available to stream on Tuesday. The service made the film available to stream in early August; the timing of its release was coincidental.
