In HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, Robert Morse as J. Pierpont Finch plays a skyscraper's window washer so quickly that by the time he's climbing the corporate rungs... while reading the titular book that doubles as narration... the NOT REALLY TRYING aspect fails to make the character's plight very interesting...
And after a few semi-memorable songs, one might feel more sympathy for the main boss's whiny nephew, who Finch much too quickly leaves in the dust and, instantly beloved by gorgeous secretary Michele Lee while seduced by overall distracting bombshell Maureen Arthur, our squeaky hero only looks the underdog in a musical that needed more time struggling from the outside to really click within the vibrantly colorful 1960's singing/dancing interior.
And after a few semi-memorable songs, one might feel more sympathy for the main boss's whiny nephew, who Finch much too quickly leaves in the dust and, instantly beloved by gorgeous secretary Michele Lee while seduced by overall distracting bombshell Maureen Arthur, our squeaky hero only looks the underdog in a musical that needed more time struggling from the outside to really click within the vibrantly colorful 1960's singing/dancing interior.