Quick Look: The Secret of My Success (1987)

I caught this movie on cable recently, and realized it had been years since my last viewing.  This is a light 80's comedy starring Michael J. Fox, Helen Slater, Richard Jordan, and Margaret Whitton.  It is directed by Herbert Ross and rated 'PG-13' for language, and sexual situations.
The Secret of My Success can best be described as Alex P. Keaton (from TV's Family Ties) moves to New York and becomes a corporate executive.  While I would call it dated, specifically because of the clothing, hairstyles, and soundtrack - all of which are very "80's fabulous", it still holds up as an entertaining little romp, and a fun look back at the type of comedies that were prevalent in Hollywood at the time, as well as highlighting the Wall Street yuppie-type of lifestyle.
**spolier alert** Michael J Fox plays a recent graduate from Kansas State named Brantley Foster who moves to New York City for a job, but his new company has been recently taken over, so instead he ends up having to take a job in the mail room of another company run by his uncle Howard Prescott (Jordan).  Brantley quickly realizes his uncle and most of the other executives are mismanaging the company, so one afternoon in a vacant office, Brantley creates a fake corporate identity for himself using the pseudonym Carlton Whitfield, and begins to build a good reputation for himself.  Christy Wills (Slater) is the one seemingly competent executive who becomes the romantic interest for Brantley, but of course being an 80's comedy, she is also the object of desire for Howard.  Brantley must juggle his job in the mail room, his "pretend" executive responsibilities, all while dodging his uncle while is in his Carlton role, and still trying to win the affections of Christy.  Throw in the fact that he accidentally has sex with his aunt Vera (Whitton) who is still hot-to-trot for him even after finding out Brantley is her nephew (not blood related, I must note) and the stage is set for many comic moments.
As I noted above, this movie feels like a slightly more edgy Family Ties re-run, which is not a bad thing, more that it unfolds very predictably.  Michael J Fox does not stray from the Alex P Keaton/Marty McFly persona very much, and Helen Slater plays the attractive, non-aggressive female lead.  Probably the best scene in the movie is a room to room chase through a mansion at night; Brantley going to Christy's room, Howard going to Christy's room, Vera going to Brantley's room, and Christy going to Brantley's room all of them having to take detours as they hear other people in the hallways - with Yello's "Oh,Yeah" playing throughout hi-jinks.  It's maybe just a little long at almost 2 hours, but the 10-15 minutes of fluff are not too distracting.  It's worth a rainy afternoon viewing.