About Head Office (HBO)

"Head Office" is an American satirical comedy film, released in 1986, directed by Ken Finkleman. It takes an amusing poke at the business world, concentrating on an Idol corporate monster situated in Manhattan. The plot revolves around Jack Issel (Judge Reinhold), an executive trapped in a world of company politics, underhanded dealings, and backstabbing executives. As the child of a left-leaning activist father, Jack initially finds it tough to fit into this world but eventually gets caught up in the office chaos.

Making / Production

The 1986 comedy was directed and written by Ken Finkleman. He successfully captures the corporate politics and the concourse of an office scenario through a comical lens. TriStar Pictures produced the film. The Integral plot details and scene structure rely heavily on witty humor, making it distinct in the cinematic universe of the 80's.

Actors

• Judge Reinhold as Jack Issel: An ambitious, yet naive executive played convincingly by Reinhold. His transition from an uncertain employee to someone spiraling amid office politics is commendable.
• Danny DeVito as Frank Stedman: The ruthless boss brilliantly portrayed by DeVito. His engaging performance breathed life into the caricature corporate character.
• Jane Seymour as Jane Caldwell: Jack's love interest and a strategic power-player, Jane's role is elegantly expressed by Seymour.
• Rick Moranis as Howard Gross: One of the comedy stalwarts, Moranis plays an overzealous executive with excellent comedic timing.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• "Head Office" was Ken Finkleman's directorial debut.
• The various office scenes were filmed at One Chase Manhattan Plaza, an actual office building in New York.
• Despite being a comedy, the movie is often used in business schools as a case study for corporate politics highlighted from a humorous perspective.

Quotes

• "The bottom line is the dollar." - Frank Stedman
• "The first rule in making money is you have to have money." - Jack Issel
• "Nothing is illegal if you don't get caught." - Howard Gross

Music, Soundtrack

• "It's Good to Be the King" - Performed by Mel Brooks
• "Money (That's What I Want)" - Performed by The Flying Lizards