CLOCKWATCHERS
US, 1997, 96 minutes, Colour.
Toni Collette, Parker Posey, Lisa Kudrow, Alanna Ubach, Bob Balaban, Paul Dooley.
Directed by Jill Sprecher.
There is quite a bit of clockwatching during this film, the focus on for women who act as temporary secretaries in a credit company. They have their tasks, typing letters, making copies, getting cups of coffee for the male executives. But they have a lot of time, especially at the end of the day, watching the clock so that they can leave.
The central focus is on Toni Collette, having achieved a considerable reputation in Australia with films like Muriel’s Wedding and Lilian’s Story. This is her second American film – and she had made an with Gwyneth Paltrow. This began her American and International career, quite considerable for almost 30 years.
Parker Posey is the brash member of the group, domineering, cheeky, stealing things. Lisa could grow, starring in Friends at the time, has an image of herself that she could be greater. Alain Urbach has a boyfriend. Toni Collette is drawn into their company, following them, going to a fortuneteller who tells her that she took toes throughout life.
There are various scenes of the girls out on the town, meals together, gossip, shopping. Then there is the cookie temp who was given a full-time job, rather mousy – but revealed as stealing objects in the office, confronted by Toni Collette.
The male members of the company are busy about their work, not really noticing the temps, but grateful for any help. The film was written by director, Jill Sprecher and her sister Karen. They then went on to 13 Conversations about Love.
- The title, the reference to the four women, their temp work, secretaries, their desks, jobs, typing, making copies, getting coffee… For the men? The end of the day and then looking at the clocks in order to go. And then life after work?
- The American city, companies and offices, the streets, shops, diners? Home life and apartments? City transport? The musical score, the range of popular songs in the background?
- Iris and her story, her age, experience, at home with her father, his encouragement, a possible better job, his praise of her? The fortuneteller, her tiptoeing through life? Quiet, her desk, the work, sitting waiting for two hours, gradually settling in? The toilet, Margaret seeing her, talking with her, encouraging her, and Jane, her taking along, enjoying the company, imitating them, the fortuneteller, the meals together, gradually admiring them, enjoying their company, the influence on her own life?
- Margaret, brash, outgoing, stealing things, confronting the men, leaving the women, changing the tag on the dress…? Her lack of confidence? Stealing things, the pencils…? The final reaction, accusations, her interactions with the other members in the group? Her being fired?
- Paul, wanting to be glamorous, eyeing the men, meeting them in the bar, the machinery and her clocking it to be with the man mending it…? Confidential conversations with Iris? Let go?
- Jane, relationships, timid, at work, with the other women, with Iris?
- The new girl, timid, mousy, waiting, getting a full-time job, at a desk, looking at the others? Having taken Iris’s notebook, the confrontation? The apology, the wave, her hopes?
- The men, the bosses, the men looking for his mug, the man wanting the letter typed, ignoring Iris in the street, it’s signing the recommendation, affirming her?
- The meeting, the staff, the woman checking on the temps, the rules, no phone calls have personal nature…? The accusation about the stealing?
- Iris, at the end, changing, with her father, with the other women, the influence, the future?
