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The Secret of My Succe$s (1987) movie poster

Timeline

The Secret of My Succe$s (1987) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1987 · 111 min · English
JustWatch #1,295 21
Directed by
Herbert Ross
Starring
Richard Jordan, John Pankow, Michael J. Fox, Gerry Bamman, Fred Gwynne, Helen Slater

A recent college graduate leaves his small Kansas hometown for the bustling city of New York, hoping for a promising job. However, his dream job isn's available, and he finds himself working alongside his well-meaning but clumsy Uncle Howard. To advance his career, Brantley pretends to be a successful executive, adopting a fabricated persona and navigating the challenges of corporate life with a humorous and inventive approach.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (16)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like The Secret of My Succe$s
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Secret of My Succe$s (1987)

Where can you watch The Secret of My Succe$s? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Netflix, Netflix Standard and Amazon Video: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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16 events in order · contains spoilers

The Secret of My Succe$s Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Secret of My Succe$s (1987) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Brantley Graduates College

    Brantley Foster, a diligent student, completes his business degree in his home state of Kansas. With excitement and optimism, he prepares to embark on his new journey in the bustling metropolis of New York City.

    Where
    Kansas
  2. Arrival in New York City

    Brantley arrives in New York City, filled with ambition as he secures an entry-level position at a large investment firm. He settles into a small and shabby studio apartment, ready to start his career.

    Where
    New York City
  3. Firm Acquisition

    Brantley’s excitement quickly turns to despair when he learns that the firm has been acquired in a hostile takeover, leaving him and 90% of the workforce jobless. Undeterred, he continues to seek new employment, determined to find a way into the business world.

    Where
    Investment Firm
  4. Discovery of Family Connection

    While contemplating his situation, Brantley remembers that his mother mentioned he is related to Howard Prescott, the CEO of a powerful investment firm. With renewed hope, he decides to approach his uncle in hopes of securing a job.

    Where
    New York City
  5. Meeting Uncle Howard

    Brantley meets Howard Prescott’s secretary, managing to convince her to grant him a brief audience with Howard. Impressed by Brantley's determination, Howard offers him a position in the Pemrose mail room.

    Where
    Pemrose Investment Firm
  6. Life in the Mail Room

    As Brantley settles into his new job in the mail room, he befriends Fred Melrose, who teaches him the ropes of the position. Fred advises him to avoid interactions with executives, focusing instead on learning the company from within.

    Where
    Pemrose Mail Room
  7. Encounter with Vera

    On a mail run, Brantley drives the irritable executive Vera home after her car breaks down. Throughout the ride, he charms her into inviting him to her home, where they share a drink and he boosts her self-esteem.

    Where
    Vera's Estate in Litchfield
  8. Affair and Conflict

    After a seductive swim, Brantley and Vera have a brief affair. However, the encounter turns chaotic when Howard Prescott unexpectedly arrives, causing Brantley to flee in embarrassment.

    Where
    Vera's Pool House
  9. Strategic Thinking

    Brantley learns of an executive’s impending termination while he is delivering mail. When a contact calls about shipping issues, he effectively devises a solution that impresses the caller, demonstrating his business acumen.

    Where
    Pemrose Office
  10. Assuming a New Identity

    Using the information he's gathered, Brantley boldly takes over the office of a terminated executive, adopting the alias Carlton Whitfield. He begins fulfilling responsibilities while hiding his true intentions from his colleagues.

    Where
    Pemrose Office
  11. Meeting Christy

    At a management meeting, Brantley meets Christy Wells, an attractive exec, and is instantly attracted. Despite her initial defensiveness, she begins to warm up to him as they engage in discussions about the company's future.

    Where
    Pemrose Conference Room
  12. Late Night Discussions

    After a long day, Christy and Brantley engage in a lengthy conversation about Pemrose's future. They end up spending the night discussing strategy, leading to a romantic and intimate moment.

    Where
    Brantley's Office
  13. The Retreat at Litchfield

    Howard Prescott organizes a retreat for the top executives to strategize against a hostile takeover. Brantley, believing he can sway investors, attends after receiving invitations from Howard and Vera.

    Where
    Howard's Litchfield Retreat
  14. Confrontations and Revelations

    During a chaotic evening at the retreat, multiple characters converge on Christy’s room where secrets are revealed. Brantley’s true identity is exposed, leading to significant tension between him, Christy, and Howard.

    Where
    Christy's Room
  15. The Twist of Fate

    In a dramatic board meeting, Brantley announces a merger to protect Pemrose from the hostile takeover. With Vera's unexpected control over company stock, Howard's position is threatened, and he is ousted, marking a poignant twist in Brantley’s pursuit of success.

    Where
    Pemrose Boardroom
  16. Celebratory Night at the Opera

    As a new era dawns at Pemrose, Brantley and Christy, along with Vera and Fred, celebrate their victory at the Metropolitan Opera. The once-struggling mailroom worker finds love and success, solidifying his place in the company.

    Where
    Metropolitan Opera

Last updated: January 18, 2025 at 14:36

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Timeline questions answered

The Secret of My Succe$s Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Secret of My Succe$s (1987): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Brantley pretend to be Carlton Whitfield?

Brantley assumes the identity of Carlton Whitfield, an executive whose office became vacant, after learning confidential information about the company by reading memos in the mailroom. This allows him to bypass his lack of experience and actually contribute business ideas that could save the company from a hostile takeover.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the mailroom, Brantley reads confidential memos that give him insider knowledge about Pemrose's operations.

  • carlton whitfield
  • fake identity
  • corporate deception
  • mailroom job
Q2

How does Brantley get hired at Pemrose?

Brantley discovers through his mother that he is distantly related to Howard Prescott, the CEO of Pemrose. He uses this family connection to secure a meeting with Howard, impressing him with his determination and a self-created business card, which earns him a mailroom position.

  • howard prescott
  • family connection
  • mailroom job
  • uncle
Q3

Why is Brantley fired from Pemrose?

Brantley's true identity as a mailroom employee is exposed during the retreat when multiple characters converge on Christy's room and secrets are revealed. Both Brantley and Christy are dismissed from the company as a result of his deception.

Foreshadowing: Throughout the retreat, Vera grows suspicious of Brantley's presence and relationship with Christy.

  • exposed identity
  • fired
  • retreat
  • christy wells
Q4

Who is Howard Prescott to Brantley?

Howard Prescott is Brantley's distant uncle, the CEO of Pemrose, one of the world's wealthiest investment firms. The family connection is discovered when Brantley's mother mentions their relation, giving Brantley the idea to approach his wealthy relative for a job.

  • uncle
  • family relation
  • ceo
  • pemrose
Q5

Why is Brantley embarrassed after his affair with Vera?

Brantley is horrified to learn that Vera, the executive he had a romantic encounter with, is actually the wife of his own uncle Howard Prescott. The realization that he has slept with his uncle's wife causes him to flee in shame from Vera's estate.

Foreshadowing: Vera mentions her troubled marriage during their first meeting in the limousine.

  • vera
  • affair
  • married
  • howard prescott
  • uncle
Q6

How do Brantley and Christy end up together?

After Christy is assigned by Howard to monitor Brantley due to suspicion about his background, the two begin working late together and discover shared ambitions for saving Pemrose. Their professional connection evolves into a romantic relationship, and they support each other throughout the crisis.

  • christy wells
  • romance
  • relationship
  • late night meetings
Q7

What happens to Howard Prescott at the end?

Howard Prescott is ousted from his position as CEO when Vera, who reveals she controls significant company stock, fires him during the crucial board meeting. This occurs after Howard's plans to block the hostile takeover are exposed as inadequate.

  • howard prescott
  • ousted
  • fired
  • ceo
  • vera
Q8

How does Pemrose survive the hostile takeover?

Brantley and Christy propose a merger plan during the key executive meeting that protects Pemrose from Donald Davenport's hostile takeover attempt. Vera's unexpected control over company stock proves decisive, allowing her to support the merger and remove Howard from power.

  • hostile takeover
  • donald davenport
  • merger
  • protected
  • board meeting
Q9

Why does Vera fire Howard Prescott?

Vera fires Howard after discovering his involvement in the failed handling of the hostile takeover and his affair with Christy. Additionally, she reveals she holds controlling stock in Pemrose, giving her the authority to remove Howard and support the merger proposed by Brantley and Christy.

  • vera
  • control stock
  • fires howard
  • affair with christy
Q10

Who drives the limousine at the end of the movie?

At the final scene, Brantley's former mailroom supervisor Fred Melrose drives the limousine that takes Brantley and Christy to the Metropolitan Opera. This represents a complete reversal of their original positions, with the former mailroom worker now employing his old boss.

  • fred melrose
  • limousine
  • metropolitan opera
  • final scene

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Secret of My Succe$s, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Secret of My Succe$s tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about charming corporate imposters like The Secret of My Succe$s

Witty protagonists who fake it to make it in the business world. If you enjoyed the mischievous fun of The Secret of My Succe$s, you'll like these films featuring ambitious characters who use clever disguises and quick thinking to succeed in the business world. These stories capture the energetic spirit of faking it until you make it.

  • mischievous
  • aspirational
  • charming
  • confident
  • playful
  • energetic
  • Tone: light, mischievous, charming
  • Pacing: fast, energetic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a charismatic underdog who creates an elaborate false identity to infiltrate a high-stakes professional environment. The plot revolves around the increasing complexity of the lie, close calls with discovery, and the protagonist's internal conflict between ambition and authenticity, culminating in a triumphant reveal of their true, capable self.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their shared focus on a specific type of comedic empowerment: the fantasy of beating the system from the inside using wit rather than credentials. They blend workplace satire with a playful, high-energy caper feel, resulting in an aspirational and consistently amusing experience.

Energetic 80s workplace romantic comedies like The Secret of My Succe$s

Fast-paced comedies mixing career ambition with lighthearted romance. Fans of The Secret of My Succe$s will enjoy these similar 1980s comedies that blend career-driven plots with lighthearted romance. Discover movies with the same fast pace, playful tone, and aspirational feel set against the backdrop of corporate life and youthful ambition.

  • 1980s
  • romantic
  • energetic
  • aspirational
  • playful
  • charming
  • Tone: light, romantic, playful
  • Pacing: fast, upbeat
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically follow a young go-getter entering a competitive professional world. The story interweaves their career misadventures—often involving office politics or a mistaken identity—with a sunny romantic subplot, usually a love triangle. The journey is one of personal and professional coming-of-age, leading to success in both career and love.

Why they belong together: This thread groups films that share a distinct time-capsule quality and a specific recipe: the fusion of workplace satire, aspirational themes, and breezy romance, all delivered with the unmistakable fast-paced, optimistic style of 1980s cinema. They evoke a shared nostalgic and energetic vibe.

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Every angle

The Secret of My Succe$s (1987) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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