COMEDY . 1987 . 1h 51m . 6.5/10

The Secret of My Success_

"There's no such thing as an overnight success. Brantley Foster took two weeks."

Brantley Foster, a well-educated kid from Kansas, has always dreamed of making it big in New York, but once in New York, he learns that jobs - and girls - are hard to get. When Brantley visits his uncle, Howard Prescott, who runs a multi-million-dollar company, he is given a job in the company's mail room.

Starring Michael J. Fox, Helen Slater, Richard Jordan
Box Office $111.0M
6.5/10
Rating
$111.0M
Box Office
1h 51m
Runtime
1987
Year
MASSIVE HIT
+825% ROI
Profitability
Updated Feb 16, 2026
The Secret of My Success poster
There's no such thing as an overnight success. Brantley Foster took two weeks.

Brantley Foster, a well-educated kid from Kansas, has always dreamed of making it big in New York, but once in New York, he learns that jobs - and girls - are hard to get. When Brantley visits his uncle, Howard Prescott, who runs a multi-million-dollar company, he is given a job in the company's mail room.

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DROPTHE_ GOSSIP

Box office
The Secret of My Success earned $111.0M worldwide on a $12.0M budget — a 825% return on investment.
Cast
Michael J. Fox stars as Brantley Foster aka Carlton Whitfield in The Secret of My Success.
Michael J. Fox →
Year context
The Secret of My Success was released 39 years ago in 1987.
The Secret of My Success is a Comedy film with a runtime of 1h 51m.

BOX OFFICE

$12.0M
Budget
$111.0M
Revenue
+825%
ROI
MASSIVE HIT
Verdict

DETAILS

Release
Status
Released
Runtime
111 min (1h 51m)
Country
Rating
6.5/10 (678 votes)
Budget
$12,000,000
Box Office
$110,996,879
Profit
+$98,996,879

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is The Secret of My Success about?
Brantley Foster, a well-educated kid from Kansas, has always dreamed of making it big in New York, but once in New York, he learns that jobs - and girls - are hard to get. When Brantley visits his uncle, Howard Prescott, who runs a multi-million-dollar company, he is given a job in the company's mail room.
How long is The Secret of My Success?
The Secret of My Success has a runtime of 111 minutes (1h 51m).
Who stars in The Secret of My Success?
The cast of The Secret of My Success includes Michael J. Fox, Helen Slater, Richard Jordan, Margaret Whitton, John Pankow.
How much did The Secret of My Success make at the box office?
The Secret of My Success earned $110,996,879 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $12,000,000.
What is the rating of The Secret of My Success?
The Secret of My Success has a rating of 6.5 out of 10 based on 678 votes on TMDB.

GENRES (1)

Comedy
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