I don’t know that I’ve seen a film from this era that takes such clear aim at sexism. (With the caveat that, of course, it’s still a product of its time.) C.C. Baxter tries so hard to fit into the misogynistic guy’s club of his workplace and society as a whole, and prioritizes success over pretty much everything else: honesty, dignity, sleep. Because he’s a taker, not the one getting took.
You could view it as a gender divide or a class divide or a combination of both, but it’s clear that when takes a side - the successful side - in front of Fran, he becomes this other category of human. And when he chooses, proudly, to become a mensch, a human again, that’s where he finds peace. It’s a rebuke not only of sexism but also success and (in a way) hustle culture.
