Wife vs. Secretary
by Clarence Brown, Errol Taggart
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Clark Gable, George Barbier, Jean Harlow, May Robson, Myrna LoyDirector: Clarence Brown, Errol Taggart
Brand: Warner Brothers
Producer: Clarence Brown
Writer: Alice Duer Miller
Writer: Faith Baldwin
Writer: John C. Higgins
Writer: John Lee Mahin
Writer: Norman Krasna
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 1.0
Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 87 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-06-20
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Movie Reviews of Wife vs. Secretary
Movie Review: Harlow at her very best as an actress
Summary: 5 Stars
"Wife vs. Secretary" is a mid 30s romantic comedy that isn't all that romantic and certainly not that funny, but what it does have is 3 of the top stars of the era - Gable, Harlow and Loy - in terrific performances. And just to put the cherry on the cake, we have a very young Jimmy Stewart in one of his first roles.
This must have seemed like a party to the 3 stars. Gable and Harlow made 6 films together and Loy and Gable made 7 films together. Harlow and Loy appeared together in "Libeled Lady" (1936) with William Powell and Spencer Tracy. Gable and Harlow were BFFs
Jean Harlow (1911-1937) was the biggest sex symbol of her times. She gained her reputation playing the gangster's moll in films like "Hell's Angels" (1930), "The Secret Six" (1931), and "Public Enemy" (1931). In 1932 alone she made 5 films, including "Red Headed Woman", "Scarface" and "Beast of the City," and she co-starred with Clark Gable in "Red Dust". By 1936 she had secured her position as a comedienne, largely as a result of "Bombshell" (1933). In "Wife vs. Secretary" she really makes another transition - into a full fledged actress, capable of playing any role.
Clark Gable (1901-60) was one of the biggest stars of the 20th century, and a pretty good actor to boot. We remember him best as Rhett Butler for "GWTW" (1939), for which he received one of his three Oscar nominations (the other nomination was for 1935's "Mutiny on the Bounty" and he won in 1934 for "It Happened One Night"), but he gave us many memorable performances in films like "Teachers' Pet" (1958) and "But Not for Me" (1959) both of which earned him Golden Globe nominations. My favorite Gable flick is "Run Silent Run Deep" (1958). BTW - it was Gable's appearance with Harlow in "Red Dust" that moved him from the ranks to the top list.
Myrna Loy (1905-93) is best remembered as Nora Charles from "The Thin Man" series that produced 6 films between 1934 and 1947. She made more than 100 films, the most notable of which are "The Best Years of Our Lives" (1946), "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House" (1948) and "Cheaper by the Dozen" (1950).
This was Jimmy Stewart's (1908-97) fourth film, He needs little introduction. He ranks #3 on the AFI list of greatest male stars. He was nominated for an Oscar 5 times, winning for "The Philadelphia Story" (1940), although he's probably better known for "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946). He made nearly 100 films between 1934 and 1991, and was equally at home in westerns ("The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance"), comedies ("The Shop Around the Corner"), and drama ("Rear Window").
Also in the cast are May Robson and John Qualen.
May Robson (1858-1942) was everyone's favorite granny, a part she played in films like "Irene" (1940), "They Made Me a Criminal" (1939), and "A Star is Born" (1937). She was nominated for an Oscar for "Lady for a Day" (1934). She plays Gable's mother.
John Qualen (1899-1987) is best known as part of the Wayne/Ford stock company. He made nearly 200 films, 9 of them directed by John Ford and 4 with Wayne but not Ford - "Shepherd of the Hills", "The High and the Mighty" (1954), and "North to Alaska (1960) and "Donovan's Reef" (1963). My favorite John Qualen role was as Lars in "The Searchers" (1956). Qualen has a small role as an accountant. He doesn't use his customary European accent.
Clarence Brown (1890-1987) directs. Brown was a well known silent film director ("Last of the Mohicans", "Flesh and the Devil"). He was nominated for an Oscar 5 times ("Anna Christie", "A Free Soul", "The Human Comedy", "National Velvet", and "The Yearling") but never won. His films earned 38 Oscar nominations and 9 wins, but never for Director. He loved working with actresses, and worked with both Greta Garbo and Joan Crawford 6 times.
Brown was also a producer and made 28 films, including this one. Other Brown films were "Anna Christie" (1930), "The Human Comedy" (1943) and "Angels in the Outfield" (1951).
Herbert Stothart (1885-1949) was the composer and often worked with Brown. Stothart won the Oscar for "The Wizard of Oz" (1939) and was nominated 9 more times. He was often used in period pieces, and his films include "Treasure Island" (1934), Viva Villa" (1934), "David Copperfield" (1935), Anna Karenina" (1935), "Tale of Two Cities" (1935), and "Romeo and Juliette" (1936).
The plot is no great shakes and the film would only be a so-so film in the hands of anyone else. But Brown manages to get bravura performances from everyone. There are a few scenes in which silent looks between Gable and Harlow (in their hotel room in Havana) and between Loy and Harlow (in Gable's office) are so expressive that they rank up there with the very best scenes in any film.
Most people interpret this film as a conflict between Loy (wife) and Harlow (secretary), and while this is true, on another level this is also a film about Harlow's choice to remain as Gable's secretary or to quit and become Jimmy Stewart's wife.
In 1936 Jean Harlow had 3 films in the top 20 - "Libeled Lady" ( Spencer Tracy, William Powell, and Myrna Loy), "Wife vs. Secretary" (Gable and Loy), and "Suzy" (Cary Grant). The other big money winners were "San Francisco" (Gable), "The Great Ziegfeld" (Powell and Loy), "Modern Times" (Chaplin), and "Charge of the Light Brigade" (Flynn and de Havilland). The big Oscar winner was "The Great Ziegfeld" (Picture, Best Actress). Other notable films from that year were "The Petrified Forest" (Bogart), "Romeo and Juliette" (Shearer and Howard), "Dodsworth" (Walter Huston) and Fritz Lang's "Fury".
If you're a Harlow fan, you need to watch this film. In fact, fans of Gable, Loy, or Stewart will also find their performances exceptional and enjoy this film. As a 30s romantic comedy it is pretty straight forward, but by the time Brown and his 4 stars get finished with it, it's elevated to a must see.
Summary of Wife vs. Secretary
Of course Linda Stanhope trusts her husband Van. Their marriage is based on love and respect. Who cares if Van's secretary has the face of an angel and the body of a chorus girl? Who says a blonde bombshell can't type and take dictation? But people are whispering. And when Linda calls Van's hotel room late at night during his solo business trip to Havana guess who answers. Four Golden Era greats; Clark Gable Jean Harlow and Myrna Loy as the romantic triangle and a lanky newcomer named James Stewart as Harlow's beau gild this sophisticated comedy-drama that takes a savvy look at men women and love. Wife vs. Secretary: Guess who wins!Running Time: 87 min.System Requirements:Run Time: 87 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY UPC: 012569792326 Manufacturer No: 79232Similar DVD Movies
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