Wife vs. Secretary (1936)

"You're a fool, for which I am grateful..."

WIFE VS. SECRETARY (directed in 1936 by Clarence Brown) is a brisk programmer starring three of MGM's best of the period: Clark Gable, Myrna Loy and Jean Harlow. It was based on a story by Faith Baldwin which originally appeared in Cosmopolitan Magazine.

Van Stanhope (Clark Gable) is a successful publishing tycoon whose marriage with lovely wife Linda (Myrna Loy) is put to the test when rumours about an affair with Van's secretary 'Whitey' (Jean Harlow) start to circulate. At first, Linda dismisses it as gossip, but later comes to the conclusion it must be true, following a whirlwind business trip to Havana...

Jean Harlow is the one who'll really surprise you in this movie. In a performance worlds away from the zingy dames she played in "Dinner at Eight" and "Red Dust", Harlow is incredibly naturalistic with her character of 'Whitey', Van's efficient, no-nonsense secretary. Observe closely her scenes with Clark Gable (especially during the Havana sequence) and her final scene with Myrna Loy. Very rarely did Harlow convey so much by doing so little on the screen.

Gable and Loy conjure up a very healthy screen chemistry. WIFE VS. SECRETARY also features an early performance from James Stewart, playing Harlow's lanky boyfriend. The supporting cast includes May Robson, George Barbier and Hobart Cavenaugh.

The DVD also includes the 'Crime Does Not Pay' short "The Public Pays" (which recycled the sets used in WIFE VS. SECRETARY), musical short "New Shoes", and the trailer. (Single-sided, dual-layer disc). February 23, 2008

Wonderful Film !!

This is a really good film. Love the stars in this one. A must see! December 3, 2007

Mild but nice, unforgettable star teaming

And the perfect film to follow Red Dust, Too Hot to Handle, or maybe China Seas? An excellent soaper in which Loy and Harlow vie for businessman Gable's affections. Not as much fun as the above, but still a fine example of the caliber of movie MGM just cranked out during the thirties. Bonus: check out the quite young James Stewart as Harlow's would-be hubby. February 7, 2007

Comedy with A Serious Grain of Truth

Spoilers here a little -- This film is fun to watch. I love the rapport between characters. Clarke Gable is wonderful as the faithful (but almost not) husband of Myrna Loy. I was quite surprised at the nice acting performance turned out by Jean Harlow. Too bad she did not live to make more films. James Stewart is sparkling, as usual, in his small part in this film. Though labeled a comedy--there are some serious lessons here relating to ill-timed words of suspicion on the part of the mother of the Clarke Gable character. This creates havoc which is not always funny, but definately interesting. The quality of this DVD is excellent. The sound is good and the picture nice and clear. All in all, if you are a fan of older movies--you will enjoy this one. November 18, 2006

Wife vs. Secretary rock, it is greeeaaat.

I have watch this movie over and over again, and each time I view it, I find it more enjoyable as ever. This movie is about misunderstanding between husband and wife, which is cause by other individual plant seeds of doubt in the ears of a loving wife, about her husband relationship with his secretary.
Of course, nothing is going on between the business man and his secretary, but the wife believe something must be going on, base on what she is told, the poor husband can't figure out what is wrong with his marriage, because he has done nothing wrong.
In this movie you got three of the greatest actors and actresses of all time, Myrna Loy, Clark Gable and Jean Harlow.
Ms. Loy wore some of the greatest gowns ever worn by any actresses in any movie, and she look stunning as always in them, and sexy as ever. Ms. Harlow is equally stunning and sexy, and Gable played one of his best roles ever in a movie, of course "Gone with the Wind" is his best role, but this is close second or third, (in my book).
Ms. Myrna Loy performance was so good, I don't know why she was not nominated for an award. Ms Loy stole this movie, get it you will not be disappointed. June 21, 2006

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