Cheap Wife vs. Secretary (Video) (Clark Gable, Jean Harlow) (Clarence Brown) Price

Related Products

Customer Reviews of Wife vs. Secretary

Three Legendary MGM Greats In Tangled Love Triangle
"Wife vs. Secretary", could easily from its title be passed off as a fairly ordinary little marital drama. Despite being based on a Faith Baldwin magazine short story this film never seems to stick to the "rules", of these types of subjects which is what makes it such interesting viewing. Here in the three lead characters are no clearly defined types such as the "homewrecking secretary", "the injured wife", and the "cheating husband". As portrayed by MGM legends Jean Harlow, Myrna Loy and Clark Gable respectively these individuals all possess interesting and at times quite unexpected traits that help raise "Wife vs. Secretary", way above other films with a similiar theme. Jean Harlow in particular is a revelation in her most interesting and surprisingly non traditional role as the secretary who for once is not a calculating man trap. Written in a none sentimental manner by writers Norma Krasna and John Lee Mahin, "Wife vs. Secretary", is unique in that it will appeal to both male and female viewers containing positive elements in both the female and male characters represented.

By 1936 Clark Gable was really the King of MGM and Jean Harlow was starting to move away from the sassy, loud talking "dames" she had specialised in earlier in the decade. Here she plays "Whitey" Wilson, the super efficient, totally dedicated secretary to publishing heavy weight Van "V.S." Stanhope (Clark Gable). For Whitey the job always comes first which often causes ruffles in her relationship with boyfriend Dave (James Stewart). Van has been very happily married for 3 years to the lovely Linda (Myrna Loy) and Van's total trust and reliance on Whitey as his "right handed man", has never been a problem for Linda. It's only when Van's well meaning mother Mimi (May Robson), who happens to adore Linda like a real daughter, starts to plant seeds of doubt in Linda's mind about Whitey's attractive qualities that tensions begin to mount. Van meanwhile enters into secret plans for a quick takeover of another rival publishing company. It involves lots of extra hours of work which Whitey is always available for but which starts to make Linda feel like she is being left out of things. Hardly seeing her husband Linda invites some guests to the house but when Whitey arrives at the party with some important documents for Van to sign but then finds herself swept into the dancing Linda really begins seeing her as being after her husband. When a trip to Havana that Linda has planned is also called off because of the takeover bid she finds that Van has gone on ahead and then called Whitey to come down to assist with all the paperwork involved. Linda by mistake calls Van's room at the hotel which Whitey innocently answers causing Linda to think the two are involved in an affair. Linda immediately makes the moves to file for divorce and after some initial efforts to prove his innocenece of any wrong doing with Whitey Van grows tired of Linda's lack of trust in his marital fidelity. Linda plans a boat trip to Europe to getaway from Van and at dock side it is surprisingly Whitey who shows up in her cabin and warns Linda that if she goes on the trip she will loose Van and that she will definately then go after her boss romantically. Linda suddenly sees that all along Whitey has been all business despite some very deep seated feelings for Van and that she has unnecessarily been the suspicious wife looking for problems where there aren't any. The conclusion sees a reconciliation is in the wings for Linda and Van and Whitey returns to the arms of her affectionate and always waiting boyfriend Dave.

Myrna Loy said in later interviews that this film offered her a splendid chance to portray something other than the usual "perfect wife", she generally specialised in and she described her character as "having one foot in the bed all the time". Certainly it is a nice variation on her hugely popular Nora Charles character. As stated previously all three leads play characters with surprising elements here. Clark Gable for once plays a devoted and quite exemplary husband who adores his wife and can't understand her jealousy of secretary Whitey. This I believe is one of his more appealing performances from this mid 1930's period. Jean Harlow is no vamp in this story and is the honest, all business respectable assistant who would never intrude on others marriages. She reveals a growing maturity as an actress in her playing of Whitey which sadly was to be cut short the following year by her early death The power of these three performers makes the material here come alive and great credit must go to director Clarence Brown for not allowing the characters to become wafer thin copies of the three stars already established personas. Being responsible for directing such diverse efforts as "Anna Karenina" with Garbo and "National Velvet", with Elizabeth Taylor, Brown was an MGM veteran even by 1936 and left his imprint on the performances in all his film. "Wife vs. Secretary", has a wonderful 1930's look to it and Cedric Gibbons' impressive art deco interior designs, contain some of his most innovative interior design work. Costuming also plays an important role in this production as for almost the first time Jean Harlow is dressed in modest non revealing clothes appropriate to a secretary and Myrna Loy dressed by her favourite designer Dolly Tree wears the more glamourous and revealing outfits as befitting her affleunt wife of the story.

MGM was always spot on in their handling of marital soap opera dramas and in "Wife vs. Secretary",they produced one of their best combining interesting and original characters in a simple story to great box office effect. It never could be seen as being your average tale of infidelity and desire and in the hands of Gable, Harlow and Loy it translates into a very entertaining snapshot of the 1930's upper class and their marital goings on. Enjoy!

---

Wife Myrna Loy is worried about Secretary Jean Harlow
"Wife Versus Secretary" poses the simple question. If Clark Gable was married to Myrna Loy, would he be tempted by his secretary if she was Jean Harlow? This would not be a hard choice for me because I cannot name a blonde in the 1930s who for my money was sexier than Myrna Loy, but I acknowledge this to be a minority opinion. Besides, Harlow gets higher billing than Loy in this film. Gable plays Van Sanford, a young publisher who has been married to Linda for three years. Whitey Wilson (Harlow) is Van's attractive secretary, who is sort of engaged to young Tom (Billy Newell). Linda tries very hard not to be jealous, but other people are talking about, in an interesting semi-feminist angle, she wonders why Dan did not promote Whitey when he had an opportunity. Then we have one of those "innocent" circumstances that really sets things in motion when Dan flies off to Havana for a secret meeting with another publisher. Whitey has to fly off to join him and help close the deal, but, of course, Linda calls, Whitey answers the phone, and suddenly Dan is on his way to a divorce.

This 1936 film from director Clarence Brown is like a lot of films from this period: a cliche-riddled plot with a pretty good cast. Most surprisingly, Gable has relatively little to do is this film. He spends more time playing the businessman than the husband, which gives the film squarely to Harlow and Loy. Harlow does a nice job of playing the secretary, totally competent and not at all interested in her boss. But Loy has to carry the film as Linda tries to remain dignified as her doubts assail her. The big scene in "Wife Versus Secretary" actually ends up being between Loy and Harlow, which is actually as it should be. May Robson has a nice supporting role as Van's mother as does Jimmy Stewart as Dave. The star power is at the "A" level while the script by Norman Krasna, Alice Duer Miller and John Lee Mahin, based on the novel by Faith Baldwin, grades out as at a "C," which is why the above ranking splits the difference.

---

An overlooked classic
There are several reasons why this is one of my favorite classic movies. Clark Gable is charming as a publisher who runs into trouble when his relationship with his secretary (Jean Harlow) leads to misunderstandings with his wife (Myrna Loy). Jean Harlow gives perhaps one of her best performances in an unusual (for her) "good girl" role as Whitey, the secretary who secretly loves Gable but ends up helping to save his marriage. Myrna Loy is also her usual wonderful self as Gable's wife; the scenes between Loy and Gable are delightful. Jimmy Stewart also shines in a small role as Harlow's boyfriend. There's drama, romance, and even a bit of comedy---everything you could ask for in one of the old Hollywood classics.