Working hard for aging boss Charles Sellon (who is too old to notice the legs crossed as she takes dictation), Mary Astor is devoted to her job and in love with second in charge Robert Ames. He barely notices her so she accepts the affections of suave Ricardo Cortez who unfortunately is married (although separated for years) but not willing to try to get a divorce. When life-threatening ailments cause Sellon to suddenly retire, Astor and Ames begin to spend more time together, and she is disturbed by his hiring a dim-witted assistant for her. Astor proves she is "Johnny on the spot" (like Julie Andrews' Millie) in keeping the office and Ames' home in order, so when Ames suddenly announces his engagement to wealthy socialite Catherine Dale Owen, Astor is naturally hurt and decides to resign. But the lack of finding a good replacement after firing the incompetent Edna Murphy makes Ames desperate, and when Mary finds out, she makes one last effort to win him over. But is falling in love with the boss worth it? In depression era, pre-code times it was, and more often than not, unless their boss was Clarence Wilson, the heroine did.
It's Mary Astor's film all the way, playing a very noble character who still won't put up with the dizzy antics of the ridiculous Murphy who storms into boss Ames' office against Astor's orders on her very first day. When she throws her newly purchased negligee in Astor's face, you might think that something like this could never happen. Certainly, in this politically correct, office politics rule era, it would be unthinkable, but the dark days of the depression saw some young women using what they had to get ahead. Remember that the early 1930's were pre-code, delightfully un-P.C. with female characters telling other females things such as "As long as there are streets, you'll have a job!" Murphy is even dumber than the character of Hedy LaRue in "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying", but in her case, it's How to succeed in the boss's bedroom without really stripping".
Frankly, I didn't see any qualities in Ames which would make sense for Mary Astor to fall in love with him. He's a drunken bore, prone to office hang-overs, even after coming in late, and while Cortez is married, it is apparent that after a time, he would divorce his wife to marry Astor. Sellon, a delightful old character actor, is given several zippy scenes, while Owen, as the seemingly sweet daughter of the firm's banking representative, shows claws when she realizes what she's up against with Astor. Kitty Kelly (not related to the notorious tell-all biographer) also adds spark as Mary's free-spirited pal who throws a great "truth or dare" party where Astor and Cortez are thrown together in a rather risqué bedroom scene where they actually sit on the bed. This is a fun pre-code drama which if you take away the whole personal business in the office business world, you can enjoy for an era of political incorrectness and personal sexual freedom that doesn't exist anymore.
It's Mary Astor's film all the way, playing a very noble character who still won't put up with the dizzy antics of the ridiculous Murphy who storms into boss Ames' office against Astor's orders on her very first day. When she throws her newly purchased negligee in Astor's face, you might think that something like this could never happen. Certainly, in this politically correct, office politics rule era, it would be unthinkable, but the dark days of the depression saw some young women using what they had to get ahead. Remember that the early 1930's were pre-code, delightfully un-P.C. with female characters telling other females things such as "As long as there are streets, you'll have a job!" Murphy is even dumber than the character of Hedy LaRue in "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying", but in her case, it's How to succeed in the boss's bedroom without really stripping".
Frankly, I didn't see any qualities in Ames which would make sense for Mary Astor to fall in love with him. He's a drunken bore, prone to office hang-overs, even after coming in late, and while Cortez is married, it is apparent that after a time, he would divorce his wife to marry Astor. Sellon, a delightful old character actor, is given several zippy scenes, while Owen, as the seemingly sweet daughter of the firm's banking representative, shows claws when she realizes what she's up against with Astor. Kitty Kelly (not related to the notorious tell-all biographer) also adds spark as Mary's free-spirited pal who throws a great "truth or dare" party where Astor and Cortez are thrown together in a rather risqué bedroom scene where they actually sit on the bed. This is a fun pre-code drama which if you take away the whole personal business in the office business world, you can enjoy for an era of political incorrectness and personal sexual freedom that doesn't exist anymore.