MY DEAR SECRETARY

US, 1949, 94 minutes, Black and white.
Laraine Day, Kirk Douglas, Keenan Wynn, Helen Walker, Rudy Vallee, Florence Bates, Alan Mowbray, Gale Robbins, Grady Sutton.
Directed by Charles Martin.

My Dear Secretary is a 40s-style screwball comedy – less light touch than those of the 1940s. Perhaps this is the fault of Kirk Douglas who does a good comic turn but this is not his forte. Laraine Day, who was a prominent star at this period, is an attractive heroine. However, Keenan Wynn gets most of the comic scenes. There is a strong supporting cast including singer Rudy Vallee as the bookstore boss, Florence Bates as the landlady.

The film focuses on an author, his womanising, his being impossible for his secretaries – and his being charmed by one of them, marrying her, but dominating her and her going off and succeeding independently.

Familiar material.

1.The tradition of the screwball comedy of the 30s? 1940s versions? The light touch, characters, comic situations? Comeuppances?

2.The black and white photography, New York City, apartments, offices? The family atmosphere for this kind of comedy? Musical score?

3.The focus on Stephanie, her listening to Owen Waterbury, her admiration for him? Wanting to write a novel? Meeting him, the possibility of becoming his secretary, seeing Elsie walk out? The wry comments from Ronnie? Her getting the job, doing the work, Owen and his erratic behaviour, lack of inspiration? Her trying to do her best? Falling in love with him? The marriage? His treating her badly, her reactions? Her walking out on him? Her success with her own book, Charles Harris and his promoting her? Owen and his jealousy, Elsie and her relationship with Charles Harris? The sorting out of everything – and the happy ending? Stephanie as an attractive character?

4.Owen, Kirk Douglas and his style, success, the lecture? The admiration of the students? Meeting Stephanie, hiring her? His behaviour, sharing the apartment with Ronnie? The demands of the landlady? Elsie walking out on him? His working with Stephanie, erratic? In love, the marriage? His wanting to have less pressure, getting a new secretary? Stephanie walking out? Her success? Getting together again?

5.A gallery of supporting comic characters, Ronnie and his sardonic attitudes, stances, friendship with Owen, with Stephanie? Elsie, walking out, going to work with Charles, in love with him? Providing ambiguity for Stephanie and for Owen in sorting themselves out? The landlady and her demands? The housekeeper? Dawn O’Malley? as becoming the new secretary, untouchable? Sylvan, his work, helping Owen, Owen finding him unsatisfactory? Stephanie setting him up? The private detective, following Owen and giving his report?

6.A light touch comedy, with typical characters from American screwball tradition?