Man Wanted
Directed by William Dieterle
Written by Robert Lord and Charles Kenyon
1932/US
Warner Bros.
IMDb page
First viewing/Forbidden Hollywood Vol. 2
Lois Ames: You see, I’ve been having trouble with secretaries. The work is so uncertain. It needs a man. You understand that our relations will be purely of a business nature.
Thomas ‘Tom’: Of course, Mrs. Ames.
This pleasant. if slight, rom com benefits greatly from the performance of Kay Francis.
Lois Ames (Francis) inherited her father’s publishing business and relishes being in charge. She spends many late hours at work. After her long suffering secretary refuses to work overtime she has an important vacancy to fill.
Tom Sherman (David Manners) works with his roommate Andy (Andy Devine) at a sporting equipment business. He is assigned to sell a rowing machine to Lois. He meets her late in the evening and it is obvious that there is a strong mutual attraction. David volunteers to act as her secretary. Time passes and eventually he is her right hand man.
This wouldn’t be a romantic comedy if there were not obstacles. These come in the form of Tom’s awful fiancee Ruth (Una Merkel) and Lois’s playboy husband Freddie. He is independently wealthy and plays polo along with partying constantly. He is also having an affair with socialite Ann Le Maire (Claire Dodd), unbeknownst to Lois. I’ll stop here.
This is an ok romantic comedy. Francis is very good in it. She had sly glances mastered at this point. David Manners was his usual bland self. Una Merkel’s role does not allow her to display her comic talents. It’s missable but at only 62 minutes I enjoyed it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSCI6g3MB1I
