More Than a Secretary
Encyclopedia
More Than a Secretary is a 1936 romantic comedy film made by Columbia Pictures
, directed by Alfred E. Green, and written by Dale Van Every
and Lynn Starling. The story was adapted by Ethel Hill and Aben Kandel, based on magazine story "Safari in Manhattan" by Matt Taylor.
It tells the story of a secretary of health magazine, who is in love with her boss.
Ms. Davis tells her, “This doesn’t happen to be a matrimonial agency.” Next, a former student drops by with a perspective student and informs the owners that she is getting married to a Junior Vice President (due to her job as a secretary). This leads Ms. Baldwin to wonder if these young ladies are onto something.
Meanwhile, a client, Mr. Gilbert (George Brent) who is the editor of Body and Brain magazine continues to fire secretarial graduates from the Supreme Secretarial School. He calls the school and over the phone, Mr. Gilbert complains to Ms. Baldwin about inept secretaries. Ms. Baldwin covers the phone receiver and repeats what he is saying to Ms. Davis. Ms. Baldwin says to Ms. Davis, “He wants to know what’s wrong with the modern woman?” Ms. Davis replies, “.. the modern man.”
Ms. Baldwin decides to go to Mr. Gilbert’s office to see what he expects of a secretary. When they meet, he inadvertently thinks she is a secretary rather than the owner of the school and tells her to report to work in the morning. She is immediately smitten with Mr. Gilbert and decides to work as his secretary.
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
, directed by Alfred E. Green, and written by Dale Van Every
Dale Van Every
Dale Van Every was an American writer and film producer.His parents were Wilbert and Estella Van Every, members of a prominent family in the Petoskey, Michigan area...
and Lynn Starling. The story was adapted by Ethel Hill and Aben Kandel, based on magazine story "Safari in Manhattan" by Matt Taylor.
It tells the story of a secretary of health magazine, who is in love with her boss.
Summary
Ms. Baldwin (Jean Arthur) and Ms. Davis (Ruth Donnelly) are owners and instructors of the Supreme Secretarial School. Ms. Baldwin is fighting Spring Fever and daydreams while teaching her class. They take pride in turning out well trained secretaries. They are having problems teaching a secretarial student, named Maizie (Dorothea Kent) who cannot spell, take dictation or type. When the instructors ask her what she is doing at the school, she replies with, “I‘m here for the same reason that every other smart girl’s here - to, uh, get a chance to meet nice men.”Ms. Davis tells her, “This doesn’t happen to be a matrimonial agency.” Next, a former student drops by with a perspective student and informs the owners that she is getting married to a Junior Vice President (due to her job as a secretary). This leads Ms. Baldwin to wonder if these young ladies are onto something.
Meanwhile, a client, Mr. Gilbert (George Brent) who is the editor of Body and Brain magazine continues to fire secretarial graduates from the Supreme Secretarial School. He calls the school and over the phone, Mr. Gilbert complains to Ms. Baldwin about inept secretaries. Ms. Baldwin covers the phone receiver and repeats what he is saying to Ms. Davis. Ms. Baldwin says to Ms. Davis, “He wants to know what’s wrong with the modern woman?” Ms. Davis replies, “.. the modern man.”
Ms. Baldwin decides to go to Mr. Gilbert’s office to see what he expects of a secretary. When they meet, he inadvertently thinks she is a secretary rather than the owner of the school and tells her to report to work in the morning. She is immediately smitten with Mr. Gilbert and decides to work as his secretary.
Cast
- Jean ArthurJean ArthurJean Arthur was an American actress and a major film star of the 1930s and 1940s. She remains arguably the epitome of the female screwball comedy actress. As James Harvey wrote in his recounting of the era, "No one was more closely identified with the screwball comedy than Jean Arthur...
as Carol Baldwin - George BrentGeorge BrentGeorge Brent was an Irish film and television actor in American cinema.-Early life:He was born George Brendan Nolan in Raharabeg, County Roscommon on the opposite bank of the River Shannon from the town of Shannonbridge, County Offaly, Ireland, the son of a British Army officer.During the Irish...
as Fred Gilbert - Lionel StanderLionel StanderLionel Jay Stander was an American actor in films, radio, theater and television.-Early life and career:Lionel Stander was born in The Bronx, New York, to Russian Jewish immigrants, the first of three children...
as Ernest - Ruth DonnellyRuth DonnellyRuth Donnelly was an American stage and film actress. Her father was the mayor of Trenton, New Jersey....
as Helen Davis - Reginald DennyReginald Denny (actor)Reginald Denny was an English stage, film, and television actor. He was once an amateur boxing champion of Great Britain.-Acting career:...
as Bill Houston - Dorothea KentDorothea KentDorothea Kent was an American film actress. She appeared in 42 films between 1935 and 1948.In addition to her credited roles, she also had roles in 6 other films, including her last role in the 1948 film The Babe Ruth Story.She was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, and died in 1990 from breast cancer...
as Maizie West - Charles HaltonCharles HaltonCharles Halton was a stern-faced American character actor who appeared in over 180 films.One of his most memorable portrayals was as Carter, the bank examiner in It's a Wonderful Life...
as Mr. Crosby - Geraldine Hall as Enid