Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Salubfoto It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Joanna Mccarty Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

blanche-2 Mary Astor was so beautiful, but for some reason, she's cast as someone taken for granted in "Behind Office Doors," a 1931 film. Astor had a great career starting in silents and culminating with "The Maltese Falcon," in 1941. She moved into character roles in the '50s, and played her last role in 1967, due to a heart condition.Here Astor plays Mary Linden, an executive assistant to James Duneen (Robert Ames). She is the brains of the operation as he seems to only have two brain cells and one of them is on vacation. For reasons known only to herself, she's in love with him. He can't see her for dust and is not only a womanizer, but he hires a few of his bimbo girlfriends, one of whom buys sexy lingerie and shows it off to Mary.In the beginning of the film Mary meets Ronnie Wales (Ricardo Cortez) and he's crazy about her. One problem - he's married and not living with his wife. She's too interested in her boss, but eventually Duneen's womanizing gets to her and she leaves, heartbroken.This movie has many precode elements - trashy women, hash, sexual harassment, adultery, sexual innuendo.The main problem with it is that Mary is an idiot! Why isn't the boss played by someone good-looking and quick-witted like Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.? She deserved better than this shlub for sure. And what was his problem? He has a beautiful secretary who's holding him together, and he's looking around, sending flowers to other women and hiring her an "assistant?" All in all, very '30s, and very not feminist.

wes-connors At a New York party, bright and attractive secretary Mary Astor (as Mary Linden) has fun with wealthy and attractive Ricardo Cortez (as Ronnie Wales). The two seem like an ideal couple, but Mr. Cortez is married and can't get a divorce. Besides, Ms. Astor has set her sights on playboy businessman Robert Ames (as James "Jim" Duneen). When her boss retires, Astor recommends Mr. Ames as replacement. Ames is up for the job as head of the paper distributing company where they work. Astor continues as the president's secretary and Ames shows little interest in her sexually. Instead, he beds trampy job applicant Edna Murphy (as Daisy Presby) and proposes to snobby heiress Catherine Dale Owen (as Ellen Robinson). Astor must consider drastic actions to win her man. "Behind Office Doors" is a dated, but gamely presented early talking picture; however, this doesn't combine in a way that makes it very engaging.**** Behind Office Doors (3/15/31) Melville Brown ~ Mary Astor, Robert Ames, Ricardo Cortez, Edna Murphy

lshelhamer This film features Mary Astor as the brains behind a NYC paper company, manipulating the personal life and business affairs of her boss, Robert Ames, who seems oblivious of her charms and too witless, frankly, to be a captain of industry. Ricardo Cortez is her long-suffering married would-be lover (did they ever consummate their relationship in Atlantic City?).Never a Mary Astor fan, I found her performance in this film to be outstanding. She carries the movie all by herself and exhibits a wide range of emotions without once overacting, which would have been a great temptation in a film of this type. The film itself is marred by an inferior supporting cast, especially Robert Ames, and a too-hurried wrap up at the end.

Seltzer There's a good running bit about the price tag of a silk negligee. The bimbo in the office shows off the bargain she got for $22 (closeup of tag). Later, Mary Astor finds the tag in the boss's bedroom (proof that bimbo slept with him). Still later, Mary Astor is about to have an affair with Ricardo Cortez, looks at the price tag of HER silk negligee ($14) and is reminded of how disgusted she was about the bimbo, as well as the fact that she's spent $8 less than the "most obvious" woman she's ever met. It sounds an obvious morality turn, but it was well done. The film would be stronger if Robert Ames' character had been played by a more powerful actor (he's too low-key for a self-made salesman and he spends most of the film with his face turned away from the camera), and if Ricardo Cortez had been given more to do than smile ironically. Both male leads are bland and forgettable, and are hindered by the pancake male makeup so popular in this film's era. However, the Mary Astor character is interesting, appealing and believable. Behind Closed Doors is well worth seeing.