Jeanskynebu the audience applauded

Hulkeasexo it is the rare 'crazy' movie that actually has something to say.

AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Tayyab Torres Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Bill Slocum Can a reckless playboy be redeemed by true love? Will a mean capitalist father stop his son from marrying the daughter of a generous-hearted parson? How many cast members will be left after Reginald Barlow's Mr. Wallace goes on another firing bender?These are the questions in play in "His Private Secretary," a light comedy which fits in two stories within its one-hour running time. In the first half, we see Dick Wallace (John Wayne) put in a rare day of work only to discover himself smitten by that parson's daughter, Marion (Evalyn Knapp). In the second, Marion works to reconcile Dick and his father by taking a job as Daddy Wallace's personal secretary.Daddy doesn't know who Marion really is, and she won't tell him. This sets up much of the second-half comedy that gives the film its title and much of its interest."Never marry a rich man's worthless son," Daddy tells her. "You'll regret it."On the surface a pleasant curio for fans of John Wayne interested in his pre-"Stagecoach" career, "His Private Secretary" is something of a curiosity upon closer inspection. Like "Stagecoach," he's billed second behind an actress. Unlike "Stagecoach," the actress actually deserves top billing. Knapp's a pleasure to watch, and makes the most of this program-filler.Knapp actually had recently co-starred in successful films with the likes of Cagney, Edward G. Robinson, and Joe E. Brown, so it makes sense this cheapo production would tout her services over those of Wayne, who in 1934 had been reduced to Poverty Row titles like this after the abject commercial failure of his early starring vehicle "The Big Trail." It's an adjustment watching Wayne settle into his gadabout role here, and he seems only adequate, smirking to himself as he checks out various ankles and dickers with Daddy. Knapp is what sells the film, with her cat eyes and contagious exuberance.One special scene doesn't involve Wayne at all. In it, we see Marion help a heretofore unpleasant office manager who has gotten the whack from Daddy Wallace. With a gentleness that's hard to imagine in movies today, she first manages to smooth over the boss, who has come to respect Marion in a way he does no one else, and then glides up to the office manager to tell him as obliquely as possible that he still has his job. The scene is so well acted and shot, office workers straining to listen in the background while the manager in stark close-up struggles to keep his composure, that your heart almost aches in gratitude, as silly as that may read. As good as the scene plays now, it must have been riveting in the midst of the Great Depression.But the rest of the film, while not chaff entirely, is not nearly as fine. Director Philip H. Whitman for the most part plays this in strict by-the-numbers style, with few cuts and a lot of plot jumps. Characters and subplots are quickly introduced and abandoned after getting a chuckle or two. The last five minutes is a clear rush to get the story resolved under the wire, and really wrecks a lot of the good will established.It's just not a good movie, but it's not really bad at all. A light tone predominates, along with a simple message of finding forgiveness and human decency that makes the experience of watching it hard to dislike. Certainly people who, like me, force themselves to watch every Wayne film they can will be somewhat impressed, if not on account of Wayne. I think I may try to watch another Knapp film before my next Wayne.

kidboots Before John Wayne found his true genre calling he played a variety of college boys, bored young men about town etc - all like a fish out of water. Just before he began his famous Lone Star series that really put him on the map, he played Dick Wallace, an idle rich kid going to the dogs whose father (Reginald Barlow, who was more at home playing butlers and servants) puts him to work in his office in "His Private Secretary".In exasperation, he sends Dick to Somerville to recover a debt (a round trip of 200 miles) hoping to keep him out of temptation's way but resourceful Dick is able to mix business with pleasure when he gives pretty Marion Hall (Evalyn Knapp) a lift to her grandfathers after telling her the bus has broken down. Unfortunately, it is the grandfather, the Rev. Hall (Alec B. Francis) who he is chasing for a bad debt - the Rev. has given the money that he owes to feed the sick and needy. This is a really nice little movie - of course Dick waives the debt which has the old man fuming and giving him the sack but Dick has already decided to stay in the sleepy little town and trades his up to the minute roadster in exchange for the town's only garage, knowing he will have to meet up with Marian sometime. I know it sounds silly but it is a fun rainy day type of movie.Back in the city and now married, Dick and Marian run into opposition from Dick's dad who thinks she has only married Dick for his money. He has never met her of course but when Marian goes to the office to have it out with him, she comes out with a job - as his private secretary!!!Evalyn Knapp started out as a dewy eyed blonde but when she did have the lead in a talked about picture, "Sinner's Holiday", the only stars talked about were the supporting cast (James Cagney and Joan Blondell). So it was soon on to programmers and by 1933 she looked efficient enough to have the leads in poverty rowers "Air Hostess" and "His Private Secretary".

classicsoncall In 1933, John Wayne made three Westerns for a series at Warner's, and another three for Paul Malvern's Lone Star Productions. Somewhere in between he found the time to play against type in this rather offbeat romantic comedy. It may be the only time you'll catch him in a movie wearing a suit and tie as he portrays the playboy son of a businessman (Reginald Barlow), with a never ending eye for the ladies. I was rather surprised to see that Wayne's love interest in the story (Evalyn Knapp) actually got top billing, though understandable as Wayne was still a relatively new actor even though he was headlining over at Lone Star.The story itself has an interesting premise as Dick Wallace is assigned by his father the job of collecting delinquent accounts for the company. It brings him to the town of Somerville, population 407, give or take a few as events in the film play out. What doesn't seem quite as believable though is Dick trading his car for a gas station so he can stick around to woo the minister's daughter. Come to think of it, the minister not paying his debt to the Wallace firm also seems like a stretch, but no more unbelievable then some of Wayne's Westerns.There's the hint of a sub plot in the early going when one of Dick's gal pals named Polly (Natalie Kingston) attempts to snag him for his potential fortune, but that one goes nowhere. When it's finally revealed that Dick and Marion (Knapp) are married, Polly's reaction is virtually nil, she must have had another potential millionaire in the wings.The movie's payoff occurs in the way Marion turns the tables on Dick's father, who hires her as a secretary, and winds up wishing his son would marry someone just like her. Winning him over without appearing to be a gold digger was the whole point, and Marion has the charm to pull it off. By the time the film is over, we have John Wayne in a clinch with his sweetheart, pretty much the same way all of his Lone Star films ended, though this time he's planting a great big kiss on the new Mrs. Wallace.

Snow Leopard This would be worth watching if for no other reason than to watch John Wayne in a romantic comedy, and it's a decent movie in its own right. While its not as funny or as moving as the best films of this type, the story is good and is usually at least mildly amusing.Wayne plays the carefree son of a rich man. His Father disapproves of him and his lifestyle, and after giving him one last chance, rejects him and the woman he has married (Evalyn Knapp). His wife decides to take matters into her own hands, with a creative scheme intended to bring the cold-hearted father to his senses. It's a fairly interesting scenario, and most of the possibilities are realized. The acting is generally good, and Wayne does well in a role much different from those he would later become famous for.Wayne's fans should enjoy seeing how he performs in this atypical role, and fans of old-fashioned romantic comedies should also find this worth a look.