SECRETS OF A SECRETARY (1931)

[rmichaelpyle]

Last night I watched "Secrets of a Secretary" (1931) with Claudette Colbert, Herbert Marshall, Georges Metaxa, Betty Lawford, Mary Boland, and Berton Churchill. This is a racy pre-code concerning everything from a rich family becoming poor due to The Great Depression (Colbert's) to gigilos and marriage to one (Metaxa and Colbert), including adultery (Metaxa and Lawford) which is rather blatantly portrayed, and gangsterism and murder. Interestingly enough there are some interesting early roles, such as Millard Mitchell as a police detective. Just for the record, the IMDb has him listed as playing a "drunk". Just goes to show you that you cannot trust them. Overall, a super show that needs to be re-discovered like so many of these pre-codes. I'm a little bit shocked that such a goody as this one with Colbert has fallen into such oblivion. It's not shown on television that I know of, nor is it spoken of as among the better of the pre-codes. But it is! As many of these as I've seen, I liked this one as much or more than many of them.

[diane]

You are so good at reviews. Do you review on IMDb??? You make this film sound so inviting.
It will go on my wishlist - but under "Torch Singer" and "The Gilded Lily". I am discovering
Claudette Colbert and I definately like what I see!!!

[rmichaelpyle]

Thank you, Diane. I have only reviewed 2 films on the IMDb. "Ingeborg Holm" (1913), a seminal silent film, had never been reviewed, so I thought it was time. I also reviewed the 1936 film "The Lone Wolf Returns", with Melvyn Douglas. IMDb does a fairly good job with their information, but it's not always up to snuff, and sometimes has to be warily observed. "Secrets of a Secretary" was really quite good, not as good as "Torch Singer", though, which, by the way, will be on the new volume 3 of "Forbidden Hollywood", due out very soon. "The Gilded Lily" and others like "I Cover the Waterfront" are fun little pieces of Colbert's that most don't know anymore. It's a shame.

[Larry's 66 Diner]

Thanks for the excellent review, Michael. For some reason, a feeling of deja vu came over me as I was reading your review of this; yet, I cannot recall whether I actually did see it or not. (Have you ever experienced this when reading a review? :huh: ) Whether it sounds familiar or not, this sounds like one definitely worth checking into. :thumbsup:

[rmichaelpyle]

Careful, Larry, not to confuse this film with "Secrets of an Actress" (1938) with Kay Francis and George Brent which has been shown several times on TCM. That word "Secrets" seems to have been popular in the 30's. There was even a film by that name with Mary Pickford. It was her last film (1933), co-starring Leslie Howard.