Reviewed by Colin Jacobson (February 7, 2023)
Mid-1930s movies don’t come much more star-studded than 1936’s Wife vs. Secretary. A main cast of Clark Gable, Jean Harlow and Myrna Loy seems sufficient, but with James Stewart in a supporting role, we find an even stronger group.
Three years into their marriage, magazine publisher Van “VS” Stanhope (Gable) and wife Linda (Loy) remain in their honeymoon phase. However, a snarl emerges due to the persistent presence of VS’s long-time secretary Helen "Whitey" Wilson (Harlow).
Though Linda trusts VS, his mother Mimi (May Robson) implies he may stray from his matrimonial promise of fidelity. This creates complications, as Linda’s jealousy disrupts the relationship.
Given that premise, one might expect a melodrama from Wife. Which it does, but the movie opts for a comedic bent as well.
Well, in a moderate manner. I figured Wife might go for a wild screwball take on the topic, but the movie keeps things fairly subdued instead.
Honestly, it becomes unclear where precisely Wife wants to go. It seems too light for melodrama but too serious for comedy.
Again, Wife leans in the latter direction, but one shouldn’t expect a lot of laughs here. I anticipated nutty “mistaken impression” comedy but instead found… not much.
No one can call Wife a plot-driven movie, as it tends to meander in terms of story. Beyond Linda’s jealousy, a few other threads emerge related to VS’s business as well as Whitey’s relationship with fiancé Dave (Stewart).
None of these really go anywhere – and neither does the main theme. Whatever comedic sparks we anticipate, they fail to emerge, and the movie’s lack of consistent focus means it roams and wanders.
How can a movie with so many legends in its cast become so darned dull? Not that the actors lack charisma, as they display their usual talents.
Unfortunately, they simply can’t elevate this leaden script. Wife proceeds at a sluggish rate and never finds a real groove.
Which seems like a shame, as the basic story comes with obvious comedic potential. A lackluster mix of minor comedy and melodrama, the end result falls flat.