The first half-hour sparkles. Tom (Mac Murray) is hired as a male secretary to what turns out to be a female (Russell) advertising executive. Worse, A.M. (that's her name) insists the tall good-looking secretary act as her beck-and-call escort. Remember, those were the days of strictly defined gender roles that were being transgressed by the arrangement. Hence, it's a setup with all sorts of entertaining complications. Meanwhile, Tom sees his masculinity slipping away, playing second-fiddle to a woman even if she is a generous paymaster. Those early scenes crackle with amusing by-play and are beautifully performed by two of Hollywood's best. I just wish the versatile Mac Murray had gotten the recognition his talent deserves.
However, once the focus shifts to complications with the Caldwells (Carey & Moore), the movie settles into more familiar and less sparkling terrain. Nonetheless, the results remain a fine example of studio craftsmanship from the '40's. Screenwriter Binyon, for example, was renowned for the wit and satirical abilities that show up here, while director Leisen certainly had the right touch for the frothy material. Note, for example, how many of his scenes don't end with a conventional cut-away from cast principals. Instead, Leisen ends the nightclub scene with two extras engaged in some card-playing business, or the scene that ends with a bellhop extra walking a dog up the hallway. These are colorful touches from a director who obviously cares.
Anyway, in my book, the movie's an imaginative little comedy from the studio that certainly knew how to do them, Paramount.
