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A light-as-air confection, with very dark overtones. The very young, fresh-faced Linda Darnell is stood up on their second anniversary by husband Tyrone Power. The always delightful Binnie Barnes, her poisonous often-divorced friend Blanche says he's fooling around. Darnell refuses to believe it.

But believe it she must as evidence piles up. So, under the guide of shopping all day, she takes a job as a secretary. Her goal: finding out what about their secretaries appeals to men. (It must be noted that a husband willing to accept five-day-a-week, all-day shopping expeditions goes against many conventions.) Ushered in by goofy but knowing receptionist Joan David -- THE Joan Davis, that divine comedienne here in an early, rather small role -- she interviews for a job. Her boss is Warren William, at his slimiest. He comes on to her like nobody's business, his own wife notwithstanding.

Darnell is determined to keep working rather than depend on Power's money and to pursue her plan: What makes these guys fall for these girls? William and Power are business associates and they all, secretaries and his wife included, end up at a nightclub. She is very firm with Power but in the end makes up with him.

It's an early feminist movie. And in its own gentle way it's a subversive one, too. Unlike Catherine Deneuve in "Belle de jour," she does not become a call girl. But she scandalizes her chauvinistic, narrow-minded husband by becoming a working woman -- and a very smart one at that.

Since Linda was born on October 16, 1923 and the film was released on November 24, 1939, that means she was 15 years old all the time she was making it (post production work takes TIME)! All in all, I found this film to be very enjoyable, with LD doing a great job for her age, certainly comparable to what Joan Leslie was doing at 15 years of age (Sergeant York, High Sierra, Yankee Doodle Dandy). Warren William did a great job as her lecherous boss - in fact I can't think of any other actor of the time who could have pulled it off - slick, slimy, urbane - with just the right amount of good spirits - a gifted farceur. Fun, worth the time spent, especially if you're into glossy '30s films and in lockdown, Covid or otherwise.

When Linda Darnell was a teenager, she had a picture of Tyrone Power in her bedroom. Little did she know that she'd play his wife in only her second film when she was the ripe old age of sixteen, and wind up acting alongside him in four more movies! Isn't that an adorable story, and doesn't it make you want to rent the cute marital comedy Day-Time Wife? If it does, you'll be in for a treat.

Linda wasn't remembered for playing anyone sweet, but after watching this romantic comedy, I wonder why. She's totally adorable! She and Ty make a very sweet newlywed couple, and after worshipping him the year before, I'm sure she was thrilled by all the smooches they got to share. The plot of the movie sounds pretty silly, but the screenplay is cute enough to make it entertaining. Linda suspects Ty is cheating on her with his secretary, so to understand the appeal, she works as a secretary to one of his business associates, Warren William. Warren oozes suave experience, so you can tell it's only a matter of time before he hits on Linda. Sure enough, it only takes him a week before taking her out to lunch and giving her a silver fox cape. "Your mouth is very pretty when you say 'no.' Have you heard that before?" he says, in a smart and clever come-on.

While Linda juggles her secret job during the day and trying to get proof of Ty's affair during the evening, the audience waits for the inevitable: a confrontation. When it finally happens, it's hilarious. Don't even think about pressing pause for a bathroom break. Linda, Ty, and Warren spar so beautifully off each other, you almost hope nothing gets resolved so they can continue. However, this is a romantic comedy, so you can make a safe bet that the ending doesn't leave too much up in the air. And in case you have any doubt as to the meaning of the title, you'll have to wait until the last line is spoken for an explanation. But it's fun while you're waiting!

Sixteen-year-old Linda Darnell has been married to Tyrone Power Jr. For two years and reports are that some of those business dinners he's been stuck on have been tete-a-tetes with his secretary. Wondering what this strange fascination secretaries hold on men is, Miss Darnell goes out and applies for a job as secretary to Warren William. When she admits to playing backgammon, he hires her and tries dating her as a relief from his wife. Of course, Power is trying to get a contract with William, and....

I have speculated that Preston Sturges had blackmail photographs of people high up in the Hays Office. This movie, although not as overt as the scripts Sturges typically got approved, doesn't hide its consideration of subject under as many as seven veils. It plays nicely off Williams' predatory boss characters in Warner Pre-Codes, and has nice small roles for Binnie Barnes, Wendy Barrie and Joan Davis. Power was said to hate roles like this, and I can't blame him. Playing whiny second banana to Miss Darnell can't have done much to satisfy his yearning to be an actor.

Day-Time Wife is an absolute gem of a film that is easily enjoyable for its own sake, not merely as a vintage curiosity.

Linda Darnell is sparkling as the young, neglected wife and Tyrone Power very watchable as the handsome but wandering husband.

The scene in which the two secretaries and their bosses end up at the same restaurant, where Darnell more than gets her revenge on her excruciated husband, is exquisite.

The ending also manages to be truly sweet and happy in a plausible way. He's been a fool, but not a total fool.

The only implausibility, perhaps, is the notion of a man neglecting a young wife as beautiful and vivacious as Darnell for his significantly older, less pretty and less amusing secretary. Not that Wendy Barrie isn't a beauty in her own right, but she's eclipsed from every angle by Darnell.

Definitely give this one a watch: it's hugely funny, with a plot that's strong enough to merit a modern remake. This would also be excellent as a play.