Behind Office Doors

I got this movie on dvd format recently, and although much of the movies from this period are static antiques, due to sound problems and lack of camera movements, this early talkie is not that static and I had fun watching it! Mary Astor's screen presence is strong, Robert Ames' acting is good, and the rest of the cast is uniformly o.k. The plot has neither got big surprises or mysteries, nor is it too sophisticated (let's say it's no Lubitsch), but this modest picture is sincere and definitely deserves a watch. The quality of the image is great, considering it's a 1931 feature. Also note the pre-code "daring" (for then) aspects of the film, compared to movies made in Hollywood from 1934 onwards. A discovery!

I know I have seen this film before or at least one very, very similar to this. However, for once, IMDb is of no help at all using its keywords and it shows nothing in regard to movie connections. If you know what the remake for this was titled, let me know.

For those who don't know what the term "Pre-Code" refers to, this is a film made mostly in the early 1930s--up to 1934. While there was a Production Code that supposedly controlled inappropriate content in American films, it was rarely enforced and the films of this era were occasionally very risqué--even by today's standards. While the films following the adoption of a strengthened Code in 1934 were quite tame, pre-code films had some shocking moments such as nudity (yes, Grandpa and Grandma were NOT as prudish as you'd imagine), adultery, homosexuality and cursing. And, occasionally sin was not just condoned but was rewarded by the end of the film! "Behind Office Doors" is clearly a pre-code film in its sensibilities--though it's not as shocking as "Red-Headed Woman" (but what is?!). The film features some adulterous situations, 'free love', a man smacking a woman on the rear (plus she isn't his wife), sexy lingerie, a smart and conniving career girl who smokes and drinks and likes men (Mary Astor), references to hashish, wild parties and lots of sexually-charged banter! However, and this is very odd, but midway through the film the pre-code trashy elements mostly disappear. The resulting film is very good but had one glaring problem that irritated me a tiny bit.

The film begins with Astor meeting a handsome guy (Ricardo Cortez). He is instantly smitten with her, but her mind is focused on an executive at work (Robert Ames). Plus, she learns that Cortez is already married. For much of the movie, Mary works to make the man she's infatuated with (Ames) and pulls strings to make him successful. Oddly, despite being successful, Ames is a bit of an idiot. First, he doesn't recognize all the times Astor manipulates him to make him a success. Second, she's pretty and devoted--but the fool doesn't appreciate her or recognize that she loves him. In many ways, Astor is quite the sap and Ames clearly doesn't deserve her. Even when it's obvious Ames is chasing other women, Astor hold out hope that somehow he'll recognize her and marry her. In fact, I had a hard time loving the film because Ames just wasn't worth it--I wanted to see her find someone other than him or Cortez! The film truly is the ultimate in self-sacrifice and as a result Astor is a human doormat--too much so. Still, despite this, the film is well made, entertaining and worth seeing--I just wished they'd made the relationship between Ames and Astor less one-sided and ridiculous.

By the way, my favorite line in the film was "You don't love me for my body alone...". Now THAT'S pre-code!

In days past BOD would have been called a 'woman's picture', since affairs of the heart occupy the storyline instead of action, mystery or suspense. Fortunately, actress Astor (Linden) turns in a nicely low-key turn as the under-appreciated power behind boss Duneen's company throne. She craves his affection instead of the compliments he occasionally provides her. Now he's planning to wed a high-society girl even though it's Linden's advice who's gotten him to the top. So what will become of her.

For me, a guy, the flick only has occasional interest as when character conflict comes to the top. Otherwise, the narrative's too talky and stage-bound, even though the gals do go through a number of gown changes on camera (Pre-Code, 1931). Too bad also that a more charismatic actor doesn't appear as Duneen. It's really hard to see how the savvy Linden could get so stuck on such a bland leading man that also weakens focal interest. Then too, the narrative staggers more than it unfolds, the director adding little or nothing. Anyway, I think a mild feminist under-current underlies key points of the plot, which, to me, is really the only reason to catch up with the uneven 82-minutes.

This film features Mary Astor as the brains behind a NYC paper company, manipulating the personal life and business affairs of her boss, Robert Ames, who seems oblivious of her charms and too witless, frankly, to be a captain of industry. Ricardo Cortez is her long-suffering married would-be lover (did they ever consummate their relationship in Atlantic City?).

Never a Mary Astor fan, I found her performance in this film to be outstanding. She carries the movie all by herself and exhibits a wide range of emotions without once overacting, which would have been a great temptation in a film of this type. The film itself is marred by an inferior supporting cast, especially Robert Ames, and a too-hurried wrap up at the end.

In the grand tradition of stand-by-your-man films, Behind Office Doors promotes that glorious message of olden days. Mary Astor stars as a secretary in love with one of her co-workers, Robert Ames. Thanks to her intelligence and ambition, she manages to promote Robert up the corporate ladder. Mary remains his faithful secretary, while being in love with him, and Robert repays her by ignoring her and fooling around with other loose secretaries. Mary is a very good girl, in every sense of the word, and while this pre-Code drama is extremely naughty, she isn't. In one scene, Mary discusses the price of French lingerie with her fellow secretary, and in a later scene, she finds a price tag on the floor of Robert's bedroom. In the first scene, Mary attends a party and gets kissed during a game of Blind Man's Bluff, then questioned about how far she'll go during Truth. If you like pre-Code screenplays, add this one to your list.

Mary gives a very heartfelt performance in Behind Office Doors, and while the plot and what she goes through might seem melodramatic to a modern audience, in 1931, it was serious business to be a good girl and remain so. When Ricardo Cortez offers a standing invitation to take Mary to Atlantic City, the audience knows what that means. To a modern woman, it sounds like a fun fling that can be enjoyed without any change to her reputation, but in 1931, it could be life-ruining. I do wish the end of the movie was different, but everything leading up to it was entertaining, dramatic, well-written, and well-acted. Check this movie out if you've never seen a Mary Astor movie, or if you only think of her as Marmee in Little Women. She's the lead and the star, and she holds her own as an old-fashioned girl with strong morals and a loving heart.