Behind Office Doors

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.

The trouble with these 'smart woman behind the scenes' movies from this era is that while they show a woman to be the brains behind a businessman, they also show the positions they're limited to, and generally happy with as long as there is a possible romantic angle. In this case it's Mary Astor in the role of a secretary helping out a salesman (Robert Ames) make big moves within his company for reasons which aren't all that obvious, since he's quite a bore, patting a woman on the butt at the water cooler and making it clear he plays around. She has a thing for him anyway though (argh!), which is all the more disappointing since she has such pluck and principles in spurning the advances of a wealthy man (Ricardo Cortez) who has lied to her about not being married, something her friends think she's crazy to do. She makes all of the key strategic decisions that get him to the top of the company, and yet like a dimwit he doesn't understand her value, and also hires other women into the company so he can have liaisons with them. Somehow (argh!) she still loves him.

Astor's a treat to watch but everything else is a rather unpleasant experience, and the film is rather creaky, both in pace and the quality of the visual print which survives. There are occasional funny moments in the banter, such as when she tells him of a big idea she has, and he comes over to her, grabs the cigarette out of her hand, smells it, and says "it isn't hashish." These are few and far between though, and the film lacks most of the old pre-Code crackle. Robert Ames died at 42 from his problems with alcohol a little less than five months after this film was released, so that's a point of interest I guess, but the only real reason to watch this would be for Astor. It's just too bad the script is so weak. I hated the ending too.

This is a pretty clever, well-acted version of the "modern" 30s woman's fairytale romance. In this case, she helps the man she loves become head of the company while serving as his secretary and eventually wins his love from a scheming social butterfly. Interestingly, her business sense is shown as subtly parallel to her homemaking prowess, and the ladies of the office are depicted as the "powers behind the throne." Lifted way above the average by Mrs. Astor's intelligent performance.

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!