Hired Wife

Very cute comedy that stretches credibility beyond the breaking point but still is loaded with charm due to the breezy performances of all the players.

Best of all and driving the movie is Rosalind Russell in the type of role that became her signature: the fiercely competent, take care gal who also happened to be deeply romantic and fighting to get the guy she's set her sights on. Some of her machinations are outlandish but since she plays them straight she manages to put them across.

She's well matched with the debonair Brian Aherne, not only a suave leading man but because of his 6 ft 3 in height someone the statuesque Rosalind paired up well with visually. Virginia Bruce is wry and knowing as a gold digging model and Robert Benchley funny as Aherne's lawyer. The real standout in support is John Carroll, a secondary leading man for most of his career he's full of goofy charm as a former beau of Roz's character displaying a comic finesse that Hollywood didn't take advantage of.

A cute studio movie that helped its star hone her screen persona following directly after her one-two punch of The Women and His Girl Friday.

This is comedy in the classic style, starring the incomparable Rosalind Russell in the kind of role she did best: the savvy professional woman. Here she is a wily, sassy secretary, devoted to her cement mogul boss because, she claims, "every good secretary is in love with her boss." But although she manages to snare him in a marriage of convenience, she still has to use her cunning to separate him from the equally determined blonde model he's pursuing. Add a spurious foreign millionaire and a disgruntled chaperone (Robert Benchley, in a hilarious supporting performance) and you have a perfect romantic comedy. Sharp dialogue, an ever-twisting plot, and Russell's deft, headlong performance make this a delight from start to finish.

The same year Myrna Loy had to invent a fake husband in order to save her professional career in Third Finger, Left Hand, Brian Aherne had to participate in a sham marriage to save his company in Hired Wife. While the two movies aren't exactly similar, there are similarities that make them both delightful. Whichever one you watch first, you won't think the other's a copycat; instead, you'll just want to make your evening a double feature!

Brian's a successful businessman who gets spring fever every year with a different blonde. His faithful and capable secretary, Rosalind Russell, is in love with him. She sees the flings come and go, and she's not above lending a hand to help them go faster. When his company is in jeopardy, his lawyer Robert Benchley suggests the only way to save it is to get married and put every asset in his wife's name. Brian wants to propose to his current sweetie-pie, Virginia Bruce, so he sends Roz while he tends to the paperwork. Roz isn't keen to see him marry another woman, so she just might louse up the proposal on purpose!

This movie is so delightful, it's bound to make a Rosalind Russell fan out of her biggest critic. I've never liked her very much, but she's very cute in this movie. It's not a screwball comedy, but it's smart and savvy with enough humor to have you laughing at every minute. Brian is handsome, clueless, forgiving, and hilarious; why else would Roz go through so much trouble to land him? For a very funny evening, or a perfect matinee day, check out Hired Wife.

It's a strange fact that this film immediately proceeds Rosalind Russel's perhaps most noteworthy film, "His Girl Friday," yet this one doesn't even have a Wikipedia link, and so far only has one review on this website. After all, she gave an impressive performance in that notorious film, and I am completely vexed as to how that role didn't grant her massive attention from the masses, though it seems this film was made by Universal, which wasn't exactly a top-drawer as far as I understand.

Nevertheless, if you happen to have come across this film or have divulged any interest in watching it, I would encourage your desire and eagerly anticipate your enjoyment. After all, this film really is quite swell, even if it isn't particularly a classic in any way. Its plot is screwball, to be sure, with aspects of the Comedy of Remarriage thrown in for good measure, such is the widespread appeal of that genre at this time. While I cannot attest to the picture quality being excellent-- naturally this film lacked the MGM sheen, or even the crispness of some Paramount or Columbia features-- that doesn't detract from any pleasure you might find herein. Naturally I assume that given Rosalind Russel's starring in this film it would most appeal to her fans, and if you are caught in her own particular spell you will no doubt appreciate her character here, which is embodied by the typical qualities which this actress is so renown at invoking, such as her being a strong, coordinated, wise-cracking woman of competence yet who retains an essential romantic, traditionalized passion underneath it all; to be sure, this is a typical Roz role.

Even further surprising is the fact that at least two of the other actors herein are recognizable as appearing in several other films, by which I understand Virginia Bruce and Robert Benchley to be those. All in all, this film is typical of its time, certainly being the type of story that only could have ever been produced before the horrors of the war about to be fought, and if you enjoy such a circumstance; such a setting; such a plot; such characters-- then I cannot understand why you should not watch this film, or join me in wondering why it wasn't successful, or given more attention.

"Hired Wife" is a very funny 1940 comedy romance with a sterling cast. But, with this cast and the plot, it should and could have been a great comedy. The front and back parts have some hilarious dialog. The problem with the middle section is too much time devoted to Stephen wining and dining Phyllis Walden, with very little humor. That could have been greatly condensed and then have a couple of instances toward the beginning with Kendal helping get Stephen out of some gold-digger relationships. One can just imagine the humorous dialog there could be here with Kendal. But for that slow middle section, this could have been among the very best comedy films.

Rosalind Russell is Kendal, the private secretary and behind-the-scenes manager who keeps the Dexter Cement company afloat. Her bachelor boss isn't inept, but isn't very good at handling things when he lapses into one of his overboard infatuations. Kendal bides her time until the day she hopes he'll open his eyes and fall for her. Brian Aherne's Stephen Dexter isn't a wolf or playboy, but a guy who romanticizes about romance. He's looking for the right girl, and every so often he falls for some damsel, who turns out to be a gold-digger. So, Kendal gets him out of the jam. That's the setting when this film opens, and the boss has just returned from a trip.

Robert Benchley is Roger Van Horn, the Dexter Company attorney. And John Carroll is José de Briganza, a long-time acquaintance of Kendal's. They contribute a lot of the humor. Since Kendal mostly runs the business, when Stephen flips over his latest heart-throb, she hires José to run interference - in the form of luring Phyllis away from Stephen. Benchley is a hoot as Van Horn. One of scenes that had me laughing so hard had the three leads together when Roger sends Kendal to go packing her bags. Stephen asks where she's going, and she says to his house. Stephen says, "My house, my house?" And Roger comes back with a reply about "Your house, house" and more. Because Benchley was a humorist, including writing for magazines and newspapers columns, I wondered if this wasn't an ad lib on his part in the film, and it was so funny that Universal kept it in.

Aherne and Russell were in three other comedies together. While they were all very good, they weren't among the best of the comedies for either one. Two of Brian Aherne's films are among the best comedies of all time, and seven of Roz Russell's comedies area among the best of all time.

Here are some favorite lines from this film.

Stephen Dexter, "Mac. I want a new campaign. And it must be warm, and it must be human." Kendal Browning, "The cement you love to touch." Stephen, "Yes, uh, the cem... you love... no, no, no. I mean we must make our cement stand out - give it personality."

Kendal Browning, "I'll tell you what you could do - you could perfume it."

Kendal Browning, "I think you've got something there - Little Annie Cement, that'd be kinda cute."

Stephen Dexter, looking at the billboard on the building opposite his office window, "Kendal, uh, who is that girl?" Kendal Browning, "Well, I don't know her name, but her face in on the canned tomatoes I use."

Stephen Dexter, "Get ahold of her. I'll see her myself." Kendall Browning, going out the door, "Wouldn't it be easier and quicker to pay her off right now?"

Kendal Browning, "If you're sure this is the real thing, my blessings, Stephen. I won't try and stop you. I'm through." Stephen Dexter, "What? Y, yo, you're not going to leave me with all this work...."

Kendal Browning, "I'm not through working for you. I'm just through caring what you do outside office hours." Stephen Dexter, "Mmm, well that's better." Kendal, "For me, not for you."

Roger van Horn, "All you've got to do is marry someone. It doesn't make any difference who she is or what she is. Of course, it would be better if she was a girl you could trust. But all she's really got to do is say, 'I do.'" They both look at Kendal. Stephen Dexter, "Kendall, whatta you say?" Kendal Browning, "I do."

Kendall Browning, "I wish I could afford to strangle you."

Roger Van Horn, "Well, Kendal, you better go home and start parking." Stephen Dexter, "You going away?" Kendall Browning, "Oh, heh, your attorney advised me to move." Stephen, "Move? Where?" Kendal, "Your house." Stephen, "My house? My house!" Roger, "Naturally your house, your house. Would Kendal move into my house, my house?" Stephen, "She's capable of anything."

Stephen Dexter, "What are you doing to me now?" Kendal Browning, "Not to you - for you."

Kendal Browning, "What's this item, one cockatoo?" José de Briganza, waving one hand behind his head, "You know, cockatoo?" Kendal, "Yeah, I know what they are, but what I wanna know is how do you use them in making love?" Jose, "Phyllis want one for the pet, so I give her the bird." Kendal, "Oh, that's all right by me. But, uh, José, $75 for one bird." Joseé, "It talks." Kendal, "For that amount of money it ought a read, write and vote."

Roger Van Horn, after Kendal makes a racket to wake him up, "Hey, cut that out. I'm asleep." Kendal Browning, to Stephen, "Ask grandma - he was in the house all night." Roger, "Oh, go to bed."

Stephen Dexter, "Roger, get me a divorce." Roger Van Horn, "You mind waiting until morning?" Stephen, "How soon can I get one?" Roger, "Well, is Kendal willing?" Kendal Browning, "Uh, no." Roger, "Well, if she fights..." Kendal, "She will." Roger, "Then it'll take years." Stephen, "Years?" Roger, "Five years. You're best chance is to disappear and be given up for dead. Course, it's just a curbstone opinion."