Her Husbands Secretary (Warner Bros.) (1937)

PUBLICITY LEAD-OFF, OPENING DAY REVIEW & READERS (Lead-Off Story) ‘Her Husband’s Secretary’ Will Come to Strand Three excellent young players —all of whom seem to be getting places rapidly in filmdom —are featured equally in “Her Husband’s Secretary,” the First National melodrama which is booked as the feature attraction at the Theatre beginning next This picture is said to be very far from the typical “society triangle,’ where the three main figures sit around and debate the circumstances they find themselves in—and don’t get anywhere after all the talk. They very definitely get somewhere—even though it takes a nerve-wrenching forest fire to put them all in a spot where a decision must be reached as to which of the two girls shall have Warren. You may be sure the right one gets him. And Warren is no dreamy philosopher, mooning about like Hamlet and wondering what to do. Quite the contrary—he’s a structural steel-worker when you first see him, making the acquaintance of Jean from a girder which he is riding 10 stories above the street. There’s plenty of excitement and plenty of genuine romance about ‘Her Husband’s Seeretary.’ There is an _ excellent supporting cast, too, including Pauline Garon, Minerva Ureeal, Clara Blandick, Addison Richards, Joseph OCrehan, Harry Davenport, Stuart Holmes and others. Frank MeDonald directed the picture from a screen play by Lillie Hayward, based on an original story by Crane Wilbur, who was a famed leading man himself in silent-picture days and lately has turned to playwrighting. Curves Replace Corners In New Movie Office Set A new architectural note has been struck by Esdras Hartley, art director, on “Her Husband’s Secretary,” the First National melodrama now at the theatre with Warren Hull, Jean Muir and Beverly Roberts in featured roles. For the luxurious offices that serve as a background for much of the dramatic action, Hartley has designed a “eornerless suite.” The rooms, modern in motif, are without angles. The offset in walls and even the window bays are cornerless. Graceful curves take the place of the usual harsh angles. The wall coverings and drapes are almost neutral in tone, being in two shades of cream brightened here and there with a sparing use of chromium trimming. The chairs and divans are of cream leather on frames of chromium. “Tt is not possible to give distinction fo anything as conventional as an office,” said Hartley, “without being quite drastic. “Director Frank McDonald, realizing that much of his important action would be played in these offices, asked that I get away from the drabness of ordinary business settings.” “Her Husband’s Secretary” is a melodrama built around a triangle theme, with Jean Muir as the wife, Beverly Roberts as the secretary and Warren Hull as the husband. Page Eight Jean Muir Has Taken Up Wool Weaving as a Hobby Jean Muir has gone back to her family’s home country for her newest hobby—weaving. She has already designed and woven a fabric out of which she had made a brandnew suit. Miss Muir’s family comes from Scotland, where wool has for generations been turned into fine clothes. She is now appearing with Warren Hull and Beverly Roberts in “Her Husband’s Secretary,” which comes to the Theatre on Boe? Stars of Strand Triangle When Jean Muir (right) found that her husband, Warren Hull, (Review) ‘Her Husband’s Secretary’ Thrills Strand Audience Novel Climax and Brilliant Acting Give Distinction to New Picture Any ‘‘triangle’’ story involving husband, wife and secDoD e o ’ retary is interesting cinema fare. interesting chiefly because of the question: ‘‘How are they going to work out their difficulties ?’’ In the First National melodrama ‘‘Her Husband’s See ? retary,’ took dictation from his secretary, Beverly Roberts (left), who had a system older than Pitman or Gregg, she began a battle that will thrill every woman and astonish every man who sees “Her Husband’s Secretary,” the First National picture that opened at t eens Theatre yesterday. Mat No. 201—20c (Opening Day Story) ‘Her Husband’s Secretary’ Opens At Strand Today With Jean Muir,’ Beverly Roberts and Warren Hull as the three points of a new sort of movie triangle, “Her Husband’s Secretary,” a First National melodrama, opens today at the ee nei Theatre. Hull, naturally, is the husband, Miss Muir is the wife, and Miss Roberts, last seen as George Brent’s leading lady in ““God’s Country and the Woman,” is the office aide who comes between them. Unlike the usual _ triangle stories which are entirely of the “intellectual” type—wherein the characters solve the _ situation by conversation, this one is solved by a novel and thrilling climax. : Such physical things as a man riding a steel girder 150 feet in air, and an inferno of a forestfire threatening all the leading characters, were brought into the story by its author, Crane Wilbur, the veteran hero of many a movie-thriller in the old days of silent pictures. “Her Husband’s Secretary” is a fast-moving, lively film, with settings varying from modernistic offices to a camp in the Maine woods. It was directed by Frank MceDonald. Besides those named, others in the cast include Addison Richards, Pauline Garon and Joseph Crehan. Beverly Roberts Casts Herself In ‘Secretary’ Role You’ve got to be an opportunist in Hollywood. At least, that’s the theory of Beverly Roberts, young Warner Bros. player, who has again achieved a prize role by being at the door when opportunity knocked. She won her big part in “God’s Country and the Woman” by learning the lines secretly and then springing a surprise on executives when given a test. This time, she again had the door open before opportunity had a chance to rap. When the studio announced the filming of “Her Husband’s Seeretary,” which is now showing at (HOVERS eee ln ee theatre, Jean Muir was cast as the wife and Ann Sheridan was tentatively mentioned for the secretary’s role. It was a part Beverly Roberts wanted as the next step in her campaign to prove her versatility. It is a “heavy” with great acting _ possibilities. Moreover, Beverly knew that Ann was slated for another picture and could not possibly take the role in “Her Husband’s Secretary.” She wasted no time. First she got hold of a script and learned the lines therein. Twice a day she haunted the casting office trying to convince the executives that she was the actress for the part. Between times she phoned. Meanwhile she enlisted which opened yesterday at the Theatre, Author Crane Wilbur ealls to his aid a forest fire — and a thriller it 1s! When the husband, Warren Hull, is unconscious and in peril of his life with the flames drawing nearer by the moment, which woman do you suppose reveals the greater love for him? Which stays to risk her own life in saving his? Would it be tall, slender Jean Muir, the wife? Or ecurly-locked Beverly Roberts, the secretary? Yowll have to make your own guess; you’re not going to be told here. But at all events the conflagration settles matters between the trio, and yesterday’s audiences seemed to like the solution of the problem. This picture gives young Warren Hull the best opportunity he has had thus far in the movies, to which he came, only a little more than a year ago, from the stage and radio. He avails himself of it in fine fashion. He is big, manly, well-poised and likeable. In part of the picture he is a structural ironworker riding beams ten stories in the air—and he looks the part. Willowy Jean Muir has played all sorts of parts from the classic Helena in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” to the society girl in “Once a Doctor’—and has done them all well. “Her Husband’s Secretary” gives her another opportunity to add to her laurels. Beverly Roberts is the “strong woman” type again—as she was in her recent success, ‘“God’s Country and the Woman,” although here there is no trace of masculinity about her. She gives a splendid performance in an unsympathetic role. The settings vary from ultramodernistic offices constructed entirely without angles, to a forest in the Maine Woods. And ineidentally, it’s in a eabin in these same woods that the real showdown between Miss Muir and Miss Roberts take place. It’s no “can’t we talk it over?’ showdown, either. The irate young wife hands her husband’s seecretary one of the neatest socks we’ve seen in many a day. Others in the cast of “Her Husband’s Secretary” include Pauline Garon, Minerva Urecal, Clara Blandick, Joseph Crehan, Harry Davenport, Stuart Holmes and Addison Richards. From Author Crane Wilbur’s story, the screen play was adapted by Lillie Hayward, and the picture was directed by Frank McDonald, who kept it moving in brisk fashion. Director Frank MeDonald as an ally. Persistence won again for her, and Beverly Roberts is seen in the most important role she has played in pictures, as Diane, the alluring young siren who tries to win the husband of her best friend. “Her Husband’s Secretary” is a melodrama built around a triangle theme, with Jean Muir as the wife, Warren Hull as the husband, and Miss Roberts as the secretary. Glamour Girl No longer the homespun girl of “As the Harth Turns” or the hoyden of “Dr. Monica,’ a new Jean Muir is shown in “Her Husband’s Secretary,” the First National picture coming to the what it takes to beat a rapacious secretary at her own game. Mat No. 104—10c Jean Muir Plans To Improve The World We Live In She’s a girl with a “purpose.” She not only admits it, she insists on it. On oceasion, she all but shouts it. She is the same Jean Muir who swirled into Hollywood a few years ago determined not to be absorbed in the general mass. She argued with her bosses over her first role—insisted on a certain director—demanded changes in her scripts. And now is to be seen in the First National picture, “Her Husband’s Secretary,” with Warren Hull and Beverly Roberts, which comes to DING meen ante: A. ta pe Be as theatre, Oe es ete a Her unusual behavior, she explained, was to emphasize her refusal to run with the herd. By now this random rebellion has crystallized into a purpose. “T suppose,” she said, “I am one of the few actresses in Hollywood more interested in an abstract purpose than in a concrete swimming pool.” Miss Muir’s Big Purpose is to improve conditions for the underprivileged. Furthermore, she wants this done peaceably by certain adjustments of what she calls “the social order.” And since that’s a pretty big job for one slim young lady to tackle, she’s doing her own bit by helping various young girls to get ahead in their chosen careers. Beginning with Shakespeare’s observation that “the cold winter wind is not more unkind than man’s ingratitude to man,” Miss Muir points to the necessity of a closer brotherhood among all peoples. Her working principle is to get everyone she knows to help one person, less fortunate, on the road to success. One interviewer, watching her lovely mobile features, listened for an hour to her explanation of why half the world is downtrodden and the remedy for it. “Don’t you think I am right?” she asked, her lovely smile in play. “Miss Muir,” said the young man fervently, “the man must be a clod who disagrees with you.” “Her Husband’s Secretary” is a melodrama built around a triangle theme.