His Private Secretary (1933)
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35% of users liked it
(1,163 ratings)
A very young John Wayne is atypically cast as a randy playboy in His Private Secretary. Much to the dismay of his businessman father, Dick Wallace (Wayne) prefers a life of wine, women and more women to honest work. The elder Wallace demands that Dick take a job as his company's collection… More A very young John Wayne is atypically cast as a randy playboy in His Private Secretary. Much to the dismay of his businessman father, Dick Wallace (Wayne) prefers a life of wine, women and more women to honest work. The elder Wallace demands that Dick take a job as his company's collection manager, and it is in this capacity that our hero heads to the small town of Somerville to collect a debt. Here he meets pretty Marion (Evelyn Knapp), the granddaughter of the man from whom Dick must extract overdue payments. Immediately putting the moves on Marion, Dick is rebuffed with a slap and several harsh words -- and for the first time in his life, the prodigal son is really in love! Inevitably, Marion ends up working as a secretary for Dick's dad, driving the poor boy crazy in his efforts to make up for his previous boorish behavior. Excerpts from His Private Secretary have frequently shown up in TV documentaries about John Wayne, as "proof" of his inability to act in his pre-John Ford years. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Philip H. Whitman
- Written By
- Jack Natteford
- Genres
- Action & Adventure, Classics, Comedy
- In Theaters
- Jun 10, 1933 Wide
- On DVD
- Mar 29, 2005
- Studio
- American Pop Classics
Critic Reviews
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
A young John Wayne is a delight playing a millionaire's irresponsible playboy son in this charming romantic comedy.
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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Evelyn Knapp
as Marion Hall
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John Wayne
as Dick Wallace
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Alec B. Francis
as Dr. Hall
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Arthur Hoyt
as Little
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Reginald Barlow
as Mr. Wallace
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Hugh Kidder
as Butler
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Natalie Kingston
as Polly
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Mickey Rentschler
as Boy
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Al St. John
as Garage Owner
- Evalyn Knapp