This is a beautifully written comedy/drama, very typical of the best of the late 1930's. But this movie illustrates how much it was a man's world and the wife is never to be involved in his business. When Van (Gable) is putting together this big magazine take-over, he completely shuts out his wife, which is why she does not understand why Whitey (Jean Harlow) is down in Havana instead of her. If he had only told her of his hush-hush plans, the whole misunderstanding wouldn't have happened! All of the actors are perfectly cast and do a wonderful job. This is exactly the kind of quality adult performance Jean Harlow was heading towards. What a tragedy she was dead within a year. This is also one of Clark Gable's best roles. He was excellent in this kind of light comedy/drama role...shame he didn't do more.

Excellent performances, especially Jean Harlow. The Blonde Bombshell she isn't so much here, but more of a regular working gal. Such great talent, such a shame she died just a year and a few months after this came out. Gable is interesting in this straightforward businessman role and not the brash larger than life lead he often is. Jimmy Stewart gets fourth billing because he's not yet the big movie star yet but getting there. The story isn't so much full of comedy or romance, or bitter rivalry, but jealousy and misunderstanding. Don't convict and divorce on circumstantial evidence alone because jealousy might be mixing up all the signals you think you're getting when in fact there's no guilt there whatsoever.8.0 / 10 stars--Zoooma, a Kat Pirate Screener

When "Wife vs Secretary" was released in 1936 for some reason my parents did not consider this appropriate for their 4 year-old boy to attend. In 1948 a few days after starting university at NYU, I finally managed to see the film at a Greenwich Village revival theater. By then I had become a huge fan of both Jean Harlow and Myrna Loy. I also had a soft spot for May Robson, who was so much like my actual grandmother.Bottom line is that I am a fan of the top six credited performers, as well as director Clarence Brown. James Stewart was just getting started as a movie actor. George Barbier made a lot of movies for Warners and was especially effective as "Dr. Bradley" in "The Man Who Came To Dinner" We first meet Van (Gable) and Linda (Loy) the morning of their 3rd anniversary in their luxury 2 story apartment. Later we meet Whitey (Harlow) personal secretary to Van, the CEO of a prestige magazine publishing firm.Van decides to expand his business and hold on to advertisers his firm needs to absorb a publisher of less expensive magazines. This must be investigated in complete secrecy, so Van depends heavily on Whitey's discretion, leaving details of the necessary accounting to her.During his anniversary party Van calls Whitey at the home she shares with her parents as they are eating dinner with Dave (Stewart) her boy friend/fiancé. He throws a tantrum because she decided her job is more important than going to a play with him.Perhaps I am prejudice, but I fail to understand why Whitey would have ever been interested in Dave. Stewart plays Dave as uneducated and non sophisticated. Harlow plays Whitey as a sensible and attractive woman who wants to be a business success while remaining ethical.At first Linda bends over backwards to have faith in Van, despite the warning from Van's mother Mimi (Robson) that men can be "naughty boys" and "Van his like his father". To keep the negotiations for the purchase of Underwood's (Barbier) magazine empire a secret, Van lies to Linda that he spent an afternoon at his club instead of admitting he had been driven to Underwood's estate accompanied by Whitey.Later, as the deal was closing, Van had to attend a convention in Havana, for private time with Underwood. He needs Whitey to fly to help type the contracts, although Van had not allowed Linda to make the trip.Whitey answered the phone in Van's Havana hotel suite when Linda called. Linda decides to separate from Van.In the closing reel Whitey confronts Linda and makes it clear that should Van ever become single, she wants him, yet she encourages Linda to reconsider.While before the fade-out Linda has returned to Van, who still had no clue Whitey had any romantic interest in him, it is far less clear what became of Dave and Whitey. I was 16 the first time I saw a revival of Wife vs Secretary in 1948, by which time I had seen Stewart in many films and had mourned to death of Harlow. My first reaction was that while Harlow should support a more mature and sophisticated Stewart, at the end of this film Whitey would be an idiot to waste another minute on a whiner like Dave.Wife vs Secretary remains one of my favorite films of 1936. I pull out my DVD and watch it ever 6 months of so and enjoy it every time!

An unexpected stellar cast with Gable, Loy, Harlow and a novice Jimmy Stewart in a supporting role as Harlow's boyfriend. Gable plays the successful, dynamic magazine mogul. Loy plays his adoring and beautiful wife. Loy is a lovely understated version of herself from the "Thin Man" genre and Gable does a good job of being so involved in business that he's clueless as to what's going on around him. Harlow's the one to watch though. She plays completely counter to type -- a smart, crackerjack right-hand woman to her boss, Gable. As 'Whitey,' she never overplays her hand and even when revealing her true emotions keeps a straight face and instead let's us sense her internal conflict and struggle. One of her best acting jobs and a great job of directing by Clarence Brown. Wife vs. Secretary is more true to human foibles and emotions than most Hollywood fictions.Though the rest do an admirable job, it's Harlow who steals the show.