Too much of everything

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

"Man Wanted" is a delightful film that reflects so many of the themes of its time. Released in 1932, this pre-Code story plays with conventions, titillating the audiences of its day.First of all, there is a reversal of gender roles involving the central characters. Kay Francis plays a female executive who hires a male secretary. She is all business, but the two of them occasionally find themselves playing peek-a-boo with their libidos. Her husband spends his time playing polo and partying.The dialogue is filled with allusions to the "free love" and open marriage ideas of the time. The characters flirt with the freedoms that, no doubt, intrigued audiences of the thirties. They considered the possibility of marriage as a relationship of equals who respect each other without binding. Some of the peripheral characters are not very developed, but the central characters are very strong. Dressed to the nines and occupying some stylish art deco sets, they glibly play their parts while showing that underneath there are other, more serious, emotions at play. In this, the story is maybe not so modern, eventually paying its homage to love and the honesty of traditional commitments.Kay Francis and David Manners are both filmed strikingly. There is one scene of a stolen kiss that is iconic. The director uses the camera to convey a sense of intimacy when required. At other times, he lets the camera flow through a scene, capturing the feeling of gaiety and demonstrating a facility that is very welcome so early in the history of talkies.

One must keep in mind with any Kay Francis picture from 1932 that no attempt is being made at realism; whether "Man Wanted" or "Trouble in Paradise," the mise en scene is the collective product of the studio's imagination, and no New York editor ever worked in an office quite as plush as the one in which Miss Francis and David Manners as her secretary toil. Yet even if its the intent is merely to provide a glamorous escape from the dreariness of the Depression, "Man Wanted" also succeeds in delivering quite a feminist portrayal of a woman executive who is not the least embarrassed by her position nor inclined to disguise her sexuality with mannish suits (a la Rosalind Russell), masculine dialogue, or any show of weakness. In this respect among others, "Man Wanted" is far ahead even of present-day Hollywood portrayals of capable, powerful women. While our puritanical culture might not like to admit that a wife could view such indulgent bemusement the infidelities of a weak, alcoholic husband, there are plenty of prominent modern marriages whose persistence cannot be explained otherwise. One suspects, therefore, that the reaction of Lois Ames to her husband's philandering is as firmly grounded in realism as the more violent and hysterical reactions we've come to expect, not to mention her extraordinary sang froid when confronted by her secretary's accusatory fiancée (Una Merkel). Moreover this secretary, who finally wins his boss's hand, is hardly some male tower of strength; he can get up the gumption to face her only after undergoing a sloppy bender with his half-dressed roommate (Andy Devine) in their rather sordid apartment. This isn't subversive just for 1932; it's subversive for now, and includes some very nice dresses, props, and a scene at a polo grounds that suggests a bygone era before Los Angeles was fully encased in concrete.

"Man Wanted" was made in 1932 before the Code was put in place, and it's quite entertaining, starring the beautiful Kay Francis, David Manners, Una Merkel and Elizabeth Patterson. Francis plays Lois Ames, a sophisticated, glamorous publisher who works constantly. Her old secretary (Elizabeth Patterson) won't work overtime, so she's fired. A man, Tommy Sherman (Manners) who has come to sell her something impresses her, and she offers him the secretarial job. He accepts and becomes invaluable to her, moving up in rank. All the time, he's falling in love with her. He has fiancé (Una Merkel) and Lois has a husband, Freddie. Freddie lives off of his wife, and though she loves him, she realizes that he has affairs. In one scene, Freddie is on his way to an assignation when Lois comes home unexpectedly early. Freddie goes with the moment, and they're both in the mood. Just before she gets into bed, Lois finds the other woman's hotel key. She puts in on her husband's pillow and feigns sleep.Dieterle does a good job with the pace of the film. The gender references are quite interesting. Tommy assumes the female publisher he'll be meeting will be an old hag and is surprised to see such a young, good-looking woman; nothing is made of her hiring a male secretary. One wonders, though, had she a very capable woman secretary, would she have risen to a higher position? It's something to think about.

This was the first of five outings together for director William Dieterle and Kay Francis. It's highly entertaining and contemporary in feel. Managing editor Kay hires David Manners as her male secretary. Her man-about-town husband, Kenneth Thomson, could care less as he has his eye on playgirl Claire Dodd. When Kay discovers that the emotional charge between her and hubby is lacking and for what reason, she's dissapointed, but holds no grudge. The way this is all written is quite human and provocative. Lovely photography by Gregg Toland(who later did CITIZEN KANE) is impressive. Supporting cast includes Una Merkle and Andy Devine. Kay gives a breezy, yet sensitive portrayal and the film is watchable many times over.