Producer: William A. Seiter.
Copyright 4 September 1940 by Universal Pictures Co., Inc. Presented by Universal Studios. New York release at the Roxy: 13 September 1940. U.S. release: September 1940. Australian release: 25 November 1940. Sydney release at the State: 22 November 1940. In 1948 Universal licensed the film to Realart Pictures who re-released it through Eagle Lion Films (Pathe Industries, Inc.). 10 reels. 96 minutes. 8,640 feet.
SYNOPSIS: Secretary agrees to marry boss for business reasons. Secretary is actually in love with boss, but boss has eyes for a blonde gold-digger!
COMMENT: "Hired Wife" is a good example of the tale that is ballyhooed as beat-the-censor risqué, but is actually as moral as a Puritan on the Sabbath. Just look at the headlines in the ads! (Don't blame me for any spelling mistakes. I am quoting directly from the Pressbook).
"Blonde fiancée by day! Brunette wife by night! Between them both, he didn't know what time it was ! The hilarious hi-jinks of a honeymoon built for three!" — "A bride in his arms A fiancée on his hands He's up to his neck in girl trouble!" — "When his blonde fiancée meets his brunette wife Is his face red!" — "Hilarious hi- jinks! Romantic antics!"
Mrs. Grundy may well have taken umbrage at these catch-lines, but Europe was at war and she had other things on her mind. In any case, the publicity promised far more than the film actually delivered. Looking at it today without benefit of the ballyhoo, the movie emerges as a pleasant enough, even lightly amusing romantic comedy. The players are surprisingly agreeable. We expect Robert Benchley to be amusing (and he is!), but it's nice to find the principals (even normally staid old Brian Aherne) investing their roles with such deft comic touches.
Briskly directed (by Bill Seiter, not always the most reliable of hands), with high production values, "Hired Wife" emerges as a slight but entertaining example of Hollywood adaptability to censorship in the early 1940's.
Copyright 4 September 1940 by Universal Pictures Co., Inc. Presented by Universal Studios. New York release at the Roxy: 13 September 1940. U.S. release: September 1940. Australian release: 25 November 1940. Sydney release at the State: 22 November 1940. In 1948 Universal licensed the film to Realart Pictures who re-released it through Eagle Lion Films (Pathe Industries, Inc.). 10 reels. 96 minutes. 8,640 feet.
SYNOPSIS: Secretary agrees to marry boss for business reasons. Secretary is actually in love with boss, but boss has eyes for a blonde gold-digger!
COMMENT: "Hired Wife" is a good example of the tale that is ballyhooed as beat-the-censor risqué, but is actually as moral as a Puritan on the Sabbath. Just look at the headlines in the ads! (Don't blame me for any spelling mistakes. I am quoting directly from the Pressbook).
"Blonde fiancée by day! Brunette wife by night! Between them both, he didn't know what time it was ! The hilarious hi-jinks of a honeymoon built for three!" — "A bride in his arms A fiancée on his hands He's up to his neck in girl trouble!" — "When his blonde fiancée meets his brunette wife Is his face red!" — "Hilarious hi- jinks! Romantic antics!"
Mrs. Grundy may well have taken umbrage at these catch-lines, but Europe was at war and she had other things on her mind. In any case, the publicity promised far more than the film actually delivered. Looking at it today without benefit of the ballyhoo, the movie emerges as a pleasant enough, even lightly amusing romantic comedy. The players are surprisingly agreeable. We expect Robert Benchley to be amusing (and he is!), but it's nice to find the principals (even normally staid old Brian Aherne) investing their roles with such deft comic touches.
Briskly directed (by Bill Seiter, not always the most reliable of hands), with high production values, "Hired Wife" emerges as a slight but entertaining example of Hollywood adaptability to censorship in the early 1940's.