His Private Secretary

Critics Consensus

No consensus yet.

Tomatometer
Not Yet Available

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: N/A

24%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 1,172

Watch it now

Netflix

Vudu

Movie Info

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.

Rating:

NR
Genre:

Action & Adventure, Classics, Comedy, Romance
Directed By:

Phil Whitman, Philip H. Whitman
Written By:

John Francis Natteford
In Theaters:

Jun 10, 1933 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

Mar 29, 2005
Runtime:

68 minutes
Studio:

American Pop Classics

Cast

Evalyn Knapp
as Marion Hall

Evelyn Knapp
as Marion Hall

John Wayne
as Dick Wallace

Reginald Barlow
as Mr. Wallace

Arthur Hoyt
as Little

Alec B. Francis
as Dr. Hall

Natalie Kingston
as Polly

Al St. John
as Garage Owner

Hugh Kidder
as Butler

Mickey Rentschler
as Boy

Patrick Cunning
as Van

View All

Critic Reviews for His Private Secretary

All Critics (1) | Fresh (1)

A young John Wayne is a delight playing a millionaire's irresponsible playboy son in this charming romantic comedy.

Mar 1, 2006 | Rating: B | Full Review…

Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

View All Critic Reviews (1)

Audience Reviews for His Private Secretary

Feb 17, 2013

Budget cheapie with the Duke out of the saddle and in a business suit and a tux! The acting is rough and the production values nil.

jay n Super Reviewer
Feb 29, 2012

In this 1933 departure from the norm, the Duke plays a city-fied, scion of millions, jaunty, womanising playboy type ("Where'd that taco sauce come from?" "New York City?!?") after the good minister's godly granddaughter. Can he change from cad to do-right? Interesting only to see Wayne try his casual sophisticate chops, which is Cary Grant territory, pardner. He ain't half bad neither.

Kevin M. W Super Reviewer