Behind Office Doors: Difference between revisions

Behind Office Doors
Behind Office Doors
	Theatrical Poster
Directed by	Melville W. Brown
Written by	Carey Wilson (screenplay); J. Walter Ruben (adaptation and dialogue)
Based on	Private Secretary; 1929 novel; by Alan Schultz
Produced by	William LeBaron; Henry Hobart (associate)
Starring	Mary Astor; Robert Ames; Ricardo Cortez
Cinematography	J. Roy Hunt
Edited by	Archie Marshek; Rose Loewinger
Music by	Max Steiner
Distributed by	RKO Radio Pictures
Release date	July 5, 1931 (US);
Running time	82 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

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Behind Office Doors

Behind Office Doors is a 1931 pre-Code American drama film directed by Melville W. Brown, from a screenplay by Carey Wilson and J. Walter Ruben, based on Alan Schultz's 1929 novel, Private Secretary. It starred Mary Astor, Robert Ames and Ricardo Cortez, and revolved around the premise of "the woman behind the man". While not well received by critics, it did well at the box office.

Plot

Mary Linden (Mary Astor) is a receptionist at a paper milling company, who is secretly in love with one of the salesmen, James Duneen (Robert Ames). Her extensive knowledge of the paper industry, the mill and its clients allows her to have input in company operations far outweighing her job title. As the president of the company, Ritter (Charles Sellon), approaches retirement, Mary uses her skill in company politics to enable James to make some important sales coups, after which she begins a fifth-column attempt to get him named as the next president. James, for his part, is grateful to her for her help, but is completely oblivious to her romantic interest in him, preferring more the party girl type.

When Ritter does retire, James wins the position, and Mary is promoted to be his personal secretary. Still unaware of her feelings, he hires his latest party girl, Daisy (Edna Murphy), to work in the office, and report to Mary. Mary is upset by this turn of events, but remains faithful to James, assisting him with running the company. In fact, it is her knowledge and acumen which makes the company successful. Mary even spurns the advances of several men, including the wealthy Ronnie Wales (Ricardo Cortez), who, although married, is estranged from his wife and wishes to pursue an affair with Mary.

However, when James becomes engaged to the daughter of a wealthy banker, Ellen May Robinson (Catherine Dale Owen), that is the straw which breaks Mary's resolve. She resigns from the company, and eventually agrees to go away with Ronnie for an assignation in Atlantic City. The paper mill suffers terribly from a lack of good management, since most of James' success was due to Mary's guidance. James tracks her down before she can give in to the advances of Ronnie, and begs Mary to return. She is reluctant, until she discovers that James has broken off his engagement with Ellen, and upon her return to the company she is not only met with a job offer, but also a marriage proposal from him.

Cast

Mary Astor as Mary Linden
Robert Ames as James Duneen
Ricardo Cortez as Ronnie Wales
Catherine Dale Owen as Ellen May Robinson
Kitty Kelly as Delores Kogan
Edna Murphy as Daisy Presby
Charles Sellon as John Ritter
William Morris as Banker Charles H. Robinson
George MacFarlane

(Cast list as per AFI database)^[2]

Soundtrack

"Three Little Words", music by Harry Ruby, lyrics by Bert Kalmar - played as dance music in the nightclub

Reception

While the public seemed to like the film,^[4] critics like Mordaunt Hall of The New York Times were less kind, stating that the film "is a witless and interminably dull exhibition on which three capable players, Mary Astor, Robert Ames and Ricardo Cortez, have been sacrifi[c]ed to very little purpose.^[5]

Notes

In 1959, the film entered the public domain in the United States because the claimants did not renew its copyright registration in the 28th year after publication.^[6]

The working title for this film was the title of the novel on which it was based, Private Secretary.^[2]

References

^ "Behind Office Doors, Credits". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on August 18, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Behind Office Doors: Detail View". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on April 2, 2014. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
^ ^a ^b "Behind Office Doors: Technical Details". theiapolis.com. Archived from the original on August 19, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
^ Jewell, Richard B.; Harbin, Vernon (1982). The RKO Story. New York: Arlington House. p. 34. ISBN 0-517-546566.
^ Hall, Mordaunt (March 21, 1931). "Behind Office Doors: A Noble Stenographer". New York Times. Archived from the original on March 21, 2014. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
^ Pierce, David (June 2007). "Forgotten Faces: Why Some of Our Cinema Heritage Is Part of the Public Domain". Film History: An International Journal. 19 (2): 125–43. doi:10.2979/FIL.2007.19.2.125. ISSN 0892-2160. JSTOR 25165419. OCLC 15122313. S2CID 191633078. See Note #60, pg. 143.

External links

Behind Office Doors at IMDb
allmovie/synopsis
Behind Office Doors at the TCM Movie Database
Behind Office Doors at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
Behind Office Doors is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive
Behind Office Doors on YouTube

[TCM-1] "Behind Office Doors, Credits". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on August 18, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2014.

[AFI-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Behind Office Doors: Detail View". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on April 2, 2014. Retrieved September 2, 2016.

[Theiapolis-3] "Behind Office Doors: Technical Details". theiapolis.com. Archived from the original on August 19, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2014.

[RKO-4] Jewell, Richard B.; Harbin, Vernon (1982). The RKO Story. New York: Arlington House. p. 34. ISBN 0-517-546566.

[nyt-5] Hall, Mordaunt (March 21, 1931). "Behind Office Doors: A Noble Stenographer". New York Times. Archived from the original on March 21, 2014. Retrieved September 2, 2016.

[6] Pierce, David (June 2007). "Forgotten Faces: Why Some of Our Cinema Heritage Is Part of the Public Domain". Film History: An International Journal. 19 (2): 125–43. doi:10.2979/FIL.2007.19.2.125. ISSN 0892-2160. JSTOR 25165419. OCLC 15122313. S2CID 191633078. See Note #60, pg. 143.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{short description|1931 film}}
-{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2016}}
+{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2020}}
 {{Infobox film
 | name           = Behind Office Doors
 | image          = BehindOfficeDoorsFilmPoster.jpg
 | caption        = Theatrical Poster
-| director       = [[Melville W. Brown]]<ref name=TCM>{{cite web|url=http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/1750/Behind-Office-Doors/full-credits.html|title=Behind Office Doors, Credits|publisher=Turner Classic Movies|accessdate=August 17, 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140818012348/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/1750/Behind-Office-Doors/full-credits.html|archivedate=August 18, 2014 }}</ref>
+| director       = [[Melville W. Brown]]<ref name=TCM>{{cite web|url=http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/1750/Behind-Office-Doors/full-credits.html|title=Behind Office Doors, Credits|publisher=Turner Classic Movies|access-date=August 17, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140818012348/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/1750/Behind-Office-Doors/full-credits.html|archive-date=August 18, 2014 }}</ref>
-| producer       = [[William LeBaron]]<ref name=Theiapolis>{{cite web|url=http://cinema.theiapolis.com/movie-2N1F/behind-office-doors|title=Behind Office Doors: Technical Details|publisher=theiapolis.com|accessdate=August 17, 2014}}</ref><br>Henry Hobart (associate)<ref name=Theiapolis/>
+| producer       = [[William LeBaron]]<ref name=Theiapolis>{{cite web|url=http://cinema.theiapolis.com/movie-2N1F/behind-office-doors |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819125820/http://cinema.theiapolis.com/movie-2N1F/behind-office-doors/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 19, 2014 |title=Behind Office Doors: Technical Details |publisher=theiapolis.com |access-date=August 17, 2014 }}</ref><br>Henry Hobart (associate)<ref name=Theiapolis/>
 | writer         = [[Carey Wilson (writer)|Carey Wilson]] (screenplay)<br>[[J. Walter Ruben]] (adaptation and dialogue)<ref name=AFI/>
-| based on       = {{based on|the novel, ''Private Secretary''|Alan Schultz}}<ref name=AFI/>
+| based_on       = {{based on|''Private Secretary''<br>1929 novel|Alan Schultz}}<ref name=AFI/>
 | starring       = [[Mary Astor]]<br>[[Robert Ames (actor)|Robert Ames]]<br>[[Ricardo Cortez]]
-| music          =
+| music          = [[Max Steiner]]
 | cinematography = [[J. Roy Hunt]]
-| editing        = [[Archie Marshek]]<br>Rose Loewinger<ref name=AFI />
+| editing        = [[Archie Marshek]]<br>[[Rose Loewinger]]<ref name=AFI />
 | distributor    = [[RKO Radio Pictures]]
-| released       = {{Film date|1931|7|5|''US''|ref1=<ref name=AFI>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=4259|title=Behind Office Doors: Detail View|publisher=American Film Institute |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140402094214/http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=4259 |archivedate=April 2, 2014 |deadurl=no |accessdate=September 2, 2016}}</ref>}}
+| released       = {{Film date|1931|7|5|''US''|ref1=<ref name=AFI>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=4259|title=Behind Office Doors: Detail View|publisher=American Film Institute |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140402094214/http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=4259 |archive-date=April 2, 2014 |url-status=live |access-date=September 2, 2016}}</ref>}}
 | runtime        = 82 minutes
 | country        = United States
@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 }}
-[[File:Behind Office Doors, 1931.ogv|thumb|''Behind Office Doors'']]
+[[File:Behind Office Doors, 1931.ogv|thumb|thumbtime=1|''Behind Office Doors'']]
-'''''Behind Office Doors''''' is a 1931 [[Pre-Code]] American [[drama film]] directed by [[Melville W. Brown]], from a screenplay by [[Carey Wilson (writer)|Carey Wilson]] and [[J. Walter Ruben]], based on Alan Schultz's novel, ''Private Secretary''. It starred [[Mary Astor]], [[Robert Ames (actor)|Robert Ames]] and [[Ricardo Cortez]], and revolved around the premise of "the woman behind the man". While not well-received by critics, it did well at the box office.
+'''''Behind Office Doors''''' is a 1931 [[Pre-Code Hollywood|pre-Code]] American [[drama film]] directed by [[Melville W. Brown]], from a screenplay by [[Carey Wilson (writer)|Carey Wilson]] and [[J. Walter Ruben]], based on Alan Schultz's 1929 novel, ''Private Secretary''. It starred [[Mary Astor]], [[Robert Ames (actor)|Robert Ames]] and [[Ricardo Cortez]], and revolved around the premise of "the woman behind the man". While not well received by critics, it did well at the box office.
 ==Plot==
-[[Image:Mary Astor-Ricardo Cortez in Behind Office Doors.jpg|thumb|left|Mary Astor and Ricardo Cortez]]
+[[Image:Mary Astor-Ricardo Cortez in Behind Office Doors.jpg|thumb|Mary Astor and Ricardo Cortez]]
-Mary Linden (Mary Astor) is a receptionist at a paper milling company, who is secretly in love with one of the salesmen, James Duneen (Robert Ames). Her extensive knowledge of the paper industry, the mill and its clients allows her to have input in company operations far outweighing her level as a receptionist. As the current president of the company, Ritter (Charles Sellon), approaches retirement, Mary uses her knowledge and skill of company politics to enable James to make some important sales coups, after which she begins a [[fifth-column]] attempt to get him named as the next president. James, for his part, is grateful to her for her help, but is completely oblivious to her romantic interest in him, preferring more of the party girl type.
+Mary Linden (Mary Astor) is a receptionist at a paper milling company, who is secretly in love with one of the salesmen, James Duneen (Robert Ames). Her extensive knowledge of the paper industry, the mill and its clients allows her to have input in company operations far outweighing her job title. As the president of the company, Ritter (Charles Sellon), approaches retirement, Mary uses her skill in company politics to enable James to make some important sales coups, after which she begins a [[fifth-column]] attempt to get him named as the next president. James, for his part, is grateful to her for her help, but is completely oblivious to her romantic interest in him, preferring more the party girl type.
 When Ritter does retire, James wins the position, and Mary is promoted to be his personal secretary. Still unaware of her feelings, he hires his latest party girl, Daisy (Edna Murphy), to work in the office, and report to Mary. Mary is upset by this turn of events, but remains faithful to James, assisting him with running the company. In fact, it is her knowledge and acumen which makes the company successful. Mary even spurns the advances of several men, including the wealthy Ronnie Wales (Ricardo Cortez), who, although married, is estranged from his wife and wishes to pursue an affair with Mary.
-However, when James becomes engaged to the daughter of a wealthy banker, Ellen May Robinson (Catherine Dale Owen), that is the straw which breaks Mary's resolve. She resigns from the company, and eventually agrees to go away with Ronnie for an assignation in [[Atlantic City]]. Between the time of her resignation, and her agreeing to go away with Ronnie, the paper mill is already suffering terribly from a lack of good management, since most of James' success was due to Mary's guidance. James tracks her down before she can give in to the libidinous advances of Ronnie, and begs Mary to return. She is reluctant, until she discovers that James has broken off the engagement with Ellen, and upon her return to the company she is not only met with a job offer, but also a marriage proposal from James.
+However, when James becomes engaged to the daughter of a wealthy banker, Ellen May Robinson (Catherine Dale Owen), that is the straw which breaks Mary's resolve. She resigns from the company, and eventually agrees to go away with Ronnie for an assignation in [[Atlantic City]]. The paper mill suffers terribly from a lack of good management, since most of James' success was due to Mary's guidance. James tracks her down before she can give in to the advances of Ronnie, and begs Mary to return. She is reluctant, until she discovers that James has broken off his engagement with Ellen, and upon her return to the company she is not only met with a job offer, but also a marriage proposal from him.
 ==Cast==
-*[[Mary Astor]] as Mary Linden
+* [[Mary Astor]] as Mary Linden
-*[[Robert Ames (actor)|Robert Ames]] as James Duneen
+* [[Robert Ames (actor)|Robert Ames]] as James Duneen
-*[[Ricardo Cortez]] as Ronnie Wales
+* [[Ricardo Cortez]] as Ronnie Wales
-*[[Catherine Dale Owen]] as Ellen May Robinson
+* [[Catherine Dale Owen]] as Ellen May Robinson
-*[[Kitty Kelly]] as Delores Kogan
+* [[Kitty Kelly]] as Delores Kogan
-*[[Edna Murphy]] as Daisy Presby
+* [[Edna Murphy]] as Daisy Presby
-*[[Charles Sellon]] as John Ritter
+* [[Charles Sellon]] as John Ritter
-*[[William Morris (actor)|William Morris]] as Banker Charles H. Robinson
+* [[William Morris (actor)|William Morris]] as Banker Charles H. Robinson
-*[[George MacFarlane]]
+* [[George MacFarlane]]
 (Cast list as per [[American Film Institute|AFI]] database)<ref name=AFI />
 ==Soundtrack==
-*"Three Little Words", music by [[Harry Ruby]], lyrics by [[Bert Kalmar]] - played as dance music in the nightclub
+* "Three Little Words", music by [[Harry Ruby]], lyrics by [[Bert Kalmar]] - played as dance music in the nightclub
 ==Reception==
-While the public seemed to like the film,<ref name=RKO>{{cite book |title=The RKO Story |last1=Jewell |first1=Richard B. |last2=Harbin |first2=Vernon |publisher=Arlington House |year=1982 |place=New York |page=34 |ISBN=0-517-546566}}</ref> critics like [[Mordaunt Hall]] of [[The New York Times]] were less kind, stating that the film "is a witless and interminably dull exhibition on which three capable players, Mary Astor, Robert Ames and Ricardo Cortez, have been sacrifi[c]ed to very little purpose.<ref name=nyt>{{cite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9B04E2DA143AEE3ABC4951DFB566838A629EDE |publisher=''New York Times'' |last=Hall |first=Mordaunt |title=Behind Office Doors: A Noble Stenographer |date=March 21, 1931 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140321032155/http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9B04E2DA143AEE3ABC4951DFB566838A629EDE |archivedate=March 21, 2014 |deadurl=no |accessdate=September 2, 2016}}</ref>
+While the public seemed to like the film,<ref name=RKO>{{cite book |title=The RKO Story |last1=Jewell |first1=Richard B. |last2=Harbin |first2=Vernon |publisher=Arlington House |year=1982 |place=New York |page=34 |isbn=0-517-546566}}</ref> critics like [[Mordaunt Hall]] of [[The New York Times]] were less kind, stating that the film "is a witless and interminably dull exhibition on which three capable players, Mary Astor, Robert Ames and Ricardo Cortez, have been sacrifi[c]ed to very little purpose.<ref name=nyt>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9B04E2DA143AEE3ABC4951DFB566838A629EDE |newspaper=New York Times |last=Hall |first=Mordaunt |title=Behind Office Doors: A Noble Stenographer |date=March 21, 1931 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140321032155/http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9B04E2DA143AEE3ABC4951DFB566838A629EDE |archive-date=March 21, 2014 |url-status=live |access-date=September 2, 2016}}</ref>
 ==Notes==
-In 1959, the film entered the [[List of films in the public domain in the United States|public domain in the USA]] due to the copyright claimants failure to renew the [[copyright registration]] in the 28th year after production.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Pierce |first=David |date=June 2007 |title=Forgotten Faces: Why Some of Our Cinema Heritage Is Part of the Public Domain |journal=Film History: An International Journal |volume=19 |issue=2 |pages=125–43 |issn=0892-2160 |oclc=15122313 |jstor=25165419 |doi=10.2979/FIL.2007.19.2.125 }} See Note #60, pg. 143.</ref>
+In 1959, the film entered the [[List of films in the public domain in the United States|public domain in the United States]] because the claimants did not renew its [[copyright registration]] in the 28th year after publication.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Pierce |first=David |date=June 2007 |title=Forgotten Faces: Why Some of Our Cinema Heritage Is Part of the Public Domain |journal=Film History: An International Journal |volume=19 |issue=2 |pages=125–43 |issn=0892-2160 |oclc=15122313 |jstor=25165419 |doi=10.2979/FIL.2007.19.2.125 |s2cid=191633078 }} See Note #60, pg. 143.</ref>
 The working title for this film was the title of the novel on which it was based, ''Private Secretary''.<ref name=AFI />
@@ Line 59: / Line 59: @@
 ==External links==
-*{{IMDb title|id=0021649|title=Behind Office Doors}}
+* {{IMDb title|id=0021649|title=Behind Office Doors}}
-*[http://www.allmovie.com/movie/behind-office-doors-v4690 allmovie/synopsis]
+* [https://www.allmovie.com/movie/behind-office-doors-v4690 allmovie/synopsis]
+* {{TCMDb title|id=1750}}
-*{{Internet Archive film|id=BehindOfficeDoors|name=Behind Office Doors}}
-*{{YouTube|id=vgj86hLihas|title=''Behind Office Doors''}}
+* {{AFI film|id=4259|title=Behind Office Doors}}
+* {{Internet Archive film|id=BehindOfficeDoors|name=Behind Office Doors}}
+* {{YouTube|id=vgj86hLihas|title=''Behind Office Doors''}}
+{{Melville Brown}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Behind Office Doors}}
 [[Category:1931 films]]
-[[Category:American films]]
+[[Category:1930s English-language films]]
-[[Category:English-language films]]
 [[Category:American black-and-white films]]
-[[Category:1930s romantic drama films]]
+[[Category:1931 romantic drama films]]
 [[Category:RKO Pictures films]]
-[[Category:Films made before the MPAA Production Code]]
 [[Category:Films based on American novels]]
 [[Category:American romantic drama films]]
 [[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
+[[Category:Films directed by Melville W. Brown]]
+[[Category:1930s American films]]
+[[Category:English-language romantic drama films]]