My Dear Secretary
A budding young writer thinks it's her lucky day when she is chosen to be the new secretary for Owen Waterbury, famous novelist. She is soon disppointed, however, when he turns out to be an erratic, immature playboy. Opposites attract, of course, but not without sub-plots that touch on competitiveness within marriage and responsibility.
My Dear Secretary is a 1948 American comedy film directed by Charles Martin, starring Laraine Day and Kirk Douglas.
Plot
Successful novelist and playboy Owen Waterbury (Kirk Douglas) hires aspiring writer Stephanie ‘Steve’ Gaylord (Laraine Day) as his secretary; a dream come true for Steve who admires Owen and his work. Steve soon finds out that the egomaniacal Owen has gone through a series of secretaries who have left when they are fed up with his behaviour. He is constantly in debt and cannot begin to write a contracted novel that will pay his bills including a lucrative advance by his publisher. Steve and Owen end up marrying, and Steve perseveres until the novel, based on the events of Steve’s life and that mentions a character based on his publisher shown in an unflattering light, is refused publication.
Owen claims he cannot have a wife and a secretary so fires his wife and goes back to his old ways, hiring an admiring and attractive female to be his secretary. In the meantime Steve takes Owen’s rejected manuscript to her former companion, Charles Harris (Rudy Vallee), who is a major publisher. Harris, who now employs Elsie (Helen Walker), Owen’s former secretary before Steve, also asks to see Steve’s manuscript.
Harris finds Owen’s manuscript interesting but ordinary, but believes Steve’s manuscript to be not only worthy of publication but a serious candidate for literary prizes. Steve initially refuses publication due to hurting Owen’s fragile ego but soon changes her mind because of the philandering. Steve goes on to be a best-selling author, causing Owen extreme annoyance. She hires an attractive male secretary, after which Owen snaps and insists that he will be her secretary. Steve narrates a book based on their life to Owen. They end up getting back together.
Cast
Laraine Day as Stephanie ‘Steve’ Gaylord
Kirk Douglas as Owen Waterbury
Keenan Wynn as Ronnie Hastings
Helen Walker as Elsie
Rudy Vallee as Charles Harris
Florence Bates as Horrible Hannah Reeve
Alan Mowbray as Deveny
Helene Stanley as Miss ‘Clay’ Pidgeon
Irene Ryan as Mary
Gale Robbins as Dawn O’Malley
Grady Sutton as Sylvan Scott
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