Kirk Douglas escapes from film noir to take on a less masculine character in this late entry into the romantic screwball comedy genre. He is an egotistical charmer here, a novelist who is more interested in playing around with his secretaries than actually getting any work done. But with determined Laraine Day (the "Dr. Kildare" series) hired as his new secretary, Douglas will find that the lady doesn't take nonsense. A promising writer herself, Day hopes she will turn Douglas around, but with his fun-loving pal Keenan Wynn around (always ruining the dinners he attempts to make as well as Douglas's shirts he tries to unsuccessfully iron), that is unlikely to happen. Toss in a nosy landlady (the always funny Florence Bates), a shrill maid ("The Beverly Hillbillies" Irene Ryan), a former secretary (Helen Walker), Day's former employer (Rudy Vallee), a private investigator (Alan Mowbray) and one of Day's fellow writing students (Grady Sutton), there seems to be great potential for fun. But the laughs are few and far between, which is unfortunate. The eternally grinning Douglas seems to be trying too hard to get laughs, and after a while, Wynn starts to become obnoxious. He has a few amusing cracks at Bates' expense (when invited to a party by her to play the piano, he asks, "Is it informal, or should I bathe?"), but the cooking jokes (one involving a chicken that has liquefied itself in a pressure cooker) go on too long.
There is a very funny scene involving portly secretarial candidate Jody Gilbert, a character actress I am noticing in more and more old films; a Veronica Lake look-alike (Virginia Hewitt) is also on hand, as is Gale Robbins as the "business only" beauty who takes no prisoners in her determination not to mix business with pleasure. Walker has an amusing moment taking inventory of everything in Douglas's apartment she is removing. "Queen of the Bit Players" Bess Flowers is funny in a brief scene as a society matron dancing with Wynn who excitedly asks if he is a gigolo. The film gives a look back to the work life before sexual harassment became a no-no.
There is a very funny scene involving portly secretarial candidate Jody Gilbert, a character actress I am noticing in more and more old films; a Veronica Lake look-alike (Virginia Hewitt) is also on hand, as is Gale Robbins as the "business only" beauty who takes no prisoners in her determination not to mix business with pleasure. Walker has an amusing moment taking inventory of everything in Douglas's apartment she is removing. "Queen of the Bit Players" Bess Flowers is funny in a brief scene as a society matron dancing with Wynn who excitedly asks if he is a gigolo. The film gives a look back to the work life before sexual harassment became a no-no.