Clark Gable teamed up with many a leading lady for comedy films during the Golden age of Hollywood. In most, there was very good "chemistry" between the two leads. Not so, in this light depression era comedy. Constance Bennett was a fine actress of comedy, drama and mysteries. But, in "After Office Hours," she and Gable don't quite click. From the first scene when she, playing Sharon Norwood, gets canned from her newspaper job by Gable's Jim Branch, Bennett never seems to warm up to him or carry on a very good repartee with him after that. It's too bad, because I think that would have added considerably to the film. The shortcoming may not be all due to Bennett – the screenplay wasn't very good. The directing wasn't that good, and the film editing wasn't very good either. The movie seems choppy between some scenes.
Initially, Branch has ulterior motives in trying to get into Sharon's good graces after firing her from her newspaper job. She has high society connections because she is one of them. Branch didn't know her before the canning. She had only been working for the paper one week as a music critic. The opening scene of the movie shows her being driven to the front of the New York News-Record building in her elegant chauffeured vehicle. She tells the chauffeur to pick her up there later. Had Branch been able to see that, he might have wondered if they were paying reporters and writers too much at the paper. Or, maybe he wouldn't have been so quick to fire her after reading her first concert review.
Anyway, this turns into a whodunit, except that we viewers all know because we get to see it. So, it's not really a mystery or suspense comedy. It's more one of Branch trying to win Sharon over in a romance while he also tries to solve the crime by exposing the killer. Stuart Erwin plays Hank Parr, a paper photographer and sidekick of Branch. Billie Burke is excellent as Sharon's wealthy mother, Mrs. Norwood. This whimsical character actress is often put off as "Billie is just Billie." But, she shows some great acting here in a number of places. She's flabbergasted to learn that Branch had brought Sharon home at 3 a.m. She asks the butler what time Branch left, and she's shocked when he says that he hadn't left. Then, she's exasperated when a friend and the boss of Branch shows up because Branch had called him from her house. She really showed these different expressions for these situations. It's wonderful comedy.
Gable is a little over the top as the cantankerous, belligerent newspaper editor. And, while there isn't much of a story here, it's an amusing enough film to watch, especially with the contributions of the supporting cast.
Initially, Branch has ulterior motives in trying to get into Sharon's good graces after firing her from her newspaper job. She has high society connections because she is one of them. Branch didn't know her before the canning. She had only been working for the paper one week as a music critic. The opening scene of the movie shows her being driven to the front of the New York News-Record building in her elegant chauffeured vehicle. She tells the chauffeur to pick her up there later. Had Branch been able to see that, he might have wondered if they were paying reporters and writers too much at the paper. Or, maybe he wouldn't have been so quick to fire her after reading her first concert review.
Anyway, this turns into a whodunit, except that we viewers all know because we get to see it. So, it's not really a mystery or suspense comedy. It's more one of Branch trying to win Sharon over in a romance while he also tries to solve the crime by exposing the killer. Stuart Erwin plays Hank Parr, a paper photographer and sidekick of Branch. Billie Burke is excellent as Sharon's wealthy mother, Mrs. Norwood. This whimsical character actress is often put off as "Billie is just Billie." But, she shows some great acting here in a number of places. She's flabbergasted to learn that Branch had brought Sharon home at 3 a.m. She asks the butler what time Branch left, and she's shocked when he says that he hadn't left. Then, she's exasperated when a friend and the boss of Branch shows up because Branch had called him from her house. She really showed these different expressions for these situations. It's wonderful comedy.
Gable is a little over the top as the cantankerous, belligerent newspaper editor. And, while there isn't much of a story here, it's an amusing enough film to watch, especially with the contributions of the supporting cast.