Man Wanted: A breezy, slightly dated look at office romance

Is it worth the watch?

Honestly, only if you have a soft spot for 1930s snappy dialogue or you just really, really like Kay Francis. If you’re looking for a serious drama, you’re in the wrong place. If you want to see a very polite, very 1932 version of an office crush, you’ll probably have a decent enough time. Folks who hate movies where the 'big plot twist' is just someone walking through a door at the wrong time should probably skip this.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Man Wanted (1932) through its definitive frames.

Kay Francis plays the boss, and she carries the whole thing on her shoulders. She looks like she’s constantly trying to find a comfortable place to sit in a room full of stiff furniture. It’s a performance that feels surprisingly human compared to some of the wooden stuff you see in other films from this period like The Middle Watch.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Man Wanted (1932) through its definitive frames.

The office dynamics are… well, they’re cute in a way that feels almost alien now. The male secretary is played by David Manners, and he does that classic 'I’m just an innocent guy trying to be professional' act. It’s funny because you know exactly where this is going five minutes in. The movie doesn't even try to hide it.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Man Wanted (1932) through its definitive frames.

Some random notes I took while watching:

• The lighting in the office is way too bright for anyone to actually work in. It looks like a dentist's office.
• There is a scene where someone is typing for about thirty seconds too long, and it’s just the sound of clacking. It's weirdly hypnotic.
• Why are there so many doors in this office? People are constantly popping out of them like it’s a bad stage play.
• The fashion is the real star here. I don't know who did the wardrobe, but they deserve a medal.

The pacing is a bit of a mess. Sometimes it feels like the movie is sprinting to get to the next scene, then suddenly it hits the brakes so someone can deliver a monologue that doesn't actually say much. It lacks the polish of a later studio production, but that’s kind of the charm, right? It feels like something made by people who were just trying to get the job done before lunch.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Man Wanted (1932) through its definitive frames.

I couldn't help but compare the vibe here to the slapstick chaos of Road to Rio, though they are obviously very different animals. This is much quieter, much more contained. It's basically a one-location play that got lost on its way to a theater.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Man Wanted (1932) through its definitive frames.

There is this one reaction shot of a secondary character—I think it was Una Merkel—that lasts about three seconds too long. She’s just staring at the camera, looking mildly confused, and it’s honestly the funniest thing in the movie. I rewound it twice.

Is it a masterpiece? No. Is it a fun way to kill an hour on a rainy Tuesday? Sure. It’s a relic, but it’s a mostly pleasant one. 🎥