JohnHowardReid An anytime bore if ever there was one, this is a Clayton's sex comedy – namely the sex comedy you have when you're not having a sex comedy. In fact, the word "sex" is never so much as breathed, let alone mentioned. Indeed, we are given to understand that although the thoughts of both protagonists (played respectively by Ty Power and Linda Darnell) may have strayed towards marital indiscretions, no such indiscretions have actually taken place. Mind you, the movie does provide a good reason for straying. The wife won't even allow her husband to sleep with her. Oddly, this fact is not pointed out in the dialogue at all, although it is visually presented to our amazed eyes at least a dozen times. (I was going to say at least fifty times, but maybe that's a slight exaggeration). In all, Day- Time Wife (a true title if ever there was one) is a forced, witless excuse for a comedy. Although it is beautifully photographed by Miss Darnell's husband, Pev Marley, and gloriously mounted (Royer costumes, Wright sets), the mindless chatter and hokey plot wears out long before the movie is even half over. What makes it watchable, however, is sixteen-year-old Linda Darnell. Never has such a beauty been so eloquently captured by a movie camera, either before or since, at such a young age. (This one was available on a Fox DVD at a special low price for insomniacs, but I understand it has now sold out.)

oldblackandwhite We could even say sixteen going on twenty-six, but the ever gorgeous Linda Darnell, does look achingly sweet and innocent in minor 20th Century Fox comedy Day-Time Wife. Nevertheless she convincingly plays the sophisticated wife of well-off businessman Tyrone Power, married long enough for the cad to be already fooling around with his no-class floozy of a secretary (Wendy Barrie). Only the second picture for the teenage actress, young Linda gives a remarkable performance, especially since she has to more or less carry the movie, being on screen in practically every scene. She holds her own with great poise and verve in the presence of veteran actresses Barrie, Binnie Barns, Joan Davis, and Joan Valerie. Nor does she seem the least bit overawed by the formidable screen presences of dashing leading man Power and old smoothie Warren William. William, always fun to watch, has a field day as a lecherous architect whose secretary Linda becomes in hope of learning what makes men so attracted to their curvaceous dictation takers. But once you have seen Day-Time Wife, you will not be likely to remember any of the cast better than pretty, perky Miss Darnell.This picture is not a screwball comedy, as some others have labeled it. Just isn't screwy enough, and lacks most of the typical elements of that type. See my review of Go West, Young Man (1936) for a definition of screwball comedy. Day Time-Wife is a species of a genre known as bedroom farce. Hopefully this term will not lead crude types out there to expect naked men and women chasing each other around beds. Bedroom farce is simply the Hollywood trade name for a comedy which involves married people having problems staying married. Day-Time Wife also falls into a category known in the trade as "white telephone movies". Back in those days only the most affluent had a telephones any color or style other than utilitarian black. Thus a white telephone movie is about rich guys and rich dolls hanging out in their plush apartments or palatial mansions, going out to swanky night clubs, sailing on their swell yachts, and gabbing on their white telephones.Day-Time Wife is ably directed by Gregory Ratoff, who also directed Miss Darnell in her first picture Hotel For Women (1939), with the glossy black and white cinematography, plush sets, and swank costumes for which 20th Century Fox was famous during the halcyon days of the big studios. Editing is silky smooth, as in any big studio picture form this era. The story offers little in the way of originality, but no matter, there hasn't been a new story since 33 A. D. The script by Art Arthur and Robert Harari is reasonably subtle and intelligent for one of this genre, the dialog crisp, engaging, and witty. Day-Time Wife is an amusing little comedy, very funny, especially in the climatic segment. It is a pleasure to watch if only for the knockout production values and the charming cast, led by the very young, very beautiful and very talented Miss Linda Darnell.A load of slick, smooth entertainment from Old Hollywood's Golden Era packed into an hour and twelve minutes.

bkoganbing Day-Time Wife starred Tyrone Power and Linda Darnell together for the first time, they went on to do two more films and much better ones, The Mark Of Zorro and Blood And Sand. Look very closely at Darnell she was only 16 at the time playing a relatively new bride with only two years of marriage under her belt. Back then Darnell's mother added a couple of years to her resume so she would be hired and it worked. In fact this was only Linda Darnell's second feature film all together.The story involves the age old gambit of the spouse starting to suspect the husband is cheating on her. In this case Darnell has a candidate with the flirtatious Wendy Barrie who is Ty's secretary and would love to have him nail her. Darnell also has a confidante in the older much married Binnie Barnes who is functioning as Eve Arden here. She feeds Darnell's suspicions with a good wisecrack or three.So Linda goes out in the working world and becomes a secretary to another man with a roving eye, Warren William. Of course that Power and William are business associates she doesn't know and finds out after she's taken the job. That's when the film gets interesting.Joan Davis is in Day-Time Wife as the receptionist at William's office and she's somewhat subdued and a bit wasted here. Her zaniness was not all that in evidence.Day-Time Wife will never make the list of best screwball comedies of the era nor of the top ten films of Tyrone Power or Linda Darnell. Still it's a pleasant and none too taxing diversion for the viewer.

classicflm Stupid stupid stupid! Tried very hard to sit through this incredibly ridiculous, terrible excuse for a movie, I just could not do it. It is quite awful. Even though Tyrone Power has hardly ever given a performance worth watching (except for NIGHTMARE ALLEY), he in particularly painful to watch in this idiotic hokum. I usually don't like to give a movie a bad rap, but rather move on and find praise for one. However, this I must warn you about. It's just plain silly and not even worth seeing for the great character people that pop up, Marie Blake, Leonid Kinskey and Mary Gordon. As usual, Power and Darnell look great, as does the art direction, but thats about it. Steer clear!