The Pre-Code era brought us many daring and provocative projects, featuring subject matter that would not stand a chance at making its way into mainstream film after the Hayes Code was established in the mid-1930s, which essentially sought to censor anything even mildly against the conservative principles of Joseph Breen and his very strict opinion on what constituted “decent” American values. The free-form nature of the pre-Code era can be seen in many great films from this era in various forms, with Man Wanted being one of the most clear examples. The film, a daring and hilariously irreverent romantic comedy written by Robert Lord and Charles Kenyon (adapted from a novel by Lord) and directed by the deeply underrated William Dieterle, tells the story of a rambunctious young executive who does something unheard of in that period – she fills the position left by her previous secretary with a man. Based on the premise, Man Wanted doesn’t sound all that scintillating – if anything, it’s an early example of feminist literature, taking place in a time when such stories were more inspiring than they were concerning to audiences. However, touching on themes directly related to the growing feminist movement, as well as an approach to exploring infidelity in a way that is respectful and decent, rather than the enormous crime against social order that conservative critics may have been trying to imply, this film was clearly pushing boundaries that could’ve easily have backfired had it not done so in a way that was at least constructive, or so it would seem under the often misguided lens of the censorship system that aimed to “protect” American citizens from negative influences, but only ended up making these issues all the more potent, whether during this era or after it.

Man Wanted is something of a revolutionary film – while its themes aren’t necessarily groundbreaking if we look at it purely through the lens of contemporary social conventions, for a film produced in 1932, there is a lot of merit in how Dieterle and his collaborators tell this story. First of all is the very intricate approach to the storytelling, and the process with which Lord and Kenyon put together what is essentially an ordinary romantic comedy, which is interwoven with deeper conversations on a wider range of pressing issues. What makes this film so different isn’t that it only has these conversations, but seems to be entirely in favour of the more progressive opinion. During this period and the more stringent Code Era, the supposed liberal agenda wasn’t absent from films, but were often filtered through a more negative lens. Man Wanted places these issues front-and-centre and makes sure that the viewer knows how it is entirely positive about the minor but impactful change brought by seeing such stories on screen. After all, this is a film that positions a female character as not only a powerful businesswoman (and one that worked hard to reach her current position, rather than finding her way there by accident, which is unfortunately the basis for many a slapstick comedy at the time), but also her family’s primary breadwinner – statements like “you work all day while you should be playing” only strengthen the film’s fervent conviction in showing this character as hardworking and resourceful. Adding on narrative layers that focus on marital strife and infidelity, two enormously concerning “threats” to the conservative model of American storytelling only furthers the film’s steady declaration that it is going to not only rebel against conventions, but outright defy them by any means possible.

There’s a scene towards the end of Man Wanted when the main character peers out the window, most of her face being obscured by flowers – this would be an inconsequential shot had it not been occupied by Kay Francis, whose doe-eyed gaze frequently harbours a soulfulness that can’t be put into coherent words. Even in a relatively minor, run-of-the-mill romantic comedy, Francis manages to be so profoundly effective, pulling apart the layers of a complex protagonist who has to essentially represent an entire generation of working women who weren’t often given a place on screen during an era driven by conservative, patriarchal views on where a woman’s place in society actually is. Francis is not necessarily a forgotten star of the Golden Age of Hollywood, but her cultural cache is eclipsed by many of her contemporaries, who have continued to be celebrated more widely than Francis, whose smaller body of work (resulting from her retirement while she was at her peak) and sadly earlier demise meant that she was almost entirely confined to a specific era in film history. It doesn’t take too long for us to realize what an astonishing performer she was when watching any of her performances – and while it may be a minor entry into her wonderful career, Man Wanted is a perfect showcase for her ability to work well within both comedy and drama, the balance of the two informing so much of her performance and helping guide the feminist themes that underlie the film, and become so important for her portrayal of this complex character. The film is built as a vehicle for Francis, who commands the screen with her brooding intensity and carefree wit, making this an absolute delight from beginning to end.

Man Wanted is certainly a very special film, and it’s one that doesn’t demand too much from the audience, outside of our ability to just follow its winding line of thought, since part of the conflict present in the film comes from a few loose narrative threads that seem arbitrary at first, but certainly do find their resolution by the end of the story. At only an hour in length, there wasn’t much space for overt meandering, and Dieterle, who was always a very economical director, doesn’t waste any time in establishing narrative connections that ultimately don’t matter – it gives Man Wanted a fresh, appealing sense of urgency that is difficult to overlook, and while sets a firm foundation for one of the most wildly funny and incredibly inventive portrayals of gender politics at a time when such stories weren’t particularly embraced in the mainstream. The Pre-Code era is often seen as the breeding ground for subversive, controversial subject matter that slipped through in between the long fingers of the censorship system – but not everything was necessarily shocking (at least not to those who possessed some semblance of logic), so it only makes sense that a film like Man Wanted would resonate more in later years, where its bold feminist leanings and very progressive portrayal of gender disparity struck a chord with viewers. The specific mechanics of the plot may be dated, but the sentiment remains just as daring today as it need nearly a century ago, all tied together in the form of this dynamic and exceptionally charming romantic comedy that proves how even the most conventional films can be somewhat daring when it comes to conveying a particular message, especially one as important as the discussions spurred throughout this terrific film.