Office Blues (1930)

Genres - Comedy  |   Run Time - 10 min.  |   Countries - United States  |  
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Synopsis by Craig Butler

In this musical short, Ginger Rogers plays a secretary whose co-worker has a crush on her. Unfortunately, Rogers only has eyes for her boss. The co-worker asks her to lunch, but she tells him she has to get out some letters for the boss, Mr. Ross. She knows that she and Ross would be an odd couple, and sings "I See Where We Can't Get Along" to prove it ("I'm delectable, he's respectable/I'm cynical, he's rabbinical"). The frustrated co-worker leaves and Ross enters, saying he thought he heard someone singing out here. He leaves, and Rogers starts singing again. She starts out just putting one of his letters to music, but then sings her own fantasy letter ("Dear Sir"), in which she spills forth her desires. As she sings, she imagines herself in a sleek gown, surrounded by a small chorus of girls wearing dresses with letters sprinkled upon them and posing upon a gigantic steno pad. In her fantasy, Ross joins her in her song, but the fantasy is interrupted when the real Ross awakens her from her reverie. She starts to talk about Ross' letter, but mixes it up with her fantasy, and when she tells him about the "kiss he can't afford to miss," he slyly tells her that "perhaps we better discuss this in my office." "Perhaps nothing!" she rejoins. They close the door behind them, leaving a "Busy taking dictation" sign on the doorknob.