A young woman, recently released from a mental hospital, gets a job as a secretary to a demanding lawyer, where their employer-employee relationship turns into a sexual, sadomasochistic one.A young woman, recently released from a mental hospital, gets a job as a secretary to a demanding lawyer, where their employer-employee relationship turns into a sexual, sadomasochistic one.A young woman, recently released from a mental hospital, gets a job as a secretary to a demanding lawyer, where their employer-employee relationship turns into a sexual, sadomasochistic one.
- Awards
- 15 wins & 26 nominations
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIn a 2018 interview Maggie Gyllenhaal called her role in Secretary "the first time that I was given a role where I could express something about myself," describing taking the role of Lee as an opportunity to "explore something that's on the edge of what I know about myself but with the protection of fiction." She also gave director Steven Shainberg a lot of credit for his collaborative approach, describing him as "interested in me as an artist, was interested in what I was offering, and the way that shifted the story, as opposed to whatever he had imagined before I got there."
- GoofsAll the cars in the film have Florida license plates on the front of the car. Florida only has back plates.
- Quotes
[Mr. Grey asks Lee why she cuts herself]
E. Edward Grey: Why do you cut yourself, Lee?
Lee: I don't know.
E. Edward Grey: Is it that sometimes the pain inside has to come to the surface and when you see evidence of the pain inside, you finally know you're really here? Then, when you watch the wound heal, it's comforting. Isn't it?
Lee: I... That's a way to put it.
- Crazy creditsThe legal disclaimer has typing errors:
- "fictitious" is misspelled "ficticious"
- "unintentional" is misspelled "unitentional"
- unauthorized use of the film is warned as resulting in "civil liberty" instead of "civil liability"
- Alternate versionsBesides the 1h 47m (107 min) runtime provided here, this film is also available in a longer--1h 51m (111 min)--cut.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Late Show with David Letterman: Episode #10.42 (2002)
- SoundtracksWhatchamacallit
Performed by Juan García Esquivel (as Esquivel)
Written by Juan García Esquivel (as Juan Garcia Esquivel)
Courtesy of The RCA Records Label, a unit of BMG Entertainment
Under license from BMG Special Products
She meets an off-beat attorney, Mr. Grey (James Spader), who hires her. And they develop an unusual work relationship that becomes more personal.
Kudos to Ms. Gyllenhaal for a brave performance. Lee is complex but accessible for viewer understanding because of her wonderfully nuanced portrayal. Grey is not as transparent, and it feels like that is intentional. It would be interesting to ask viewers which character is more damaged/dysfunctional.
This is not comedy in the broad style, but a comedy of small moments. At the same time, it is incumbent on the viewer to recognize the pain and dysfunctions that are on the screen. The result is a thoughtful film.
- atlasmb
- Jul 1, 2023
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Also known as
- Nữ Thư Ký
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $4,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $4,059,680
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $182,306
- Sep 22, 2002
- Gross worldwide
- $9,304,609