My Man Godfrey

Whether we live in the Depression Era or the age of Occupy Wall Street and the Panama Papers, there remains great suspicion of and derision for those conspicuous faces of the upper classes, and few films capture and satirize this better than My Man Godfrey. It begins, as largely it ends, with strong associations- the dump by the waterfront is cluttered and grimy, filled with cynical but tenacious men, while the ballrooms and mansions of the rich are scenes of incredible chaos. Debauched and manic, these petty denizens amuse themselves with idiotic games, notably a scavenger hunt that calls for a "forgotten man," or rather a citizen of the aforementioned dump. This turns out to be our man Godfrey, played by William Powell with masterfully dry humor and proletarian dignity. His counterpart and perfect opposite is Carole Lombard as Irene, who manages her depiction of extreme ditziness and delusion with convincing charm. Godfrey's attempts to pull himself up from the dump lead him into the circus of Irene's family life, and the film is at its best in scenes where he is forced to navigate through their various inanities. It's difficult to choose any particular moment in this company over another, but wouldn't we all like to watch a pretentious Italian artiste imitating a gorilla? It might be nearly impossible for a major Hollywood comedy to be created today that could balance sympathy for the poor with criticism of the rich without coming across as insincere or blandishing, and Godfrey sometimes seems dangerously close to doing the same, but overall the film remains strong in its message, characterizations, and acting, making it one of the most lovable examples of screwball comedy.

Irony. splendid performances. social critic. and a fairy tale. a film about people, perspectives, using a noble message and the right cast. and a brilliant script. in fact, a parable about selfishness and superficiality. special for the bitter humor and the impecable dialogues. and, sure, for the portrait of a familiar world, maybe too obvious but enough for succes to large public. the great virtue - maybe the performance of Will Powell and the adorable sweetness of Carole Lombard in two roles who are not real unique in the context of the cinema of period but who works in beautiful manner. and, maybe, that is the key for the seductive force of this old movie about money, family, society and ...love.

Am a huge fan of classic film and screwball comedy is one of my favourite comedy film styles. Seeing as it is more often than not very funny and clever (unlike the very crude humour seen nowadays) and has been done so well in many 30s and 40s films (such as 'It Happened One Night', 'Arsenic and Old Lace' and 'His Girl Friday'). Gregory LaCava's filmography was not a big one but it was worth watching, with his best being absolute classics ('Stage Door' being in this category).

Had absolutely no doubt whatsoever that 'My Man Godfrey' would be a great film with its pedigree of talent (as it also has a wonderful cast on paper), and was thankfully proven right. Actually thought it was excellent, with its best aspects (the performances and writing) masterclass level. 'My Man Godfrey' got a lot of awards attention and no wonder. It is one of LaCava's best films by quite some way and when it comes to screwball comedy, for me it is definitely up there.

My only issue really is the more farcical character behaviours do strain credulity, especially with the rather unrepentent character played by Carole Lombard.

Other than that, the film is excellent. William Powell brings his usual debonair suavity and sharp, sophisticated wit that made him so much loved, as well as deeply felt depth. Lombard's character may be unlikeable, but Lombard was always a joy in screwball comedy and she here shows genuine exuberance and hilarity, as well as charm. Gail Patrick portrays a character that is easy to hate effortlessly, and a wonderfully featherbrained Alice Brady and posturing Mischa Auer delight too. It is shame that Jean Dixon is so overlooked when talking about 'My Man Godfrey', because she really does sparkle in the wisecracking.

The script also plays a massive part in the film's appeal. It is razor sharp in wit, is wonderfully sophisticated and achieves a perfect balance of hilarious comedy, rapid fire is a good way to describe the delivery, and poignant pathos, a screwball comedy with a heart if you will. The story always compels, it didn't feel cluttered, over-stuffed or confusing, all of them having the impact they should.

LaCava keeps all the elements going at a lively pace without being out of control, while letting the serious elements breathe without losing momentum. Beautifully filmed and designed 'My Man Godfrey' is too, not "grand" but amateurish it never is.

Concluding, truly excellent. 9/10.

Yes, Virginia, William Powell CAN be someone other than the Thin Man, and he can kiss someone Myrna Loy. In this case, he is kissing Carole Lombard, who does a very nice job as Powell's romantic interest. This is a fun movie from beginning to end, and the best role that Powell ever had (from an artistic viewpoint). Lombard was multitalented and could play any role. She very good as the rich playgirl who befriends the bum by the river, Godfrey. Great stuff.

My Man Godfrey (1936) : Brief Review -

Hollywood's lost treasure. A Timeless Classic Comedy which has been remade many times through other films in parts. You hear many times people saying that, "They don't make films like this anymore' or 'This is what we are missing now days' or 'Lost Classic' and such stuff, right? Well, here's one more that fits in all. My Man Godfrey is one of those rare comedies from golden era of Hollywood I mean from 30s that has a timeless impacts till date and will have it forever. A simple human driven story, mad and lovable both characters, humourous dialogues, situational gags and at last a perfect finale with a certain emotional touch, that's all about it. And it's lot more than what you can expect. A scatterbrained socialite hires a vagrant as a family butler - mad family to be more precise, but there's more to Godfrey than meets the eye. There are so many good comedies made after this that have took references from it but all in parts not as one solid remake. Yes there was a remake but not upto the mark so here i meant only those different comedies who got upto the Mark. William Powell as Godfrey, my man, what a beautifully played character it was. I would love to hire a butler like him one day. Carol Lombard gives an unforgettable performance as a cracked chatterbox girl. Her dialogue delivery is something you might never forget after watching this film. Alice Brady and Gail Patrick both look gorgeous and gets enough punches to hit the level. Gregory La Cava's direction is unmissable for every director who wants to learn that how a good script is handled in comedy genre without losing its essence and simplicity. Overall, My Man Godfrey surpasses all the overrated comedies of 30s by margin and surely makes a highly recommendable product. A Classic Comedy that cannot be missed by any chance.

RATING - 8/10*

By - #samthebestest