If you are looking for a special comedy treat that delighted audiences long before most of us were born, I highly recommend this one. It is light, flawlessly executed and as about as much fun as a person could have for four bucks. This is one of those Walgreen’s $3.99 DVD’s I found on the way home from the dentist, and it went as long way to making the pain go away! Of course you may not agree.

My first question , researching this film, is who the heck was Gregory LaCava? I had never heard of him, although this film was the first ever to receive 6 Oscar nominations . 4 were for actors, (Carole Lombard, William Powell, Alice Brady and Mischa Auer) and one was for La Cava, the other for the writers, Eric Hatch , who wrote the novel and Morrie Ryskind who helped with the screen play. It didn’t WIN any Oscars, but it definitely earned those nominations! So who was Gregory LaCava? Starting out as an animator for Walter Lantz in the silent pictures (His first filmography listings are cartoons) , he is credited with directing a hefty 170 films. The first feature length film was directed in 1922, and his first talking film came in 1931 with LAUGH AND GET RICH. He specialized in comedy, (although his other movies were well performed as well) and directed many entertaining films, many of them requiring the timing and comedic talent that he could offer. He only received one other Oscar nomination for STAGE DOOR, a year after this one. He directed his final film in 1948. So that is who he was, indeed. I don’t know his work well enough to say this was always true, but he got some terrific performances from his cast in MY MAN GODFREY.

This movie is one of those tail-end-of-the-Great Depression stories, where the idle rich are spoofed and emulated by an audience who all must have wished that they too could be so carefree and silly. Because they are most definitely silly. The idle silly rich are contrasted with the sober bum’s hanging out in a dump with the “the forgotten men”- Until he comes to work as a butler.
"The only difference between a derelict and a man is a job" ". Of course he is no ORDINARY bum. The story is a success story where everyone feels better in the end, and no one should feel worse for having seen the movie. There are no hints of international intrigue, no Nazis lurking behind curtains. There is only that class demarcation that seemed to characterize many if not most of the movies made in the 30's. The dialog is witty, but requires some attention, and the comedic performances of the entire cast are superb, even if, as Granniemose insisted, they are “silly”.

The story was set in New York, and one of the fun aspects of this flick is seeing “Old New York”(of the thirties) and contrasting it with the NY I remember. I used to live a block from the place that was supposed to be a dump in this movie, (where many doctors lived, when I lived there) and the view of the East River brings back some interesting memories. I wonder if that view ever really existed from a picture window overlooking the East River?

OTHER FILM ELEMENTS

MUSIC

Uncredited officially are the efforts of Charles Previn (ONE HUNDRED MEN AND A GIRL) who had 7 Oscar Nominations in his career, and Rudy Schrager who wrote the theme for GUNSMOKE, among others. It is never obtrusive, but occasionally it is lightly applied to add a little punch to a scene that is leading to another. The sound effects, though, would have been at home with old Walter Lantz!

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Ted Tezlaff ( THE TALK OF THE TOWN) was the camera man in this movie, and it is a competent job and more. I was struck by three scenes in particular. The first, were the opening credits, in neon lights “across “ the East River. Then the opening scene filmed in the dark, introducing our major cast members. It is filmed over a giant heap of cans, and the “bums” are seen in silhouette picking through the trash. The other scene that got my attention was the final scene with Powell and Lombard, where the actors look as though they were lit from within, and their faces are outlined in light. Meanwhile, outside the giant picture window, we witness boat after boat passing on the East river.

COSTUMES

Also not credited for the fantastic trappings of the Society chicks are Travis Banton and Brymer. Check out Lombard’s wardrobe for some exquisite designs, which not only reflected her mood, and her personality, but were fascinating all by themselves. Also check out the elegance of sister Cornelia’s (Gail Patrick) wardrobe. It makes me nostalgic for a time I never knew. I would have loved to wear those clothes!

THE DVD

The edition I have, put out by “Cascadia” ®, is a no frills offering-no captions, no special features, just a good print of the movie, with average sound effects. It is not the best “home theater deal ” for those of you with surround sound. Hopefully, the laughs in the movie will make up for it.


THE PLOT

“How’d you like to make 5 dollars?”

Welcome to New York. The bums are going through trash in the dump that will someday be Sutton Place, the sound of cans clashes against our senses. Duke and Mike discuss the state of affairs, and a flashy car drives up, and a party alights. They rush toward Duke, looking for a “forgotten man” for a society bash Scavenger Hunt. Duke was insulted, and he backs the haughty young woman, Cornelia Bullock into an ash pile. This is something that the younger sister Irene thinks is hilariously funny, because she never wins against her older sister.

“Do you think you could follow an INTELLIGENT conservation for just one moment?”

Duke offers to come with her to beat Cornelia at her game, and this begins the real story.

“All you need to start an asylum is an empty room and the right kind of people”

We meet the Bullock family, a business man, his wife and two society type daughters, Cornelia and Irene. Then of course there is Carlo, a sycophant that Mrs Bullock is sponsoring, for his so called musical talent. They call him a protege, and he follows Angelica around like a lap dog.

“I only came here to see how a bunch of empty headed nitwits conducted themselves.” Godfrey was not much impressed by the cream of New York society.

Irene, to thank him, offers him a job as a butler.

The next day he shows up to work, and it doesn’t look good. The maid Molly, is not impressed. They don’t usually last too long. The family is “nutty”. There is obvious tension between Cornelia and Irene, Cornelia and Godfrey, and there is more going on than first we may think. For Godfrey is not merely a bum, he is a bum by choice. And Cornelia believes in pay backs. Irene is simply smitten with the suave servant.

Godfrey tries to maintain his distance and be professional, and he tells them nothing of his past. But we get to know all the Bullocks better. Irene is flighty and silly, and talks a mile a minute. Cornelia is tall, haughty, beautiful and sarcastic. Godfrey himself has a way with words. Mrs Bullock is certifiable, and Alexander is running into some problems with his business. But the truth will be known, and the problems all resolved by the time that last flame flickers. It may seem predictable, but it was all new to me! I think you should see it for yourself!


THE CAST

William Powell as Godfrey ‘Duke’ Parke-Impeccably played, by a man who exudes stage presence, and projects as only stage actors seem to be able to do. He was good as the stuffy butler, and as the irreverent bum, and the sarcastic “ older man.” He has one scene bordering magnificent when he comes in drunk to the gills, done with incredible style. He manages to be an elegant drunk. Still I liked him best when he was sparring with the girls. This movie must have had even more of significance to audiences of the day, since they realized that Powell and Lombard were married to each other from 1931 1933, and their chemistry and badinage had some basis in experience. They reportedly remained friends. The interaction is pretty impressive, as Lombard chases and he retreats. Powell is probably better remembered as the THIN MAN. This movie got him one of three Oscar Nominations although he never took one home.


Carol Lombard as Irene Bullock-Irene is a chatty silly, loud and obnoxious socialite who manages to have some heart underneath it all. In fact, my first impression of Ms. Lombard was pretty negative in this movie, but she grew on me. The second viewing, I began to notice the way she would stand , her physical gestures, rhythm , and facial expressions ; all of which made me believe this character was really her, when in fact I knew better! Interesting to me is that she was in fact 4 years older than the woman who played her older sister. Her run- on sentences and breathless delivery was the spontaneous (?) act of a seasoned comedic actress by this time. She just made it seem new. Of course, in today’s world we have medication to help this type of character. I am guessing a little lithium, or maybe Psychotherapy twice a week. It would definitely help to tone her down. On the other hand, why would we all want to be the same? Leave her be. This would be Carole Lombard’s only Oscar nomination. She only lived another 6 years, when she was killed in a plane crash in 1942. She was married to the guy with the ears, (Clark Gable) at the time of her death.

Alice Brady as Angelica Bullock-this is the equally flighty mother, and one need not wonder why the children were so very odd in that family. This is an absolutely delightful performance of a seasoned stage actress, and her trilling little laugh would have me in stitches, by just the sound of it. I ought to tape that sound and use it to cheer me up. A year later she would actually win an Oscar , although it never reached her hands. Some guy she didn’t know accepted it at the ceremony, and disappeared with it. Brady died at 46 of cancer three years later .

Gail Patrick as Cornelia Bullock-I thought this was an excellent performance by a beautiful young woman. She is one of the few major players who didn’t get an Oscar nomination. I thought she had the hardest part and pulled it off with grace. Just because she was the “bad guy” , no one loves her! I was a little disappointed when the love story stayed on Irene. I believe I would have liked the story better if Cornelia had won Godfrey. All else that I know about her is that she was married four separate times, and designed children’s clothes, which she sold at a day care center she ran for the stars in the 40's.

Eugene Pallette as Alexander Bullock-this is the father, and a stuffy or perhaps stuffed is a better word, executive type. In the thirties the big bosses never seemed to do anything except spend money or watch their families spend money, and go broke. The big bosses were all portly and this guy was no exception. He played these character roles for many years. He had a froggy voice you should instantly recognize, and he is funny as well. In real life, a right wing extremist who hid in a bunker in Montana over fear of the cold war after WWII.

Allan Mowbray as Tommy Gray-This classy suave English character actor was always good to have in a film, and it is hard not to appreciate his diction, if nothing else. A Founder of the Actor’s guild in Hollywood, he never lacked work, it would appear.

Jean Dixon as Molly-the maid. This is a fun character start to finish. At first, she is quite unimpressed by the new butler (having seen so many come and go) and then becomes a little smitten herself. She has some good lines in this flick, the best of which occur when the police question her about a missing necklace. This is her type of character, and she played it well, on stage and screen.

Mischa Auer as Carlos-This guy is a trip. And he plays the one guy certain to be comic relief. He is a “protege”, some sort of fake count, and he is melodramatic, fawning, pretentious and untalented all at the same time,( except as an actor). This was skillfully achieved. Another accomplished stage actor of the 20's, he was quite tall, and settled into these odd character roles for the movies, although I believe he was capable of better. Received an Oscar nomination. Too bad he didn’t win one. Don't miss his money impression.

Robert Light as Faithful George. I was singularly unimpressed by this guy. Ho hum.

Pat Flaherty as Mike Flaherty-this is the first homeless guy we see talking to Powell in the flick, and probably the only badly delivered lines , as well. (He complains about welfare). This guy would have been instantly known to the audience as a Baseball pitcher for the NY Giants. Hooray New York!

Ernie Adams as homeless dude-played 371 bit parts just like this one. Selmer Jackson played these parts as well, in 363 movies.

Bess Flowers as society woman Played 487 bit parts , and got into movies because her first husband was an assistant director to Cecil B DeMille.


Jane Wyman as party girl-This is in the second party, and it is a fleeting appearance. Janey played a lot of nothing parts in the 30's-but then she wasn’t the brightest light in Hollywood at the time.

Grady Sutton as Charles Moody, the would-be suitor for Irene. This is a familiar face. He was in 200 films starting in 1925, and often played confused , little bit pudgy, Southern Gentry.

FINAL RECOMMENDATION

The word “madcap” could have been devised for this movie, and describes it perfectly. It is silly without being stupid, funny without being too wishy washy, a great blend of dialog and physical humor delivered with impeccable timing. Where other folks might have a “nightcap” to douse the blues, give me a “madcap”, any day! It is just what the doctor ordered.

I think everyone should see this movie. Why not? Put a little SILLY in your lives!




Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older