Review of My Man Godfrey (1936) by Antonius B — 20 Oct 2018

A delightful comedy with lovable stars and some nice social messages as well. You don't get much better than William Powell for a leading man in the 1930's, and he's as charming as always as a hobo who is hired as a butler by a rich family. Carole Lombard is one of the two daughters, and because she's so ditzy and disconnected from the real world, you'd think her character would be one you'd hate; however, she's so lovable in her hopelessly romantic outlook, and how silly she gets when she falls in love with Godfrey, that you can't help but smile when she's on the screen. She's just wonderful in her overly dramatic moments, trying comically to assume a sorrowful pose, seduce Godfrey with her gaze, and make grand, sweeping gestures. In one scene, as she expresses her torment theatrically, her sister (Gail Patrick) quips, "Oh, I remember that pose so well. I learned it in Dramatics School. It's Number 8 isn't it?".

I love the little ways both stars use their bodies in this film, for example, when Powell struts across the room whistling a tune after he's had a few drinks on his day off, and when Lombard's head bobs around like a rag doll's when he picks her up over his shoulder and takes her up the stairs. The script is peppered with clever dialogue, rapid jokes, and lines that engage us, such as Lombard saying "You have a wonderful sense of humor. I wish I had a sense of humor, but I can never think of the right thing to say until everybody's gone home.".

While the film has a lot of zaniness, it also delivers messages that were pitch perfect for the Great Depression, and which we could use a dose of today. When we first meet the sisters, they're on a scavenger hunt for a 'forgotten man', who they must bring back to a lavish party, completely oblivious to his situation, and treating him as an object. The film keeps up its satire of the wealthy, showing them as vapid and spoiled, but at the same time, it shows us that everyone - rich or poor - sometimes needs a helping hand in life. The film is really about understanding others, even when someone seems pretty far removed from our own situation. About the poor, Godfrey says "The only difference between a derelict and a man is a job." To Gail Patrick's character, who's been an adversary the whole movie, he says "You taught me the fallacy of false pride. You taught me humility," before encouraging her to use her "high spirits in a more constructive way." He's got civility, empathy, and class, and it's a lovely counterpart to Lombard's lovable melodrama.