My Man Godfrey (1936)

barrymost October 4, 2019

★ 9/10

"Forgotten Man" meets flighty, rich heiress . . . and so begins one of classic cinema's funniest, most delightful, most intelligent comedies ever. William Powell as the hobo Godfrey hits all the right notes. Carole Lombard is terrific, if slightly over the top, as Irene Bullock, the "uptown girl looking for a downtown man." What starts as an innocent city scavenger hunt becomes an unlikely romance when Irene Bullock brings home a gentlemanly bum named Godfrey and gets him hired as the new butler. Godfrey turns the household upside down (without really trying), much to the disapproval of Irene's stuffy parents (Eugene Pallette and Alice Brady). It is a shame that its style and intelligence is lost on much of today's audience, who have become so used to the usual dull, CGI-packed drivel that it is difficult for them to sit through a film like this. Brimming with wit and sophisticati…

John Chard April 26, 2020

★ 10/10

I see a room full of empty headed nitwits! If I was the sort of person who scrutinised every frame of my viewings looking for flaws, then I still wouldn't have issue here because My Man Godfrey has no cracks in its make up. It is perfect cinema from a golden age that we rarely see in this day and age. During a rich person's socialite scavenger hunt, air head Irene Bullock wins the contest to see who can find a forgotten man, a hobo, and showcase him at the toffs party. She falls for the charisma of down and out Godfrey Parke and gives him the job of Butler to the family Bullock. This of course bemuses the family, even more so when Godfrey turns out to be far more than they originally thought. My Man Godfrey is one of those old classic comedies that has satire at its heart, for here the rich are firmly in the target sights of the makers, and it's they who come across as bumbling bu…

Peter McGinn August 22, 2020

★ 9/10

I am not one of those people who say that they don’t make movies like they used to, or who watches a lot of classic black and white films. But there are a few dozen classics I would watch any time they come on, and this is one of them. My Man Godfrey is in the sub genre of screwball comedy, and it may actually be true that they don’t make them like this any longer, because it seems like most of the wacky comedies nowadays center around bodily functions or shocking language (though I guess you can argue it isn’t shocking anymore.) Anyway, this movie had plenty of laughs, a nice story, and a romance thrown in. The two leads dominate, of course, but the whole Bullock family is well cast. The only aspect that detracted from my enjoyment at all was the Carlo character. The silly matriarch of the family is sponsoring him - A musician maybe? And I thought in a few places he was o…

CinemaSerf June 30, 2025

★ 7/10

Whilst much of the country is in the throes of poverty, the ditzy socialite “Irene” (Carole Lombard) finds herself down by the city dump whilst playing an up-market scavenger hunt and that’s where she encounters the down-and-out looking “Godfrey” (William Powell) who might just help her win her challenge. If he agrees to return with her to the sumptuous Waldorf hotel then he might end up with five whole dollars. Of course his arrival amidst such vacuous “nitwits” causes a mixture of shock and offence, but it does make her realise that she didn’t wish to be cruel, so she offers him employment as their family butler. He’s a natural as he discovers a family of spoiled and indulged individuals led by “Alexander” (the scene stealing Eugene Palette) who is married to the dipso “Angelica” (Alice Brady) and father of both his benefactor and her sister “Cornelia” (Ga…

THE-LENS September 18, 2026

**Film: My Man Godfrey (1936) ‧ Comedy/Romance** **Quick facts:** Explore some interesting facts. **Director:** Gregory La Cava **Nominations:** Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, among others. **Screenplay:** Gregory La Cava, Eric S. Hatch, Morrie Ryskind, Zoe Akins, Robert Presnell Sr. **Story by:** Eric S. Hatch **Release date:** 6 September 1936 (USA) **Film Review by Dr Usman Latif Khawaja** *My Man Godfrey* (1936) is an airtight, 94-minute masterclass in economic satire. It uses the frantic energy of screwball comedy to deliver a scathing critique of Great Depression-era capitalism, the utter blindness of the ultra-wealthy, and the human dignity of the "forgotten man." As noted, the flawless chemistry between William Powell and Carole Lombard, combined with Gregory La Cava's razor-sharp direction, ensures that every single line carries both…