My Man Godfrey (1936)

Irene Bullock (Carole Lombard), a young socialite from an eccentric family adopts forgotten man Godfrey (William Powell) from the municipal dump, initially just for the purpose of winning a scavenger hunt, but immediately after offers him the job of family butler.

Unlike the fantasy economics of the Sycamore family in You Can't Take It with You (1938) early evidence is presented that the Bullock family’s irresponsible living is quickly leading them to financial ruin.

Little does Irene know that the violent, angry, bitter, dirty, unshaven beast is the secret prince that she and her family need to rescue them from themselves.

The Bullock family is comprised of a nutty mother (Alice Brady) with an always-hungry musician protégé (Mischa Auer); the evil sister (Gail Patrick), always in competition with the nice (but silly) one; and the gruff father (Eugene Pallette), ever concerned about the family spending, and are rounded off with the jaded maid (Jean Dixon) who’s seen it all: She’s seen butlers come and go, and expects this one to be no different from any of the other ones.

The dignified bum, however, proves to be an efficient and equally dignified butler, and soon all have fallen in love with him despite some strong resistance (and denial) from some.

Socially conscious, screwball comedy with a fairy tale structure that is half Boudu sauvé des eaux (1932) and half La Belle et la Bête (1946), the film defies some viewer expectations.

Wouldn’t the film be not only deeper, but a lot more fun if Godfrey truly were a homeless man (rather than simply a millionaire who dropped out) and to be in direct contraposition to the social climbing family?

...But I guess that would be a different story for a different day.

It does not take too long, however, before characters (and audience) begin to see that there is more than meets the eye about the man.

His secrets are almost given away at a party where he is recognized by a guest, but some quick thinking manages to confuse matters even when further igniting suspicions, mainly from the ‘evil’ sister.

It is also soon revealed that what caused Godfrey’s downfall was not financial in nature but instead was caused by a broken heart, and so his climb back up, with its focus on financial gain, is less resonant even while at the same time the film addresses his improving emotional state: we see him get an ever increasing spring back in his step.

Deeper emotional and future plan revelations will remain hidden until a later time.

The jealous sister attempts to frame him for stealing her pearl necklace. Cops even get called in but leave once the sister’s duplicity is revealed.

Godfrey is too smart for her and ends up using the advantage the, now unmissable, pearls give him.

The success of the plan to develop the abandoned waterfront smacks as too convenient and too easy to be realistic (Mel Brooks’ attempt to recreate it in Life Stinks would fare even worse,) but it’s just a fine way to end this frothy fairy tale.

Hilarious, with plenty of great lines and funny moments and character bits I am not going to bother to list.

A classic, and just about the sort of culturally significant comedy Sullivan's Travels (1941) also is.

Franklin Pangborn and Grady Sutton are there on hand as supporting players.