Quartile rating: 8/10 · 1 rating
Fifth Avenue socialite Irene Bullock needs a "forgotten man" to win a scavenger hunt, and no one is more forgotten than Godfrey Park, who resides in a dump by the East River. Irene hires Godfrey as a servant for her riotously unhinged family, to the chagrin of her spoiled sister, Cornelia, who tries her best to get Godfrey fired. As Irene falls for her new butler, Godfrey turns the tables and teaches the frivolous Bullocks a lesson or two.
My Man Godfrey is a crown jewel of the screwball comedy genre. William Powell and Carole Lombard deliver electrifying, perfectly timed performances — Powell's dry wit against Lombard's manic energy is a genuine 4-caliber pairing. The film's novelty is exceptional: it uniquely blends Depression-era social critique with madcap comedy, using the 'forgotten man' premise to deliver genuine class commentary beneath the farce, giving it a singular voice that stands apart from contemporaries. The plot is clever and well-constructed but follows a fairly predictable arc once the premise is established — above average but not transcendent. Cinematography is competent and atmospheric for its era, with solid studio craft but no particularly daring visual choices. The ending ties things up rather abruptly and conveniently, a common screwball weakness, landing it just below the film's otherwise high standard.