Last thoughts on My Man Godfrey

Looking back at My Man Godfrey, there are so many things to love about this film, most of all Carole Lombard. It's a film in which everything seems to fit together just right, everything falls into place, all the jokes are delivered just right, and when the time comes to deliver a message, it does so without it being overbearing. But this film stands apart from other screwball comedies, not just by having sharp dialogue and a great cast, but by being able to incorporate a serious message within a comedy and not make light of it.

Tone and pacing in this film is never a problem. From the very beginning, the simple idea of a scavenger hunt comprising of finding a forgotten man by socialites is absurd and even cruel enough to lead you to realize that things are not what they're supposed to be. William Powell's delivery of Godfrey's lines is done with just the right amount of sarcasm, further indicating the scerwiness of the film. And through all this, the pacing is always at the right pace, never too fast or too slow. At times the pacing might seem a bit too fast, but I think that's the point. It's never too fast that you don't understand what's going on. When Godfrey's on his first day at the Bullocks', the introduction to the family's morning routine can seem dizzying, but in spite of that you can still follow along and get the point that the Bullocks are kind of kooky.

Dialogue can go along with tone, but really the lines throughout this film are great. I think what makes them even greater is how they're delivered. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that Morrie Ryskind re-wrote scenes around the actors while on the set, and as I've mentioned this before, this was a wise decision. Using the actors' skills to their advantage allowed them to give better performances. Angelica is much more spacey and Cornelia less devious and more human instead. Being a screwball comedy, naturally the help have the best lines. Molly as the wise-cracking maid of the Bullocks has such great lines. When Godfrey asks Molly what kind of family he's up against with, she replies, "Even some things I can't answer." Much of what's great about Molly isn't just her great lines, but it's the performance by Jean Dixon.

The cast in this film is phenomenal. For the 9th Academy Awards in 1937, the Academy offered awards for supporting roles for the first time, and My Man Godfrey was the first film to get nominations in all the acting categories. While I've raved on about Lombard and Powell, the rest of the cast was equally great in their roles. Dixon as Molly didn't just deliver her lines, it was all in her body movement and facial expressions. You can see that nothing fazes her, but then Godfrey enters and things kinda change for everyone. Alice Brady gives a great performance as well. You can't help but laugh at every single thing that comes out of her mouth. And she does it so well, never breaking out of her role. Her voice shrills as it ends one of her lines but it never really annoys you. And even though these characters are all pretty much standard of the genre, it still shows that you need a strong cast to support your leads. In fact, looking at the genre, the best films have strong supporting roles, some even have ones that steal the whole show. A strong supporting cast is quite important to the success of a film, and here it's able to pull it off wonderfully.

There is one thing that kinda bummed me out about this film, and this has nothing to do with the execution of the film. When I read the whole bit about Powell insisting that Lombard be cast as Irene because she reminded him of Lombard during their marriage, I laughed. But then I thought, well maybe that's why the chemistry is a bit off. I never see the hot chemistry but more of people who are fond of one another. In fact, it took a careful look for me to see the subtle hints that Godfrey falls for Irene, because let's face it, Irene is quite ridiculous. And in the end, when Irene enters Godfrey's place like a twister and sets up a marriage right then and there, Godfrey gives in even though he had been saying up to that point for Irene to go home. And then he gives in. What happened? I wanted them to end up together, so I didn't care. But I looked to see if there was something missing. I suppose it was in the chemistry between Lombard and Powell. I swear Powell just kept remembering why the marriage didn't last, and then it hit me that if Powell and Lombard's marriage ended in divorce, then most likely, so did Godfrey and Irene's. And then I realized that all screwball romances probably do end in divorce. And then we see their stories again as they end up remarrying. But then they probably get divorced again. And all of this just bummed me out, so I stopped thinking about it until now. So I should move on.

My Man Godfrey really did turn out to be a wonderful film. It's my instinct to not like films that purposefully put a message with an attempt at trying to educate in some way. But I'm a firm believer that if you make a film really, really good, and even make it beautiful to look at, and you are able to make me not notice that you're preaching, then all is fair game. I enjoyed this film so much that I didn't care that it had an ulterior motive than just entertainment. I rather appreciated the message as well. But overall, this film stands out the most for the great performances given by the cast and mostly, Carole Lombard.

A different kind of Godfrey and Irene

Recently, I read the screenplay of My Man Godfrey, which had various dates throughout April 1936, and I have to say that I'm so glad that the film turned out to be different from the script. The characters come across different and some of the scenes just aren't as funny. I had read previously to reading the screenplay that screenwriter Morrie Ryskind had pretty much improvised and re-wrote scenes while on the set, which obviously explains the difference between film and script. Even still I hadn't expected the differences of what looks like to me as a working draft and in essence, I guess that's what it was.

There's a good article over at TCM that talks about the film's production. Apparently, Ryskind worked with Gregory La Cava and the actors to mold the characters around them, which turned out to be brilliant because then the characters were tailored for the actors and their fortés. This is especially true of the two leads. On paper, Irene and Godfrey aren't that compelling. Irene is your average spoiled brat who is referred to as being "dumb. I mean really dumb." And on screen, this isn't true at all. Irene's got some smarts in her; she has to being Cornelia's sister. And this is something that is a bit of a contradiction in the script because sometimes she does things like run after Godfrey trying to prevent Cornelia from doing something awful to Godfrey, but then people tell Irene that she's slow or not smart, and she believes this. It just doesn't play well, because none of this motivates Irene to show people she's really smart. She just takes it and this doesn't allow for Irene to stand out or want you to root for her. She even claims to get engaged because Godfrey told her to do it, not like in the film in which she uses the engagement as a spur of the moment thing to get Godfrey jealous. The engagement in the script implies that Irene proposes to her soon-to-be fiancé beforehand, probably as a ploy, but it's premeditated. In short, there's the seed of what Irene turned out to be in the film, and had I not known that Ryskind was on set re-writing scenes, I would've assumed Carole Lombard had improvised a good chunk of Irene.

Then there's Godfrey, who is perhaps the most different in my opinion. The Godfrey in the screenplay comes across as a younger guy, who shows more of his emotions. Unlike the film's Godfrey, who is more reserved and seems almost unbothered by the Bullocks' antics, in the screenplay, Godfrey is frequently embarrassed by Irene, and Cornelia as well, fawning at him. Although, any fawning by Cornelia comes with ulterior motives. In the film, Godfrey is too smart for Cornelia's games. If he's willing to take the bait, it's with caution. But what's most striking about Godfrey is that you never see any remote interest in Irene. Yet, when she's engaged and the two talk about it, Godfrey gets so upset. Any attempt by Irene to tell him how she feels is met with Godfrey balking at her, almost bitterly. So you read that and you're like, okay he likes her ... but why and when did it happen? For the most part, Godfrey seems to want to do good and right by the Bullocks, but he just doesn't seem as interesting. Part of Godfrey's charm in the film is that he is obviously much wiser and more sane than any of the Bullocks. In the screenplay, he's just not quite there. Making Godfrey older was a wise decision because it makes his actions more credible and Godfrey himself becomes more self-secure. He knows who he is, so there's no need for embarrassment or worries about his family in Boston because Godfrey is more concerned about helping the people in the city dump and also the Bullocks, who gave him a job when jobs were scarce. In fact, a younger Godfrey couldn't deliver the wonderful speech he gives in the end. It's more like fragments of what you see in the film. A much bigger speech is given by Bullock himself, actually, but it carries on too long and almost seems to go around in circles. An older Godfrey, is more credible in giving that moving speech to the Bullocks that moves them to tears in the end.

While there are some minor differences throughout the screenplay, there are also major ones. A big one is the last part of the script. Imagine the film without a dripping-wet Lombard jumping up and down on the bed and shouting, "Godfrey loves me! Godfrey loves me!" The shower scene just isn't funny in the screenplay; it just isn't exaggerated to the point as it is the film. Irene realizes Godfrey's about to put her in the shower and she gets upset but claims to still love him. And then everyone finds out and is outraged by it, as if he had deflowered her, which I think is the point, but it misses its effect. Before all this, there's a scene that isn't shown in the film. There's no going away to Europe. Instead, the story continues and Cornelia kind of comes to Godfrey and sets up a meeting with him for later in the evening. Irene finds out and begs him not to go, has another fainting spell, but Godfrey goes anyway. Cornelia pretty much threatens to ruin the Parkes' name but in the meantime, Irene has arrived outside of where Godfrey and Cornelia are meeting and she sets up a rally of sorts in which street-goers all shout "We want Godfrey!" It's quite bizarre, but almost seems contrived to get Godfrey out of the Bullocks' house only to be forced by the police to go back with Irene in order to bring peace to the streets of New York. Why not just keep them in the Bullock house? And it just seems pointless, more of a biography lesson in which Cornelia retells all she's learned about Godfrey's family. So now we understand how important Godfrey and his family really are. But it does nothing for the story. The removal of this bit was wise. We already know Cornelia is determined and mean-spirited so this does nothing new.

Even though I didn't enjoy the story as the screenplay told it, it was good to see the differences, especially knowing a bit about the production background. I think this screenplay can definitely be seen as a working draft, and to compare the screenplay with the film it's neat to see the change in storyline and characters. It's not a major overhaul, but the changes wer just right and necessary. And knowing the production history, it's also interesting to note the importance of collaboration in a film and to see how well it worked in My Man Godfrey.

Screwball Dramedy?

Something interesting about My Man Godfrey that sets it apart from other screwball comedies, is the turn of events that comes near the end of the film. Everybody is crying, and not Carole-Lombard-as-Irene crying, but genuinely sad crying, touched by Godfrey's actions. The film almost gets a bit Capraesque. The change of tone seems a bit strange, but if you consider the film, the year it was released, and certainly the views on the current state of affairs at the time, I suppose it's not so strange. But, it kinda does get preachy. Not that it isn't deserved, it just isn't what I'd think you'd find in a screwball comedy.

This moral lesson you find in the film isn't something that has ever bothered me before, it still doesn't because I'm enjoying the film so much that I don't care if it's trying to get a message across to me. I'm involved. But, is this a true screwball comedy then? It's an interesting thought that I've been pondering on.

The film has all the pre-requisites, if you will, of all films in the genre. There are two leads who are opposites, there's a screwball heroine, there's a rapid pace throughout, there's witty dialogue, misunderstandings, the working class always outwitting the privileged. The only thing missing really is cross-dressing and perhaps slapstick pranks. But I think the Bullocks' behavior kind of outweighs the need for slapstick humor. In fact, the Bullocks are so ridiculous and their lives are completely hilarious, that that in itself qualifies it alone as a film of the genre. But in portraying the Bullocks, the film isn't just making fun of the upper class; this film is a criticism of the rich, their lifestyle, and the effects on the working-class, the poor.

There are probably several reasons why the writers/director chose to go this path of criticism, from the theme of the film to the audience. But whatever the reason, the film works, mostly because of the way they chose to tell the story. In Godfrey, there's a character who isn't just a forgotten man they happen to hire, as much as the Bullocks all believe it to be so, Godfrey happens to be just like them and was mistaken for a forgotten man. But what sets Godfrey apart is that he's completely bitter at the beginning of the film. He is disgusted by the scavenger hunt and lets everyone know. But he needs a job and when Irene offers him one, he takes it. This is when his transformation begins.

Godfrey doesn't explain until halfway through the film who he really is, and then later on, how he plans to help the dwellers of the city dump he was staying at in the beginning of the film. In these dwellers, he sees a determination to survive in spite of the odds. He sees hard-working people who all happen to be men in the film, but in reality, there were probably women and children there as well. What this film does is address the reality that everyone, especially film-goers, was facing at the time. And with it, the film sends out a message of hope.

When the Bullocks meet together near the end of the film, Alexander Bullock announces they're broke. Godfrey takes this opportunity to tell them that he basically saw the financial ruin coming and helped them out, all with the help of the pearl necklace Cornelia planted in his room in hope of getting him fired. Godfrey returns the necklace and delivers the stocks he bought from Bullock's company, and why? Because he wanted to help them the same way they helped him too. He learned a lot from them. He then continues with what he's learned from each of them and by the end of the speech, everyone is crying. The only thing that saves this scene is Alice Brady, who doesn't just have great lines, but delivers them impeccably. And by save, I mean save it from getting depressing or worse, completely leaving you with mixed feelings.

I must say that this speech changes the tone completely. I think part of what makes a screwball comedy is that you do have these stereotypical characters, and to watch them become human, it kinda takes you away from the whole flightiness of the film and makes it very real. I suspect the writers felt they needed to bring it down to reality, but they did so in a way in which, thanks to Angelica Bullock and her high-pitched voice, there's still some humor to it. The film would probably still work without the whole save-the-Bullocks subplot, but I suppose it makes Godfrey more real, more likable, more human.

So is My Man Godfrey a screwball comedy? Could it be a screwball dramedy instead? I think, the film is a straight screwball comedy, but then it throws you for a curveball at the end when you hear Godfrey's speech. You can call it whatever you want really. It's not a typical film of the genre, but I suppose part of the charm of screwballs is that anything can happen. The best thing that is done is that it ends in such a screwy way that leaves you laughing. The pace is quickened once again and before you know it, Godfrey and Irene are about to say "I do." So does it matter that the film gets preachy? Not really, because it's a fantastic film that you'll want to watch over and over again.

The screwball comedy queen as the screwball heroine

Of all the actresses to portray a screwball heroine, non have been better than Carole Lombard. I suppose that's relative to everyone's taste. I watched her in another film and completely disliked it and her in the film, and I didn't think that was possible. But in My Man Godfrey, Carole Lombard takes on the role of Irene Bullock and portrays her so convincingly and charming; she embodies Irene completely, with no qualms. You watch her and believe that she's this screwy, but not stupid, heroine who's running around trying to make her protégé fall in love with her, using whatever tricks she's got in her, fake crying and fainting spells alike. But there's a way in which Lombard delivers this performance; another actress would've just made you roll your eyes or walk away from the film. Lombard delivers in a way that makes you, too, fall in love with her.

From the little that I read, William Powell agreed to take on the role of Godfrey only if Lombard was given the role of Irene. And why? Because the relationship between Irene and Godfrey reminded him of his marriage with Lombard, which that in itself explains plenty to me of what I saw as a chemistry issue between the two leads. No doubt they have chemistry, but it's not the red-hot kind. It's almost exactly what I'd expect of a former couple that are still friendly. Whatever the case, it doesn't really matter, because Lombard was the right casting choice, as Powell so very wisely insisted.

What exactly does set her apart? For someone who was 27 at the time of the filming, Lombard plays a woman stunted in a child's mindset quite convincingly. She does it so unashamed. I don't know who else could've pulled it off, jumping up and down on the bed after Godfrey puts her in the shower. Sure many actresses would've jumped, but not with joyous and childlike way in which Lombard does, as if she's trying to reach the ceiling so she bends her knees for height. And then, there are the crying faces. Every single one is done so comically that it makes you laugh. There's no sympathy or empathy evoked here; it is simply and purely for laughs. And then, that her mother falls for it every time just makes it even more enjoyable. There's also something about Lombard's voice. There's a melody to it almost that could turn into a whine, but really Lombard just rambles on her lines and stays so focused on Powell's face the entire time. It is like a child's voice, innocent and naïve. And in fact, looking back on her performance, it is that she pulls off playing a grown child, but a spoiled one.

I try to imagine another actress in the role, and most would be completely wrong for the part. I think Katharine Hepburn would've been close to being good at Irene, but she would've taken the character a totally different way. It wouldn't be Irene the spoiled Park Avenue heiress who wants to sponsor a protégé and falls in love with along the way. Hepburn's Irene would've been more along the lines of Susan Vance, more mischief at play and less crying. With Lombard, there's almost a wide-eyed wonder to Irene, as if she's seeing the world for the first time thanks to Godfrey.

One of the things that I like about Irene, as Lombard portrays her, is how she evolves in the very beginning of the film. The love story between Godfrey and Irene is subtle to me, but I think part of the reason she falls for him is that she sees things differently with him. She never thought about how poor or homeless people live, but now she does. And she's not like the rest of the Park Avenue kids; Irene has a big heart, as she shows when she gives Godfrey money for new things. Godfrey takes on the job of butling and he's her protégé, the one she sponsors, her responsibility. And this makes her believe that she's all grown up now. But she falls for Godfrey and that pretty much stays on her mind for the rest of the film.

Irene is also determined, and smart; she's certainly not stupid. I see how it can be easy to misinterpret a screwball heroine as a stupid. But, these heroines get what they want at the end. They're quite resourceful. Irene won't stop trying to win Godfrey's attention, even if it doing it the only she knows how, by having a crying fit or pretending to pass out. Her way of seeing the world is just different. She's perfectly aware that Cornelia is always trying to wreck her plans with Godfrey by trying to frame him for missing jewelry or complaining about the dangers of hiring homeless people. You can't grow up being Cornelia's sister and not survive that without some survival instincts. Irene just has a funnier way of trying to get her own way. And again, it's more childlike and innocent. She shows indifference, but runs off crying when she sees it doesn't work. But what's great at the end is that Irene, knowing Godfrey left the Bullock house, runs after him. She won't let the fact that he took off without saying goodbye stop her. At another point, she might've cried about it, but she knows he loves her, because he put her in the shower. And the great part here is that she won't take no for an answer. When she gets to his place, she takes a look around and brings in her stuff. When the mayor shows up, well everything's in place for she and Godfrey to get married. And like all screwball heroines, she reassures a confused Godfrey, "it'll all be over in a minute." She gets her man in the end, she gets what she wants and won't take no for an answer.

I really enjoy watching this My Man Godfrey, mostly because of Lombard's performance. I don't even think I can do it any justice describing how well she does it, because really you have to watch it to understand it. I think what's most refreshing is that Lombard is so bold, so unafraid in her performance. Other people would've been more insecure or too exaggerated. Lombard is perfect, she performs naturally. Who cares if in real life she was like Irene. Lombard is a gem in this film and will make you fall in love with her just like Godfrey did.

A scavenger hunt leads to City Dump 32

Looking at the opening sequence, Gregory La Cava does an excellent job with My Man Godfrey in setting up the premise clearly and quickly. There's no lingering about in trying to establish background or worse, dragging things along. Instead we're taken straight to a city dump in which we find William Powell's Godfrey in desperate need of a shower and a good shave. He comes across as angry and cynical, which could be expected of a "forgotten man" who's being asked by a socialite to parade around for a scavenger hunt. But Powell takes a back seat here really, because the one who really shines is Carole Lombard as Irene Bullock. She expresses herself with such naïvety and good-heartedness that you can't help but love her and root for her to beat her snobbish sister, Cornelia, at the scavenger hunt.

As typical of screwball comedies of the Depression, this film shows you right away that it'll be dealing with the differences between classes. When Cornelia all decked out in a gown shows up with Irene trailing her, they stand out amongst the murky city dump, especially standing beside Godfrey. Cornelia's snottiness and upturned nose in contrast to Godfrey's aggravated, working-hard-to-survive attitude shows you right away whose side you really want to be on. Godfrey has great sarcasm here and Cornelia catches on--she's not your typical dimwitted socialite. All the meanwhile, Irene is watching from the sidelines.

Lombard is wonderful in this role. She captures Irene completely as a grown-up girl who hasn't truly grown up. She delights in the fact that Godfrey told off Cornelia, something she's been wanting to do since she was six years old. And for some reason, perhaps the fact that Irene is nothing like Cornelia, Godfrey decides to help Irene beat her sister at the good ol' scavenger hunt. Now, unlike Cornelia, Irene's ingenuity makes her likable in spite of the fact that she is rich. She's clearly not too bright, but it seems more like she's easily distracted, especially by Godfrey. And in the end, while it's not an obvious, in-your-face attraction, Godfrey and Irene are both quite taken by one another. And the two run off together, although it's to the scavenger hunt headquarters.

The ridiculousness of the rich is explained perfectly well by Irene when she breaks down the difference between a treasure hunt and a scavenger hunt. What's great is how transparent the scavenger hunt is. Although it's done in the name of charity, it's pretty apparent that no money will ever be left over to go to the charities. This in itself is a criticism of the time, and it sets up the theme that will be explored in the film. But once at the headquarters, if it hadn't been clear before, it is certainly clear then that things are gonna be screwy. Rich people running amok with animals and unwanted furniture. It's quite ridiculous, as noted by Eugene Pallette's Alexander Bullock. As Angelica Bullock, Alice Brady is wonderful as the ditzy wife, who has great lines like when she tells her daughters that she's only just realizing now that insanity runs on her husband's side. This of course comes after Irene insists that they hire Godfrey as their butler. The entire Bullock clan is introduced here, and the ridiculousness of their lives while "forgotten men" roam the city is showcased well here.

Godfrey continues with great lines; his sarcasm, but dead-on lines hitting right where it counts. While at the end of the scene should be where Irene and Godfrey part, it doesn't quite turn out that way since Irene doesn't want him to go. Once again, what sets her apart here is that she is so different from the rest. While the socialites are mostly offended by Godfrey's criticism, Irene runs after him to apologize, sincerely. And he believes her and accepts it. When Cornelia arrives late with her own forgotten man, she meets eyes with Godfrey. While he hasn't accepted the butler position yet, it seems that Godfrey is almost up to the challenge just to instigate Cornelia. And she grows on the idea as she makes it clear that she hopes he's good at shining shoes.

Right before the scene ends, Irene slips money to Godfrey, quietly, only to have it fall through his holey pocket and onto the floor. It's yet another scene in which Irene shows her good-natured side and makes you like her even more. The funny thing here is that the attraction between Godfrey and Irene is quite subtle. It almost seems as if Godfrey takes the "butling" job more to antagonize Cornelia if anything. But it was good to take this closer look at the opening scene, because I've often watched this film and felt upswept by the ending, which I always took it as that's the point, but even still I wondered where along the lines did Godfrey really fall for Irene, and upon a closer and more careful look, it's subtle, but it's happening from the beginning.

What's clear in My Man Godfrey is that right away this film sets up the theme and premise as well as sets the mood. The two leads are both introduced not just to the audience but to each other within the first scene. There are some great lines all around, and wonderful sarcasm coming courtesy of Godfrey. But amongst all the screwiness of the rich and the bored, there shines Irene who, although acts the role of the clueless socialite, isn't quite like the rest of her kind, and even here in this opening scene she is beginning to change, all thanks to Godfrey.

My Man Godfrey (1936)

I can't even remember when I first watched My Man Godfrey. I've been known to need a Carole Lombard fix from time to time, but this particular film, I feel like I've seen it all my life. That being said, it had been a while since I had last seen it. But it's always so much fun to watch Lombard onscreen! It saddens me that she wasn't able to have a longer career. But I digress. This film makes me giggle. And it's a different kind of funny then say Preston Sturges. I see this and it's all Lombard. William Powell is great in it, and both he and Lombard have just the right chemistry for this film, but if she weren't in the film, it just wouldn't be a classic.

The story is about completely ridiculous people and what's so great about it is that it fits so well today. I appreciated it pre-recession, but to watch it now is even better. The rich Bullock family is so careless about spending and utterly foolish, all the females for being so vapid and the head of the household for not being firm enough with them to stop them dead in their tracks. Godfrey comes in and things soon change. It has the typical characterizations of the rich being stupid and silly, while the poor and working class are the wise ones who have to do some teaching to the privileged. This makes it fun and appealing to the average audience and it's also a staple of the screwball comedy.

Where I saw the film change a bit from others in the genre is in the last act. Godfrey changes the Bullock family and schools them about their money-wasting ways, but in doing this, the film switches from comedy to drama. You do accept that this is happening because you're involved in the story, but it suddenly takes the funny and ridiculousness out of the film and brings it down to earth. Does it get preachy? Yeah, it does. But not in a bad way that you're rolling your eyes at Godfrey, and this is because he genuinely cares for the Bullocks and tells them so. He is humbled enough to tell each one what he's learned from them and how he's a better person for it. In turn, he changes the family in the process.

Thank goodness for Lombard, though, because she brings the screwy back into the film and ends it by telling Godfrey to hold still, "it'll all be over soon," just as they're about to get married, unbeknownst to him it was even gonna happen to begin with. Throughout this film, Lombard epitomizes the true and exact screwball heroine. There was no one and has never been another to beat her out of it. She doesn't just have great comedic timing, but she becomes the character, unabashedly. She acts like a spoiled brat of a child and does it so well, you completely buy it and laugh because Irene Bullock is ridiculous. But you can't help but love her.

As the other lead, Powell is great complement to Lombard. He flashes some great faces and at the same time keeps such a straight face in the midst of hilarity, you laugh along knowing inside he's probably dying to laugh as well. His Godfrey changes throughout the film, from an angry cynical man to one taking action and helping others in need. As for the supporting cast, they're all great, especially Jean Dixon as Molly's, the Bullocks' maid, and Alice Brady as Mrs Angelica Bullock.

There are some great lines throughout and some beautiful dresses worn by the Bullock females. Gregory La Cava puts together a lovely film, and even manages to preach a little without being too overbearing. And while it might not be the exact and perfect screwball comedy, My Man Godfrey is most definitely a worthy film of the genre, most notably for Lombard's performance, which cemented her as the screwball heroine.