My Man Godfrey

My Man Godfrey (Criterion #114). 1936 Universal Pictures.
Starring: William Powell, Carole Lombard, Alice Brady, Gail Patrick, Eugene Pallette, Jean Dixon
Director: Gregory LaCava
Buy My Man Godfrey (Criterion Collection #114) at Amazon.

My Man Godfrey was the first motion picture to be nominated for Academy Awards in all four acting categories, in the first year that supporting categories were introduced. It's also the only movie in Oscar hustory to receive a nomination in all four acting categories and not get a nomination for Best Picture. Unfortunately, the movie won no Oscars.

William Powell plays Godfrey, a drifter living in a city dump who is hired by a snooty socialite named Cornelia Bullock (Patrick) to be her "forgotten man" in a scavenger hunt. Godfrey accepts after talking it over with Cornelia's sister Irene (Lombard), and soon is offered a job as the Bullock family butler, which he accepts.

The Bullocks are pretty hard on their hired help, so Godfrey's surprising competence at his new job thrills Irene, but aggravates Cornelia. Soon after, one of Godfrey's friends from the city dump, Tommy (played by Alan Mowbray), greets him as an old friend, and Godfrey quickly makes up a story about being Tommy's valet at school. Tommy makes up a non-existant wife and five children for Godfrey, distressing Irene, who impulsively announces an engagement with someone else.

Irene attempts to frame Godfrey by planting her pearls under his pillow and calling the police, but the plot backfires. Next, she claims that Godfrey is attracted to her, and not Irene, which prompts Irene to "faint" into Godfrey's arms, leading to the famous shower scene. Godfrey resigns his position, but it's revealed that he had secretly saved Mr. Bullock's (Pallette) business, which had been on the brink of failure. Godfrey also opens his own nightclub in the city dump where he had been found, and ends up marrying Irene.

A true screwball comedy classic. Highly recommended.