My Man Godfrey


1h 32m 1957
My Man Godfrey

Brief Synopsis

A bedraggled man becomes the butler of an eccentric household.

Film Details

Also Known As
Her Man Godfrey
Genre
Comedy
Release Date
Dec 1957
Premiere Information
New York opening: 11 Oct 1957; Los Angeles opening: 18 Oct 1957
Production Company
Universal-International Pictures Co., Inc.
Distribution Company
Universal Pictures Co., Inc.
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the novel My Man Godfrey by Eric Hatch (Boston, 1935) and the film My Man Godfrey written by Morrie Ryskind and Eric Hatch (Universal, 1936).

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 32m
Sound
Mono
Color
Color
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
2.35 : 1

Synopsis

On the eve of their mother's charity scavenger hunt, which requires competitors to capture a useless animal, spoiled socialite sisters Irene and Cordelia Bullock compete to capture a goat. Irene follows the goat to the docks, where an apparently vagrant man surprises her. He covers her mouth to keep her from screaming, but when he lets her go, she calmly asks after her goat. Charmed by Irene and eager to avoid police detection, the man introduces himself as Godfrey, and helps her outsmart Cordelia by returning to the party with her as her "animal." Irene's flighty mother Angelica presides over the chaos at the contest headquarters, while Alexander, her gruff father, looks on in distaste. Upon seeing Godfrey, the crowd roars its approval and Irene is declared the winner. Flushed with her triumph over Cordelia, Irene follows Godfrey into the crowd and offers him a well-paying job as the family butler, intriguing him further by noting that his bearing reveals him to be a gentleman. The next morning, a now clean-shaven Godfrey enters the Bullock kitchen, where Molly, the jaded maid, warns him that no butler has lasted more than one day with the eccentric family. When she calls Irene a "stray-cat collector," Godfrey replies that some strays need a leg up. Just after noon, Angelica summons Godfrey, who treats her hangover-inspired hallucinations with empathy, earning her instant admiration. Irene then calls for Godfrey, and although she at first does not recognize him, she soon labels him her protégé. Godfrey then goes downstairs, and when a suspicious Alexander attempts to fire him, Irene defends Godfrey ferociously, finally bursting into tears to force her father to relent. Within weeks, Molly has fallen in love with Godfrey and the household is running more smoothly than ever thanks to the new butler. Only the jealous Cordelia treats Godfrey with disdain. One day, while Angelica's freeloading musical protégé Vincent plays the piano, Alexander announces to his family that they must curtail their expenses. At Cordelia's suggestion that they fire Godfrey, Irene breaks down in fake spasms and insists that Godfrey attend to her. After everyone leaves, she kisses him, but he walks away. Irene follows him to his room, where she explains that she has no suitors because men are afraid of her, but when Godfrey unceremoniously throws her out, she runs off crying. Soon after, Angelica throws a party for her delinquent teen girls' charity, at which Irene pointedly snubs Godfrey. Attending the party is jet-setter Francesca Gray, who attracts Cordelia's attention when she recognizes Godfrey, an old friend. Heeding Godfrey's hints, Francesca pretends that is a former employee, and fabricates a story that he has five children. Jealous of Godfrey's "wife and family," Irene spitefully announces her engagement to a nearsighted boy named Hubert. The next day, Godfrey and Francesca meet at a restaurant, where he explains that, as a titled Austrian, he served at the Austrian Embassy in England, returned to his native country to fight in World War II, and then left to work on a freighter. Hoping to live in America, he then jumped overboard and swam to shore, where he met Irene, and now is living as an illegal alien. Cordelia spots them and interrupts their discussion to crudely accuse Godfrey of having an affair with Francesca, but after he calls her a brat with no taste, she stalks away. Hours later at the Bullock home, Molly reveals to Irene that she, too, has been ejected from Godfrey's room, and the two commiserate. Godfrey returns home drunk, and while he attempts to carry out his duties without breaking the china, Cordelia hides a diamond bracelet under his bed and then claims it has been stolen. Police Lieutenant O'Connor arrives and, at Cordelia's insistence, searches Godfrey's room but finds nothing. When Alexander sees Cordelia react with shock, he quietly pays off the policeman and then informs his daughter that the uninsured bracelet is now lost forever. That night, Alexander calls Godfrey in to apologize for Cordelia, and after the butler confesses his alien status and offers to assist the family in any way, Alexander reveals that he is about to lose his business. Godfrey then visits Francesca, who is engaged to millionaire James Elliott, and offers his land as collateral toward a loan for Alexander. The next night at dinner, Alexander learns that Elliott has suddenly granted him a business loan, but before he can thank Godfrey, the butler announces that he is quitting. He recites to each family member what he or she has taught him: Angelica, generosity; Alexander, patience; Cordelia, the foolishness of arrogance. When he then returns her bracelet to her, Cordelia admits that she hid it and thanks him sincerely. Godfrey announces he is leaving for Europe in the morning, and inspired by his strength of character, Alexander evicts Vincent. Irene packs to accompany Godfrey, and although he admires her desire to help and love him, he confesses his alien status and asks her to let him go. The next morning, the new butler's dourness depresses the family, and later the police visit with the news that Godfrey has turned himself in and is being deported. Overhearing them state that the only way he can stay is to marry an American, Irene races to the docks, attracting the attention of a traffic cop along the way. At the dock, as the boat pulls away, Godfrey shouts from the deck that though he loves Irene, he does not want to marry her only out of necessity, and promises to return. The policeman, however, takes pity on Irene and escorts her to a tugboat that meets up with Godfrey's boat. Soon after, the boat's captain visits Godfrey's cabin to announce that he must marry the girl that he has shamed, and although Godfrey is annoyed with Irene for lying, he cannot resist kissing her when she steps into the room.

Film Details

Also Known As
Her Man Godfrey
Genre
Comedy
Release Date
Dec 1957
Premiere Information
New York opening: 11 Oct 1957; Los Angeles opening: 18 Oct 1957
Production Company
Universal-International Pictures Co., Inc.
Distribution Company
Universal Pictures Co., Inc.
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the novel My Man Godfrey by Eric Hatch (Boston, 1935) and the film My Man Godfrey written by Morrie Ryskind and Eric Hatch (Universal, 1936).

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 32m
Sound
Mono
Color
Color
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
2.35 : 1

Articles

My Man Godfrey


When Carole Lombard and William Powell made My Man Godfrey in 1936, they helped to create a classic screwball comedy. Twenty-one years later, Lombard had died and Powell had retired, but My Man Godfrey (1957) returned to theaters. This time, instead of being a Boston blue-blood causality of The Great Depression, Godfrey was an Austrian WWII refugee in the United States illegally. The role was played by Lombard's friend, David Niven, who had appeared on radio with Lombard and Powell in the Lux Radio Theater version of My Man Godfrey in 1938. For the 1957 film, June Allyson had Lombard's role of dim-witted socialite Irene Bullock.

Perhaps to give the film its own identity, My Man Godfrey had the working title of Her Man Godfrey before reverting to the original. Casting underwent some changes as well - Doris Day had been up for Irene, but she wanted more money than Universal was willing to pay. Eva Gabor tested for the role of Irene's sister, Cordelia (played in the 1936 film by Gail Patrick), but it was Martha Hyer who ended up with the part. Gabor was given the role of Francesca Gray (the female version of Alan Mowbray's original character of Godfrey's college pal, Tommy Gray). David Niven had not been the first choice for Godfrey - that role was to have gone to actor O.W. Fischer, who had been Germany's top salaried actor, co-starring with Maria Schell in a string of hits. Fischer came to Hollywood, but according to director Henry Koster, he was "one of the most craziest men I've ever worked with and the most conceited." Fischer was known to like cats, so to make him feel at home in Hollywood, his agent, Paul Kohner, rented him a small bungalow at the tony Bel Air Hotel in Beverly Hills, complete with a beautiful white angora cat. Instead of being grateful for their kindness, Fischer threw a tantrum, demanding that the cat be removed or he would not move into the hotel, telling Kohner that he refused to be "a traitor" to his own cats at home. Finally, Fischer's behavior became even more bizarre - some sources claim he "lost his memory" - that he reportedly walked off the film. Universal sued and the matter was eventually settled out of court. He was replaced with the markedly less dramatic David Niven, who began work on February 22, 1957.

. Although none of the original writers contributed to the 1957 script, Peter Berneis, William Bowers and Everett Freeman's screenplay had many similarities with the original - oddball socialite Irene hires a homeless man to be her butler and falls in love with him. Unbeknownst to the entire family, Godfrey comes from a wealthy background, and his manners put theirs to shame. Playing Irene's parents were Jessie Royce Landis and Robert Keith.

Any film that tries to remake a classic will invariably suffer in comparison, and My Man Godfrey was no exception when it opened in New York in October 1957. The Sunday Herald called it a "hoked-up and updated version of the Hollywood depression-era hit of the same name [that is] just forced enough to throw the whacky story off the balance it barely retained in the original." The New York Times' veteran critic Bosley Crowther mused that "Maybe times have changed. Maybe June Allyson and David Niven are just not Miss Lombard and Mr. Powell. Anyhow, the remake of that picture, which has Miss Allyson and Mr. Niven as its stars, just doesn't seem as funny as that first one."

By Lorraine LoBianco SOURCES:

Crowther, Bosley "Screen: 'My Man Godfrey' Returns; Blase Butler's Story Is Told by Universal June Allyson, Niven in Comedy at Roxy" 12 Oct 57
Fowler, Karin J. David Niven: A Bio-Bibliography
The Internet Movie Database
Koster, Henry Henry Koster
Milberg, Doris The Art of the Screwball Comedy: Madcap Entertainment from the 1930s to Today
"My Man Godfrey" The Sunday Herald 26 Jan 58
http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/84365/My-Man-Godfrey/notes.html
My Man Godfrey

My Man Godfrey

When Carole Lombard and William Powell made My Man Godfrey in 1936, they helped to create a classic screwball comedy. Twenty-one years later, Lombard had died and Powell had retired, but My Man Godfrey (1957) returned to theaters. This time, instead of being a Boston blue-blood causality of The Great Depression, Godfrey was an Austrian WWII refugee in the United States illegally. The role was played by Lombard's friend, David Niven, who had appeared on radio with Lombard and Powell in the Lux Radio Theater version of My Man Godfrey in 1938. For the 1957 film, June Allyson had Lombard's role of dim-witted socialite Irene Bullock. Perhaps to give the film its own identity, My Man Godfrey had the working title of Her Man Godfrey before reverting to the original. Casting underwent some changes as well - Doris Day had been up for Irene, but she wanted more money than Universal was willing to pay. Eva Gabor tested for the role of Irene's sister, Cordelia (played in the 1936 film by Gail Patrick), but it was Martha Hyer who ended up with the part. Gabor was given the role of Francesca Gray (the female version of Alan Mowbray's original character of Godfrey's college pal, Tommy Gray). David Niven had not been the first choice for Godfrey - that role was to have gone to actor O.W. Fischer, who had been Germany's top salaried actor, co-starring with Maria Schell in a string of hits. Fischer came to Hollywood, but according to director Henry Koster, he was "one of the most craziest men I've ever worked with and the most conceited." Fischer was known to like cats, so to make him feel at home in Hollywood, his agent, Paul Kohner, rented him a small bungalow at the tony Bel Air Hotel in Beverly Hills, complete with a beautiful white angora cat. Instead of being grateful for their kindness, Fischer threw a tantrum, demanding that the cat be removed or he would not move into the hotel, telling Kohner that he refused to be "a traitor" to his own cats at home. Finally, Fischer's behavior became even more bizarre - some sources claim he "lost his memory" - that he reportedly walked off the film. Universal sued and the matter was eventually settled out of court. He was replaced with the markedly less dramatic David Niven, who began work on February 22, 1957. . Although none of the original writers contributed to the 1957 script, Peter Berneis, William Bowers and Everett Freeman's screenplay had many similarities with the original - oddball socialite Irene hires a homeless man to be her butler and falls in love with him. Unbeknownst to the entire family, Godfrey comes from a wealthy background, and his manners put theirs to shame. Playing Irene's parents were Jessie Royce Landis and Robert Keith. Any film that tries to remake a classic will invariably suffer in comparison, and My Man Godfrey was no exception when it opened in New York in October 1957. The Sunday Herald called it a "hoked-up and updated version of the Hollywood depression-era hit of the same name [that is] just forced enough to throw the whacky story off the balance it barely retained in the original." The New York Times' veteran critic Bosley Crowther mused that "Maybe times have changed. Maybe June Allyson and David Niven are just not Miss Lombard and Mr. Powell. Anyhow, the remake of that picture, which has Miss Allyson and Mr. Niven as its stars, just doesn't seem as funny as that first one." By Lorraine LoBianco SOURCES: Crowther, Bosley "Screen: 'My Man Godfrey' Returns; Blase Butler's Story Is Told by Universal June Allyson, Niven in Comedy at Roxy" 12 Oct 57 Fowler, Karin J. David Niven: A Bio-Bibliography The Internet Movie Database Koster, Henry Henry Koster Milberg, Doris The Art of the Screwball Comedy: Madcap Entertainment from the 1930s to Today "My Man Godfrey" The Sunday Herald 26 Jan 58 http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/84365/My-Man-Godfrey/notes.html

Quotes

Pull over! That's *my* goat!
- Irene
Why all the yelling and screaming?
- Cordelia
Do I have to have a reason to yell and scream?
- Irene
Hey, look, are you in the habit of hitting ladies?
- Vincent
I'm more in the habit of hitting gentlemen, if I have to.
- Godfrey
Well, you heard him. You're in no danger.
- Vincent
Well, I guess I'd better go and find my goat.
- Irene
I would have won the scavenger hunt with a porcupine only I was disqualified because one of the judges sat on it. What are you looking at me like that for?
- Irene
Was he hurt?
- Godfrey
No. We sent him back to the zoo.
- Irene

Trivia

Notes

The working title of this film was Her Man Godfrey. The opening and closing cast credits vary slightly in order. According to an October 1956 "Rambling Reporter" item in Hollywood Reporter, Universal considered Doris Day to play "Irene Bullock," but could not meet her salary demands. In January 1957, "Rambling Reporter" noted that Eva Gabor had tested for the role of "Cordelia Bullock." European star O. W. Fischer was originally set to make his American feature film debut as "Godfrey," and in January 1957 the studio took out a full-page ad "proudly welcoming" him to Hollywood. According to a February 1956 Hollywood Reporter article, however, Fischer quit the production over "irreconcilable differences" on the interpretation of his role. A February 21, 1956 Hollywood Reporter item reported that Universal responded with a lawsuit, asking for $131,860 in damages for refusing to perform according to his contract, and an March 11, 1956 Hollywood Reporter article stated that the suit was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum. David Niven took over the role of Godfrey on February 22, 1957. The film's Los Angeles premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theatre marked the theater's thirtieth anniversary.
       Hollywood Reporter news items add the following actors to the cast: Eugene Borden, Janine Grandel, Carole Van Kirk, Charles Lind, Reg Harrell, Perk Lazell, June McCall, June Blair, Betty Quitte, Les Thomas, Richard Emory, Hal Taggert, George Peters, Paul Weber, Elizabeth Flournoy, June Joselyn and Leota Lorraine. Their appearance in the final film has not been confirmed. My Man Godfrey was a remake of the 1936 Universal film of the same name, which was directed by Gregory La Cava and starred William Powell and Carole Lombard. Morrie Ryskind and Eric Hatch, who wrote the 1936 film, did not contribute diirectly to the later film. Their onscreen credits reads: "Based on the screenplay by Morrie Ryskind and Eric Hatch." According to a July 1946 Hollywood Reporter item, Universal had planned a remake in that year, with Jane Murfin assigned as producer, but that version was never produced. Although an October 1955 Hollywood Reporter item reported that Morrie Ryskind, Manny Frank and Charles Meeker bought the rights to My Man Godfrey in order to adapt it into musical starring Vivian Blaine, but it was not produced.

Miscellaneous Notes

Released in United States on Video January 12, 1994

Released in United States Winter December 1957

Remake of the 1936 classic starring William Powell and directed by Gregory La Cava.

Selected in 1999 for inclusion in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry.

CinemaScope

Released in United States on Video January 12, 1994

Released in United States Winter December 1957