My Man Godfrey / The Kennel Murder Case (Double Feature)
My Man Godfrey (1936, 93 mins)
A classic screwball comedy that earned six Oscar nominations including Best Actor and Actress for William Powell and Carole Lombard. Godfrey (Powell), denizen of the city dump, gets more than he bargained for when he allows himself to be rescued by scatter-brained Irene Bullock (Lombard) and turned into a family's butler.
The Kennel Murder Case (1933, 73 mins)
Powell, playing detective Philo Vance, finds himself embroiled in the mystery of a wealthy man's suicide. Vance soon discovers that this case clearly is no suicide but murder. The usual suspects, bumbling cops, and a myriad of clues surround our hero as he attempts to solve the case.
Member Reviews
A film for our times - again and again and again - swissguy
My Man Godfrey, about a hobo who lives in a dump along with other hobos and who is "picked up" by a wealthy socialite out on a scavenger hunt, is a movie with a socially relevant message that rings as true now as it did 73 years ago. There are parallels from this film and current day events such as the authorities trying to shut down the tent city in 2009 California compared with the hobos dump site shanty town which was being edged out with more and more garbage in this 1936 film. This is a movie about the excesses of the wealthy when all around them the unemployed starved, when the wealthy could own people and make them do whatever they wanted them to do for $5.00 or some food and a warm bed. The wealthy often didn't even realize the callousness of their ways they just took their privileged existence for granted and ignored the suffering outside their high class neighborhoods. This movie shows all that and does it with witty lines, humour, good acting and a really wonderful happy ending. As we live through our Great Recession we can learn a thing or two about social conscience from this film made in the midst of the Great Depression. We could start by helping those in the tent city in California instead of shutting it down.A Classic Example Of The Best Of Film's Golden Age - Tinseltown_Tess
This has all the elements of the best of the 1930's. It's screwball comedy at it's best; The rich acting utterly insane, reminding a depression era world that the wealthier were not always happier, and the "social conscience" writing, cerebral but sometimes soap box-ish messages, much like in the Grant/Hepburn vehicles "Holiday" and "The Phildelphia Story". Top this off with some wonderful glitz, and the poshest (and often funniest) leading man of the day, William Powell, and you have hit that even the most ignorant of film viewers has seen or at least heard of, 7 decades later.
Powell, as rich man living the life of a bum as sort of a social experiment, is picked up as part of a scavenger hunt put on by the local bored and wealthy. He becomes their butler, and is subject to the whims of his eccentric employers, including a daughter trying to frame him for theft to get rid of him (Played to wonderful evil effect by Gail Patrick), a space cadet matriarch who is "sponsoring" and even loopier artist, and Lombard, who discovered Godfrey and subsequently falls for him.
It's very funny, yet very touching in many ways, especially the inevitable happy ending. Thanks to a sharp script and Powell's graceful and articulate manner, the film has aged well, and is, in many ways, still relevant today.Powell-ful stuff! - Stephen2
This movie is great. Although Carol Lombard may be a little too annoying, it is William Powell and the excellent supporting cast that make this movie great. Powell plays Godfrey in much the same way as he played Nick Charles in the Thin Man Series (also great fun). His bumbling yet wise manner, is very like a Moliere play in that it is the poor butler that takes care of his rich charge, invariably saving the day. A Great movie that is fun for the whole family...or just you.
Member Reviews
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A film for our times - again and again and again - swissguy
My Man Godfrey, about a hobo who lives in a dump along with other hobos and who is "picked up" by a wealthy socialite out on a scavenger hunt, is a movie with a socially relevant message that rings as true now as it did 73 years ago. There are parallels from ...A Classic Example Of The Best Of Film's Golden Age - Tinseltown_Tess
This has all the elements of the best of the 1930's. It's screwball comedy at it's best; The rich acting utterly insane, reminding a depression era world that the wealthier were not always happier, and the "social conscience" writing, cerebral but sometimes ...Powell-ful stuff! - Stephen2
This movie is great. Although Carol Lombard may be a little too annoying, it is William Powell and the excellent supporting cast that make this movie great. Powell plays Godfrey in much the same way as he played Nick Charles in the Thin Man Series (also ...