My Man Godfrey

Martha Hyer is the reason I sat through this movie. Her relationship with David Niven is much more interesting than that of June Allyson-David Niven. Ms. Hyer's acting was also very unstated, and convincing, unlike the Allyson character, which required a lot of over-acting.

As far as remakes go, this movie isn't bad.

The is the 50s remake of the 30s classic screwball comedy. This remake feels more like TV than the slick 30s comedy does. The slick is about the only part that is still in this 50s version, and the screwball. This is, more than anything, a silly flick.

A spoiled rich beautiful family falls hard for their new butler, Godfrey, played by David Niven. The younger daughter (June Allyson) brings home after a scavenger hunt. He doesn't judge and helps wherever he can, best of all he isn't perfect. Even though this is such a silly flick, for some reason at the end I had a big smile. Silly is important.

The original My Man Godfrey was one of the best of the Thirties screwball comedies. It was funny, but it also touched on some serious social problems caused by the Depression which Carole Lombard and her wacky family thought they were immune from.

In updating the story to the Fifties, the Depression was no longer the problem it was just David Niven's lack of a green card. In the remake it was just something that I as a member of the audience just didn't care about.

Until I read the IMDb page on this film, I didn't know that German actor O.W. Fischer was to be the new Godfrey. When he bowed out, David Niven came in to take his place. The script explained his British accent by saying that despite his Austrian birth and nationality, Godfrey was an Oxford man. I just didn't buy it, I don't think too many in the audience did.

Once again a film rose and fell on the considerable charms of David Niven. My Man Godfrey doesn't have too many peaks and valleys just seems to be one long plain.

Still it does have some amusing moments with whole stretches of dialog lifted from William Powell-Carole Lombard film. And personally I might have gone for Martha Hyer as the older sister Cordelia faster than June Allyson, but whatever floats your boat.

Nice film, but can't compare to what Gregory La Cava gave us back in the day.

...then watch this one first. Because IMHO the original 1936 version is just better. And then your opinion will not be colored by the comparison between the two. It's kind of like Son of Frankenstein versus Young Frankenstein. If you must watch both, watch Son of Frankenstein first, otherwise a serious movie will become unintentionally hilarious. But I digress.

This one has the same structure as the original - A scavenger hunt turns up the titular Godfrey (David Niven), who is given a job with the Bullock family as the butler. He's a bit mysterious and very urbane, but Irene Bullock (June Allyson), one of the daughters of the family, comes to love him. In the original, Godfrey's big secret was that he was from a rich family living among the city's forgotten men due to a love affair that ended badly. In this one, Godfrey is in the country illegally. Naturally they couldn't keep the original Great Depression centered plot - It would be ridiculous.

This film was well acted, well directed, and attractively shot. But other than being in color, I just could not see the point of this being remade. It's something that I watched once, found to be OK, but probably would not seek out again.

In this remake of the original screwball classic, David Niven is "My Man Godfrey," taking William Powell's role. While the extravagantly rich are having a scavenger hunt for animal, mineral and vegetable, sisters June Allyson and Martha Hyer come upon a bum nears the docks. Actually, June does first and in doing so, wins the contest. Long story. But she and her sister argue terribly, both being spoiled by their obscenely rich and doting parents, their mother rather ditsy and their father the most sane one of the bunch, but who recently has begun to have financial worries from bad investments. Is their money being spent faster than it is coming in? Could it be possible? Then, when June takes a liking to Godfrey and their latest manservant quits, she hires him and therefore he is initiated into the family and their antics. Jeff Donnell, an actress who has a man's name, is the cook who also falls under the spell of Godfrey and helps him to get accustomed to the family. This is yet another of Hollywood's remakes of previous films. After all, if it worked once, it may again with a cast of the 1950s. While this is not a laugh-out-loud classic, this film has charm in spades, with David Niven shining in a very modest role, which suits his gentleman disposition. This film also has more heart and deeply felt scenes than its predecessor, as June and David have more feelings for each as the film progresses, culminating in a very fulfilling ending. June is just as zany and fun here, as she is in her usual comedies, and Martha Hyer is a very beautiful actress who gives good support, as does Jesse Royce Landis as their mother. If you see this on TCM, please watch this very warm and charming outing with David Niven as "My Man Godfrey" teaching a lesson to an eccentric family and learning about himself in the process.