My Man Godfrey
My Man Godfrey is a 1936 American screwball comedy film directed by Gregory La Cava and starring William Powell and Carole Lombard, who had been briefly married years before appearing together in the film. The screenplay for My Man Godfrey was written by Morrie Ryskind, with uncredited contributions by La Cava, based on 1101 Park Avenue, a short novel by Eric S. Hatch. The story concerns a socialite who hires a derelict to be her family's butler, and then falls in love with him.
Plot
During the Great Depression, Godfrey Smith lives with other homeless men at a New York City dump in a Hooverville by the East River. One night, spoiled socialite Cornelia Bullock offers him $5 to be her "forgotten man" for a scavenger hunt. Godfrey refuses and makes Cornelia retreat and fall on a pile of ashes, much to the glee of her younger sister Irene. Godfrey finds Irene to be kind and offers to go with her to help her beat Cornelia and satisfy his curiosity regarding their scavenger hunt.
More details
author | Eric S. Hatch Gregory La Cava Morrie Ryskind |
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contentLocation | New York City |
director | Gregory La Cava |
editor | Ted J. Kent |
genre | comedy romance social |
keywords | broken engagement business partner city dump create day off elite faint financial ruin forgotten man game great depression hear hooverville house new family new job one night pearl necklace scavenger hunt sold short spoil tea party |
musicBy | Charles Previn |
nomination | Academy Award for Best Actor Academy Award for Best Actress Academy Award for Best Director Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay |
producer | Charles R. Rogers |
productionCompany | Universal Pictures |
publisher | Universal Pictures |
theme | romantic comedy screwball comedy short |