--- title: "My Man Godfrey" year: 1936 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/my-man-godfrey" fi1m_id: "my-man-godfrey" imdb_id: "tt0028010" tmdb_id: 13562 wikidata_id: "Q1811134" fi1m_score: 82 critics_score: 76 critics_reviews: 7 published: "2026-09-25T02:21:31.865244+00:00" updated: "2026-09-25T02:21:32.151071+00:00" region: "TR" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # My Man Godfrey (1936) Directed by Gregory La Cava · 1h 35m · Comedy ## Identity My Man Godfrey - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/my-man-godfrey - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** my-man-godfrey - **IMDb ID:** tt0028010 - **TMDB ID:** 13562 - **Wikidata ID:** Q1811134 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028010/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/13562, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1811134 **Fi1m score: 82** · Critics 76 from 7 reviews *In a sentence:* William Powell makes being the only reasonable person in the house look like skilled labour > William Powell and Carole Lombard make this screwball comedy worth seeking out, with Gregory La Cava keeping a demanding household funny. Its treatment of wealth is forgiving, but the performances give the farce warmth and purpose. ## Synopsis Godfrey (William Powell) works as a butler amid the demands of the Bullock family. Irene Bullock (Carole Lombard), Cornelia Bullock (Gail Patrick) and Angelica Bullock (Alice Brady) are among those requiring his attention. The job puts him in the middle of a household where money does not guarantee sensible behaviour and keeping order is difficult. Romance complicates the business of serving the family, as personal wishes interfere with his duties. Godfrey has to negotiate the Bullocks’ demands while retaining the manners expected of a man employed to look after them. ## Review *My Man Godfrey* is a funny, generous screwball comedy, and William Powell and Carole Lombard are reason enough to see it. Gregory La Cava allows the Bullock family to be exhausting without making the film a chore. Its interest in money and status gives the farce some welcome bite. The reservation is that its affection for these people sometimes blunts its criticism of how they behave. William Powell gives Godfrey a dignity that survives the farce around him. We are never asked to find a servant funny simply because he is a servant, and the performance makes us watch the people demanding his attention more closely. His restraint is funny in itself, but it also puts a useful limit on the family’s ability to dominate the film. He can hold our attention without competing at their volume. Carole Lombard takes the riskier route with Irene Bullock, making unreasonable behaviour feel urgent and personal. We laughed at how seriously she treats Irene’s demands; the character’s complete conviction is what makes the foolishness work. There is feeling in that conviction, too, so the romantic comedy has something to draw on beyond the pleasure of watching someone disregard everyone else’s wishes. At times Irene’s insistence grows wearing, and the film is a little too ready to find her endearing. Alice Brady is especially good as Angelica Bullock, playing absurdity with the confidence of someone who has never needed to reconsider a thought. Mischa Auer’s Carlo adds to the commotion without seeming to belong to a different comedy. Gregory La Cava gives the ensemble enough freedom for its exchanges to feel unpredictable, though the family sometimes becomes too much of a collection of comic turns. Those are the stretches when we want fewer people demanding to be funny. Ted Tetzlaff’s cinematography keeps the performances easy to read, and its polish suits the family’s comfortable view of itself. Travis Banton’s costume design helps make privilege visible before anyone has to explain it. Editors Ted J. Kent and Russell F. Schoengarth give the competing performances a workable rhythm, preserving the difference between Godfrey’s restraint and the family’s agitation. The pace is lively without making every exchange feel hurried. This matters in screwball comedy, where frantic cutting can be mistaken for actors actually being funny together. The screenplay by Eric S. Hatch and Morrie Ryskind is less convincing when its social observations are treated as serious criticism. It recognises the ugliness of entitlement, but the Bullocks are so entertaining that their conduct is easily forgiven. That is a limitation worth naming, rather than pretending every joke about wealthy people amounts to a searching examination of wealth. The romance and the farce are better developed than the politics, and the pleasure of the performances makes that easy to overlook. At 95 minutes, it is a sensible length for company this demanding. Within screwball comedy, it belongs to the warmer end of the genre, where the pleasure depends on finding something to like in people who would be a considerable nuisance in the next room. Watch it with someone who has had a difficult day being polite to unreasonable people. *Fi1m score 82, published 25 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics respond warmly to My Man Godfrey, with praise clustering around its performances, sharp writing and mixture of screwball romance and social commentary. The reviews repeatedly credit La Cava’s direction with keeping the comedy lively. Carole Lombard and William Powell receive particular praise for their performances, while Variety singles out Alice Brady and Mischa Auer for their sustained comic work. The prevailing view is that the film remains funny while giving its class divisions some weight. The reservations concern how far the farce goes and how deeply the satire cuts. Radio Times finds the family’s antics strain credibility, whereas Variety regards the absurdity as well judged. The AV Club considers the satire broad rather than incisive; Slant Magazine finds a sharper class critique. The verifiable responses occupy a fairly narrow, favourable range, though the inaccessible New York Times text prevents a reliable account of its reservations. ## Straight answers **Is My Man Godfrey worth watching?** *My Man Godfrey* is well worth watching for its warm screwball comedy and William Powell and Carole Lombard’s performances; we score it 82 out of 100. We recommend it for the contrast between Powell’s restraint and the Bullock family’s unreasonable demands, though its affection for wealthy eccentrics softens its social criticism. **How long is My Man Godfrey, and what is it rated?** *My Man Godfrey* runs 1h 35m. It is a comedy film. **Where can I watch My Man Godfrey in Türkiye?** *My Man Godfrey* is not on any streaming or rental service in Türkiye at the moment. It is available in 7 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily. **How does My Man Godfrey compare to The Lady Eve?** *My Man Godfrey* is the warmer choice beside [*The Lady Eve*](https://film.one/film/the-lady-eve), which we recommend for a sharper romance built around Barbara Stanwyck’s cleverness and vulnerability. Powell’s restraint amid a demanding household gives *My Man Godfrey* its particular pleasure; we favour *The Lady Eve* for romantic complexity, with the caveat that its slapstick can grow insistent. **Is My Man Godfrey based on a true story or a book?** *My Man Godfrey* is based on a novel by Eric S. Hatch, rather than a true story, with a screenplay by Hatch and Morrie Ryskind. We recommend it without any preparatory reading: the performances, household farce and romance provide its pleasures without requiring familiarity with the book. **What should I watch after My Man Godfrey?** After *My Man Godfrey*, try [*The Lady Eve*](https://film.one/film/the-lady-eve) (1941, Fi1m 90): Another romance in which impeccable comic timing excuses some thoroughly unreasonable conduct. Then [*The Rules of the Game*](https://film.one/film/the-rules-of-the-game) (1939, Fi1m 91): A less forgiving country house comedy about people protected by their position; and [*Trading Places*](https://film.one/film/trading-places) (1983, Fi1m 80): Employment, money and class prejudice become the machinery of a much coarser farce. ### Reviews we read (7) - **Radio Times**, Robyn Karney (4/5): Karney regards the film as a classic comedy, though the family’s farcical antics strain credibility. She praises the work of its stars, director and screenplay, noting their Oscar nominations. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-6thltr/my-man-godfrey/) - **Slant Magazine**, Jake Cole (4/5): Cole praises the film as a supple, cutting work of class-conscious comedy and calls it one of Hollywood’s finest. He singles out its blend of screwball romance and social critique, alongside the strong Criterion Blu-ray presentation. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/my-man-godfrey/) - **The AV Club**, Noel Murray (80/100, inferred): Murray presents the film as one of the best screwball comedies, praising its fizzy blend of romance and social commentary. He singles out La Cava’s improvisational style, while noting the film’s satire is broad rather than incisive. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/my-man-godfrey-1798197155) - **Variety**, Variety Staff (75/100, inferred): The review finds the comedy pleasantly entertaining, with a story that is delightfully absurd without going too far. It particularly praises Alice Brady’s performance and the sustained comic work by Mischa Auer. [Read](https://variety.com/1935/film/reviews/my-man-godfrey-1200411202/) - **Time Out**, GB (70/100, inferred): The review presents the film as a heartless screwball classic. It praises La Cava’s clinical direction and notes Morrie Ryskind’s screenplay. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/my-man-godfrey) - **The New York Times** (65/100, inferred): The article text is inaccessible, so its critical verdict cannot be verified. Its specific praise or complaint also cannot be established. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1936/09/18/archives/the-screen-my-man-godfrey.html) - **Collider**, Bob May (85/100, inferred): May gives the film a strongly positive verdict, calling it still funny, sweet, relevant, and moving. He singles out the sharp writing and the lively performances, especially Carole Lombard and William Powell. [Read](https://collider.com/my-man-godfrey-1936-movie/) ## Details - **Director:** Gregory La Cava - **Director:** Gregory La Cava - **Screenplay:** Eric S. Hatch, Morrie Ryskind - **Novel:** Eric S. Hatch - **Cinematography:** Ted Tetzlaff - **Editor:** Ted J. Kent, Russell F. Schoengarth - **Costume design:** Travis Banton - **Producer:** Charles R. Rogers - **Cast:** William Powell as Godfrey; Carole Lombard as Irene Bullock; Alice Brady as Angelica Bullock; Gail Patrick as Cornelia Bullock; Eugene Pallette as Alexander Bullock; Jean Dixon as Molly; Alan Mowbray as Tommy Gray; Mischa Auer as Carlo - **Runtime:** 1h 35m - **First release (the US):** 1 September 1936 - **Genres:** Comedy - **Budget:** $575,375 - **Box office:** $684,200 ## Where to watch in Türkiye Not streaming, renting or buying in Türkiye at the last check. Also available in: AU, CA, GB, IS, MX, NZ, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 1937: Best Actor (nominated); Best Actress (nominated); Best Director (nominated); Best Supporting Actor (nominated); Best Supporting Actress (nominated); Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (nominated) ## If you liked this - *The Lady Eve* (1941), Fi1m 90: Another romance in which impeccable comic timing excuses some thoroughly unreasonable conduct. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-lady-eve.md) - *The Rules of the Game* (1939), Fi1m 91: A less forgiving country house comedy about people protected by their position. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-rules-of-the-game.md) - *Trading Places* (1983), Fi1m 80: Employment, money and class prejudice become the machinery of a much coarser farce. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/trading-places.md) - *The Servant* (1963): For a darker household where the balance of power refuses to stay settled. - *Parasite* (2019), Fi1m 91: Domestic employment and class resentment, with considerably less reassurance about living together. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/parasite.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/my-man-godfrey