---
title: "My Man Godfrey: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/my-man-godfrey/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/my-man-godfrey"
critics_score: 76
critics_reviews: 7
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): what the critics said

Critics' score 76 from 7 reviews: 6 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative.

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.

## Radio Times — Robyn Karney

Rating 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 the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-6thltr/my-man-godfrey/)

## Slant Magazine — Jake Cole

Rating 4/5. 27 September 2018. 

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 the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/my-man-godfrey/)

## The AV Club — Noel Murray

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 19 April 2002. 

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 the review](https://www.avclub.com/my-man-godfrey-1798197155)

## Variety — Variety Staff

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1935. 

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 the review](https://variety.com/1935/film/reviews/my-man-godfrey-1200411202/)

## Time Out — GB

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 

The review presents the film as a heartless screwball classic. It praises La Cava’s clinical direction and notes Morrie Ryskind’s screenplay.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/my-man-godfrey)

## The New York Times

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 18 September 1936. 

The article text is inaccessible, so its critical verdict cannot be verified. Its specific praise or complaint also cannot be established.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1936/09/18/archives/the-screen-my-man-godfrey.html)

## Collider — Bob May

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 7 September 2024. 

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 the review](https://collider.com/my-man-godfrey-1936-movie/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/my-man-godfrey.md