‘My Man Godfrey’ is a classic set during the (first) depression amidst ‘forgotten men’. Carol Lombard, William Powell, impeccable writing and worth 94 minutes of your time. The maid has some of the best lines.
Cornelia tries to frame the butler Godfrey by hiding her pearls under his mattress. The police are at the residence to ask questions.
Maid to police grilling her about the missing pearl necklace;Â Â Â Â Â Â
Cop to maid: Â ‘Who are you?’
Maid in doily get-up: ‘Guess…’
Cop: ‘Just a minute, sister.’
Maid with one hand on hip: ‘If I thought that were true, I’d disown my parents.’
Cop: ‘Heh, heh, heh….so you got a passion for jewelry, eh?’
Maid: ‘Yes, I also got a passion for sockin’ cops.’
Cop: ‘Where are they?’
Maid: ‘Most of them are in cemeteries’.
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Here’s a clip and you can watch the whole movie here.
Hey Victoria. I haven’t seen this film, but I am a fan of the era and a fan of Mr. Powell. The ‘Thin Man’ series is a solid favorite of mine. I’ve certainly heard of this film… so the next step is to check it out.
I’m really into this era (around about the 30s) artistically. I just redecorated my bedroom and definitely took some cues from the Deco period. In fact, the star piece in my bedroom is a large oil by Art Deco industrial designer John Vassos. I’m also heavily into Eames-era decorative art.
Not only that, I’ve personally been experimenting with geometric art reminiscent of that time period.
Sorry for the digression!
The scripts from these early films really hold up – the humor is still relevant because the human condition doesn’t change that much. You can’t do much better than Carole Lombard and Powell.
Art Deco–check out Rockwell Kent’s black & white prints. I noticed from your blog that you like Ryder, one of my favorite painters too.