The ultimate screwball comedy classic “My Man Godfrey” on DVD in both black and white and a newer colorized version.  For its price and the fact you get both film versions, fans of “My Man Godfrey” really can’t go wrong with this DVD release. Definitely recommended!
DVD TITLE: My Man Godfrey
DURATION: 93 minutes
DVD INFORMATION: Original black and white version, Full frame aspect ratio (1:33:1), all-new colorized version, Monaural, Subtitled: English
RATED: Not Rated
COMPANY: Legend Films
RELEASE DATE: April 19, 2005
Based on the novel “1101 Park Avenue” by Eric Hatch
Directed by Gregory La Cava
Written by Morrie Ryskind, Eric Hatch
Executive Producer: Charles R. Rogers
Producer: Gregory La Cava
Cinematography by Ted Tetzlaff
Edited by Ted J. Kent, Russell F. Schoengarth
Art Direction by Charles D. hall
Costume Design by Brymer
Starring:
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
Pat Flaherty as Mike Flaherty
Robert Light as Faithful George
My Man Godfrey is one of the top Screwball Comedies of all time– a story of a wealthy New York family in the 1930’s that brings in Godfrey, a destitute and “Forgotten Man” as their butler. William Powell plays the leading role brilliantly, and gives the family a madcap ride they will never forget. My Man Godfrey was the first film to receive Oscar nominations in all four acting categories, including stunning performances by William Powell and Carole Lombard.
Presented in color for the first time and beautifully restored, this is the definitive DVD edition of My Man Godfrey. Legend Films has an exclusive license to My Man Godfrey and our DVD contains both color and black-and-white versions.
“My Man Godfrey”, the popular 1936 screwball comedy that was adapted to a film from Eric Hatch’s novel “1101 Park Avenue” and directed by animator/filmmaker Gregory La Cava, would become a bonafide classic as the film would rake in six Academy Award nominations and would feature former married couple and very popular onscreen talents William Powell (“The Thin Man” films, “The Great Ziegfeld, “Manhattan Melodrama”) and Carole Lombard (“Now and Forever”, “Nothing Sacred”, “Swing High, “Swing Low”).
The film was deemed “culturally significant” back in 1999 and was selected by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
“My Man Godfrey” has been available many times on DVD with the most significant release from The Criterion Collection back in 2001 which included a new digital transfer, audio commentary, rare outttakes (which can be found on YouTube) and the complete 1938 broadcast of the Lux Radio Theater adaptation. But in 2005, Legend Films had their own release of “My Man Godfrey” and this time using their latest technology of colorization and presenting both the original black and white feature plus their colorized version on one DVD disc. The difference between the two is that the Criterion Collection version cost around $35, the Legend Films version can be found under $10.
Having watched the film in black and white and enjoying the film, I was curious to see how colorization had improved since the analog Ted Turner colorized films of the early ’90s. According to Legend Films, before beginning their colorization, they thoroughly research the era when the film was made to ensure that every color and hue is historically accurate. Then, each frame is individually colorized.
For me, this would be an interesting experience to see if colorization of a black and white film is still worth watching. The experience was for me, not that great back in the early 90’s but with technology advancements, I would hope things to look much better today.
“My Man Godfrey” is a film about a man named Godfrey (played by William Powell), who was found by two sisters Irene (played by Carole Lombard) and her older sister Cornelia Bullock (played by Gail Patrick). The two are competing in a scavenger hunt and must find a “forgotten man”, so they go near the docks to find a homeless man and that is where they find Godfrey.
Cornelia offers Godfrey $5 to show up with her to the party but this angers Godfrey who doesn’t like being treated like he’s nothing, who then pushes the socialite to the ground. When Irene approaches him, he sees a kindness and naivety in her and agrees to accompany Irene to the party.
Godfrey is taken to a party full of the rich and not treated nicely but because he helped Irene beat her sister in a game, Irene offers to help him by offering Godfrey a job as the Bullock family’s butler. This angers her sister Cornelia (mainly because Godfrey mistreated her) because her sister just hired this homeless man and not dealing with a professional service.
Godfrey takes the job and learns from the Bullock’s maid, Molly (played by Jean Dixon) about how unusual the family is. From the ditsy mother Angelica (played by Alice Brady, “The Gay Divorcee”, “In Old Chicago”) who is trying to nurture her musician protegee Carlo (played by Mischa Auer) who seems to be using the family for lodging and eating their food, the money worrying father Alexander (played by Eugene Pallette, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”, “The Adventures of Robin Hood”), the socialite and spoiled older sister Cornelia and the bubbly, naive and gets what she wants younger sister Irene.
All things go well for Godfrey at the job but what he didn’t expect was Irene falling in love with him. Also, unexpected was at a family party, Godfrey runs into an old acquaintance – Tommy Gray (played by Alan Mowbray) who explains to the family that he’s known Godfrey from when they went to Harvard University. But quickly, after getting a hint from Godfrey, Tommy makes up a story about Godfrey being married and having several children.
This sends Irene to a tizzy, while finding out about Godfrey and his past makes Cornelia even more curious about him and will do what she can to get Godfrey in trouble.
Who is the real Godfrey? Why is this Harvard graduate living homeless? And will he survive as the butler for the Bullock family and their antics?
VIDEO & AUDIO:
“My Man Godfrey” has been presented in various formats and having seen the film via public domain and from what I’ve read from other reviews of other DVD’s, The Criterion Collection and the Legends film versions are the best out there right now.
With that being said, The Criterion Collection went through digital restoration and remastering when they released the film. As for this Legend Films version, we get the original theatrical trailer in black and white and the colorized version. And the film on this Legend Films DVD has been remastered and restored as well.
Both versions of the film are presented in full frame (aspect ratio 1:33:1) definitely has its share of scratches, dust and warping but it’s not bad compared to the public domain videos I have seen of the film. The black and white version offered on this DVD has nice deep blacks, clear grays and its share of grain.
The colorized version is actually well done and I can definitely see major improvement versus the colorized films I watched back in the ’90s. But there are instances where people and objects in the background tend to have this gray tinge at times (which is very few) but one thing I noticed is how fire looks very real with its orange colors, how certain clothing and objects nicely shimmers through various lighting.  The films has plenty of crowd scenes and those scenes with characters wearing different colors worked quite well. Noticed the coloration of the hair and the animals that were done quite well. But most strikingly the blue eyes of William Powell and Carole Lombard which looks great. So, overall The colorization of “My Man Godfrey” is very well done.
As for audio, the film is presented in monaural. For those with a current home theater receiver and a good speaker setup may find setting audio settings with stereo on all channels for a more immersive soundtrack.
Subtitles are featured in English.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“My Man Godfrey” comes with a colorized theatrical trailer (:54).
“My Man Godfrey” is one of the best screwball comedies of American cinema.
The film is witty, charming and just fun and delightful. Carole Lombard shows off her comedic talent and it’s quite interesting to see her character of Irene interacting with her older sister Cornelia (Gail Patrick). Around Godfrey, Irene is naive and just head over heels for him, while with Cornelia she changes to this pushy younger sister who is quick to anger and when around her father, she’s like the young daughter wanting her father to comfort her. It’s her actions that make this film quite intriguing and makes you wonder if she’s a bit off.
But like Irene, her mother is a much more naive person who is not hip to the jargon used by her daughters. Alice Brady does a fine job of playing the mother Angelica Bullock and nearly retains that comedic flare that she did in the Astaire/Rogers film “The Gay Divorcee”. Eugene Pallette plays the perfect, no-nonsense father and last but not least, William Powell as the suave and cool, Godfrey.
“My Man Godfrey” benefits from star talent, a hilarious and witty screenplay but also beautiful production quality on the sets and also costume design. I do feel that “My Man Godfrey” ends abruptly in the most screwball type of way. So, I suppose the ending is quite appropriate.
Overall, “My Man Godfrey” is one of those films that classic movie fans should have in their collection. Granted, the Criterion Collection version has the most features but is the most expensive of the bunch at $35. For those who don’t need the scholar commentary or radio show, then this DVD version of “My Man Godfrey” is definitely worth it as you get two versions of the film and you can find the DVD at under $10.
If you enjoy “My Man Godfrey”,this Legend Films release is definitely a DVD worth picking up!