| Overall Grade: |
A+ |
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| Story: |
A- |
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| Acting: |
A+ |
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| Direction: |
A- |
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|
| Visuals: |
B+ |
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Stand still, Godfrey. It'll only be a minute.
by Christopher (movies profile)
Jun 26, 2006
This movie, directed by Gregory La Cava, is just wonderful. It is the screwiest of screwball comedies.
The story concerns a hobo—a man named Godfrey (William Powell)—who gets hired as a butler by a rich heiress (the beautiful Carole Lombard who, with that energy, reminds me of Priscilla Lane). The heiress, Irene, falls in love with Godfrey.
It has a superb supporting cast including the wonderful Alice Brady as the mother (I believe she was in another movie—one with Rogers and Astaire, perhaps?) and Eugene Pallette, from The Lady Eve and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, as the father.
I just love the fast-paced banter and the chaos of the whole thing. They keep a frenetic pace and never let up; I’d say it’s one of the best screwball comedies, if not one of the best movies period. It’s stronger than It Happened One Night (though I still like Capra’s movie); frankly, I might even say I like it better than The Lady Eve, though there’s less romance.
A great romantic comedy all around. Honestly, it’s a great hilarious movie—one of the funniest.
Note: the Hollywood Classics version of the movie is really bright and washed out. Save your money and get the Criterion one. |
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