Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by Bambi B (A) on November 11, 2005 at 13:21:20

In Reply to: Re: How to do "rich" in America posted by Victor Khomenko on November 11, 2005 at 10:52:05:

Victor,

You're absolutely right to emphasize the fun, stylish side of "My Man Godfrey" as opposed to the "message" aspect- I just love the fact that it has both components in such quantity.

And I agree completely about Gail Patrick- the "bad sister"- that could have been treatd in a very two dimensional way, but Patrick has such style and that quiet, confident scheming intelligence she really makes the the contrast with Lombard's innocent basic good-heartedness all the better revealed. And drop dead beautiful as you say,..

Alice Brady (had to look it up) as the mother is excellent and I love the subtle way in which you can see how the Lombard character acquired the more vertigious aspects of her character- they are a believable mother and daughter set in this way.

Another character I like a lot in "MMG" is the father- Eugene Pallette- so familiar a charcter actor but I had to look it up. This is agian nearly a 30's "fat cat" stereotype, except he has that humourous take at his absurd family that turns his frustration with them into something positive.

Mischa Auer, as "Carlo" the parasitic "artist", is fun too and he puts it over the top only just enough. "Money, money, money. Everything is always money!"- and he's absolutely right- it is !

Yes, I hope I didn't put anyone off this amazing movie by my dull social analysis- you can watch this again and again and never need do anything about it but laugh !

William Powell, too is amazing and is of the pair of my "William" male paradigms- ideal chaps. If I had been born a man instead of Dutch, I should like to have been the genetically engineered offspring of William Powell and William Holden.

Thanks for bringing this one up- time to see it again.

Cheers,

Bam