CRAZY COMEDY

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 47, 19 November 1936, Page 3

CRAZY COMEDY

“My Man Godfrey” at St. James Theatre To-morrow To-morrow’ Wellington will have its first view of the craziest comedy of many seasons, “My Man Godfrey,’’ which is to be the first of the St. James Theatre’s ex-tended-season attractions. Godfrey first came to life in Eric Hatch’s novel, and he moved into Hollywood when Erie Hatch and Morrie Ryskind finished the screen play; Gregory La Cava began to direct the madcap romantic comedy, encouraging the players to romp and make merry on the set all the time, and the hilarity bubbled over into the filming of the picture. Gail Patrick, looking for a “forgotten man,” finds Godfrey (William Powell). He spins her backward into an ash heap and spoils her evening—as well as her evening gown. Carole Lombard, portraying the “dumbest debutante in Manhattan,” takes Godfrey to tile swanky ball and wins first prize for bringing him in. Then she appoints him the family butler. Godfrey finds himself buttling and battling in the goofiiest household in America. Mother has a special parlour hound, a fellow six feet tall who never did a stroke of work in his life, and who amuses the lady of the house by imitating a panting chimpanzee or an overwound gorilla. . leaping and bounding from mantelpiece to chandelier, swinging in doorways like an ape in the jungle—just another “protege of the rich.” Carole Lombard faints in the butler’s arms. Godfrey carries her upstairs, using tile fireman’s lift, and put her under ihe shower, clothes and all. The cute little debutante falls in love with Godfrey, wants to marry him, and won’t take “No 1 for an answer. But he believes in personal liberty. The other sister is still angry - with Godfrey for pushing her into the ash heap. She plants a pearl necklace in the butler’s room, and then calls the police, but when a thorough search is imide, the pearls are gone. The debutante corners Godfrey at every turn, telling him he has to love her. but he is cooler than an icicle on Admiral Byrd’s South Pole radio mast, and the sweet young thing has the wrong wavelength. Father’s Wall Street boom stocks go boom, and Mother’s cheques are greeted as strangers at the back. She threatens to sue Congress for breach of promise because they went off the gold standard. Godfrey saves the financial situation, and then scoots off. trying to save himself from the dizzy daughter. But she gets him “on the spot” at last.