"MY MAN GODFREY"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22574, 12 November 1936, Page 17

"MY MAN GODFREY"

| CIVIC THEATRE ATTRACTION Brightly written, excellently acted I and brilliantly directed, the Universal \ Pictures production, "My Man GodI frev," which is to commence a season | at the Civic Theatre to-morrow, is a thoroughly enjoyable light-hearted comedy of the type which provides firstclass entertainment. Based on a most entertaining novel by Eric Hatch and adapted for the screen by the author in collaboration with the brilliant scenario writer Morris Ryskind, it provides the audience with one long succession of laughs from beginning to end. Every line of dialogue and every gesture of the nlavers serves only to enhance the highly amusing quality of tho story. The theme depicts the life of trie highly eccentric Bullock family who nre as they are amusing. They indulgo in strange conversations and even stranger antics. They act as no one group of people ever acted in real life, vet they are vividly realistic and entirely believable. In one of their strange escapades thev organise a "scavenger" hunt in which the daughter Irene (Carole Lombard), rescues from a eit.v refuse dump a "down-and-out," Godfrey by name, who is employed as the family' butler. Irene adopts him as her protege just as her eccentric mother has adopted the gigolo Carlo, whose sensitive soul is continually wounded by the repeated "scenes" between diflerent members of the family. Godfrey, however, proves his worth and makes an excellent butler. Eventunllv the beautiful Trene falls in love with Godfrey and her sister Cornelia, in a most unwomanly manner, endeavours to humiliate her. Godfrey is very chary of accepting tho advances of his employer's daughter, however, and fights to keep his distance arid with it his position. The butler's endeavours to keep his sanity, amid the atmosphere of eccentricity in which he works, provide many hilarious situations and the highly amusing tenor of the earlier scenes is sunerceded by the upronrous climax. William Powell's nonchalance and polish are admirably suited to the role of Godfrey and he has seldom been seen to better advantage. As the canricious Irene, Carole Lombard is equally outstanding and her performance is considered the most entertaining of her screen career. Other players who perform with distinction are Alice Brady, as Mrs. Bullock, Eugene Pallette, as her husband, and Gail Patrick, as Cornelia.