My Man Godfrey Details

Perhaps it was a mistake to try to recapture the atmosphere of the well-loved original, a classic 1930s screwball comedy that starred William Powell and Carole Lombard. But Universal did try gamely here, casting David Niven and June Allyson and throwing in the dubious benefits of colour and CinemaScope. To be fair, if you've never seen the 1936 movie, this may pass the time well enough, especially if you're a fan of either star. Trouble is, director Henry Koster helped neither of them. Niven is too often reduced to eyebrow-raising double takes, while Allyson, flouncing and flustering to little avail, seems, as ever, outclassed by her leading man. Niven is actually quite good as the butler who isn't, but he's not a patch on the worldly-wise Powell. Still, there's no point in complaining about what's not on the screen, and there's still lots of fun to be had here.

Archetypal Depression concept which is also one of the best of the thirties sophisticated screwball comedies, though its pacing today seems somewhat unsure.