My Man Godfrey (1957)
1h 32m | PG-13
The eccentric Bullock household again need a new butler. Daughter Irene encounters bedraggled Godfrey Godfrey at the docks and, fancying him and noticing his obviously good manners, gets him the job. He proves a great success, but keeps his past to himself. When an old flame turns up Irene's sister Cordelia starts making waves.
Director: Henry Koster
Studio: Universal International Pictures
Genre: Comedy
Video: 720p
Cast
June Allyson
as Irene Bullock
David Niven
as Godfrey Smith
Jessie Royce Landis
as Angelica Bullock
Robert Keith
as Alexander Bullock
Eva Gabor
as Francesca Gray
Jay Robinson
as Vincent
Reviews
I am an huge fan of David Niven, but not even his suave, sophisticated portrayal of "Godfrey" can rescue this from the clutches of June "Dorothy-on-speed" Allyson's frenetically annoying performance as "Irene". He is, ostensibly, a penniless Austrian vagabond she discovers on a pier, takes a bit of a shine to, and impressed by his cultivated style and urbane turn of phrase, takes him back to the US to be the butler in their exclusive family home. Needless to say, he fits in perfectly and has them all eating from his hands. He does not, however, disclose that his past isn't quite what they expect and when he is eventually rumbled - and not in the way you might expect, the story becomes terribly convoluted. Comparisons with the 1936 Lombard/Powell version do not really flatter this production. It is too in-your-face without the subtle humour or romance of its predecessor. Odd to see Jay Robinson in a film without a cape and some centurions and Eva Gabor brings some glamour (if little else) to the proceedings.