Cheap My Man Godfrey - Criterion Collection (DVD) (William Powell, Carole Lombard) (Gregory La Cava) Price

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Customer Reviews of My Man Godfrey - Criterion Collection

"My Man Godfrey" Still Sparkles after 60 Years
Gregory La Cava's 1936 masterpiece "My Man Godfrey" my well be the best comedy of the '30s. This screwball classic features a witty topnotch script, fast paced direction, fabulous art deco sets and wonderful performances from Carole Lombard and William Powell, as well as, supporting players, Gail Patrick, Mischa Auer, Eugene Pallette, Alan Mowbray and, the particularly dizzy, Alice Brady. This film has never looked better than it has on this Criterion edition. The picture is crisp and clear and way better than any public domain print. In fact, during a recent showing of a PD print on TCM I got out my laptop and ran the Criterion DVD simultaneously and wow, what a difference. The clarity and amount of detail is terrific. I wish the extras had been better and the commentary could have been from the actual stars and creators rather than a film historian but these are petty complaints. If you have been thinking of adding this classic to your collection then pay the extra money and get the best version out there.

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Great film deserves better "extras"
The first time I saw "My Man Godfrey" was on VHS. It was hard to enjoy the film due to the poor quality of the picture. Thanks to the good people at Criterion Collection, this classic screwball comedy from 1936 can now be enjoyed with the clarity of picture it deserves.
"My Man Godfrey" features two of the great actors of their time, William Powell and Carole Lombard along with a stellar supporting cast. The witty script is by Morrie Ryskin who helped write a number of the Marx Brothers early films.
Godfrey (Powell) is rescued from the depression-era dumps and a seeming life of poverty by wealthy heiress Irene Bullock (Lombard) ulitmately to serve as her eccentric family's butler. Godfrey has a foil in Irene's sister who goes so far to set him up for a crime. Godrey is not quite what he appears. Suffice it to say the usual screwball comedy wackiness ensues.
Sadly, Criterion has let viewers down with the DVD's special features. Some outtakes are interesting (actors of yore using profanity!) But a bet is missed with an attempt so show the contrast in life (using contemporary footage) of the haves and have-nots. There is hardly enough here to whet the appetite. The features also include a radio presentation of the story and the obligatory trailer. But that's it! Hopefully another edition with more will be offered someday.

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The Gold Standard for DVDs
My Man Godfrey, for me, represents all that's admirable about the DVD format. Visually, it sparkles, literally so in the opening credits. My 15-year-old VHS copy is good, but pales next to the DVD transfer. The inclusion of a vintage trailer from so old a movie was a welcome surprise. The newsreel footage gave historical context. The radio broadcast was icing, just lain fun. The commentary is urbane and inciteful. Yes, I listened to it all. A word of advice about commentaries: Self-described historians do the best. Their commentaries are like fine classroom lectures on your favorite subject. Directors seem to ad lib haltingly, as if they'd rather be somewhere else but can't pass up the dough. If picking a movie for it's commentary, make sure the director is dead. That goes for actors and crew also.