tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post2241924640254038567..comments2024-03-27T21:42:56.131-05:00Comments on 1001plus: The Butler Did ItSJHoneywellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-66249141874146808962017-04-16T17:18:13.716-05:002017-04-16T17:18:13.716-05:00This is one that could almost be remade with the p...This is one that could almost be remade with the proper ending, and I'd like it a hell of a lot more. The ending really spoils it for me. <br /><br />That said, I agree in terms of the casting. I like Powell a lot in general, and he really is in top form here. I agree on Lombard as well. SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-62117567789732984902017-04-15T18:19:26.787-05:002017-04-15T18:19:26.787-05:00This is a cute screwball but I can see your point....This is a cute screwball but I can see your point. It was almost assuredly code dictated as well as the studio hedging its bet with two enormous stars that the audience would expect them to end up together especially when that audience was aware that Powell and Lombard had been married in private life previously and remained friendly.<br /><br />So taking the cop-out ending out of consideration all the acting is top of the line. Gail Patrick's expertise at playing this sort of casually malicious bitch probably cost her a chance at top line stardom by typing her but she does do it awfully well. That's actually one of the film's biggest strengths, the proper casting of each part but most particularly the two leads. <br /><br />The only other actor I can see with the proper mix of elegance and a touch of the common man to make Godfrey work is Ronald Colman but his Britishness would have changed the feeling of the story and Powell is pitch perfect in every scene. I can envision no one else though making the addled-pated Irene work like Carole Lombard does. There were many fine actresses who could do screwball well, Jean Arthur, Kate Hepburn, Irene Dunne and Rosalind Russell were probably the best, but none had the mix of daffiness tempered by an underlying native intelligence and sexiness that Lombard possessed. It seems incredible that she was only nominated for an Oscar once-most likely due to the fact that she was a freelance actress without that powerful studio block voting behind her-but since this was that time I wish she would have won.<br /><br />This isn't one of the screwball comedies I watch often, I prefer Hands Across the Table, Libeled Lady, The Miracle of Morgan's Creek and What's Up, Doc?, but if I run across it I usually watch it for a few minutes at least.joel65913https://www.blogger.com/profile/14526657073681774683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-26954631132763208372011-01-31T22:37:56.287-06:002011-01-31T22:37:56.287-06:00I'm not familiar with that film, so I really c...I'm not familiar with that film, so I really can't say. Sorry.<br /><br />I really wanted to like <i>Godfrey</i> in part because I've really enjoyed William Powell as an actor. He's still great here--it's the story that fails.SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-70075280487359138442011-01-30T12:38:11.086-06:002011-01-30T12:38:11.086-06:00The scenario sounds vaguely reminiscent of "D...The scenario sounds vaguely reminiscent of "Down and Out in Beverly Hills"... and wasn't <i>that</i> a remake of some older film? Then again, Godfrey isn't the same as Nick Nolte's Jerry; Jerry has special talents and intuitions, and he's good at producing wildly different reactions in the rich family members who save him from drowning, but if I recall correctly, he doesn't come from a rich background, and the arc of the Nolte film doesn't end with Jerry marrying into the upper class.<br /><br />Must do some research.Kevin Kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01328790917314282058noreply@blogger.com