My Man Godfrey

Data
Title: My Man Godfrey
Year: 1936
Length: 94 minutes
Director: Gregory La Cava
Writers: Morrie Ryskind & Eric Hatch, based on Hatch’s novel
Starring: William Powell, Carole Lombard
Music: Charles Previn, Rudy Schrager
Distinctions: formerly on IMDb’s Top 250

My reaction
Synopsis: a homeless man becomes the butler for an eccentric family
How I saw it: on video (rented from Netflix), yesterday
Concept: Good.
Story: Indifferent. It’s everything it needs to be, and there’s a bit of nice social commentary, but we’re not exactly dealing with compelling drama.
Characters: Good.
Dialog: Great.
Pacing: Great.
Cinematography: Bad.
Special effects/design: Bad. The creative work is fine, but the film and sound quality is terrible even by 1930’s standards.
Acting: Good. Most everyone is funny, and Powell is pretty cool. Better acting than I’ve seen from more famous actors of the period.
Music: Indifferent.
Subjective Rating: 7/10 (Good). Amusing.
Objective Rating: 7/10 (Pretty good).

The Milky Way

Title: The Milky Way
Year: 1936
Director: Leo McCarey
Writers: Grover Jones, Frank Butler & Richard Connell , based on the play by Lynn Root & Harry Clork
Starring: Harold Lloyd, Adolphe Menjou, Helen Mack, William Gargan, Dorothy Wilson
Music: stock music
Synopsis: a milkman with an uncanny ability to duck becomes a boxer
How I saw it: “The Harold Lloyd Comedy Collection: Vol. 1″ (rented from Netflix), yesterday
Subjective Rating: 8/10
Objective Rating: 5/10 (points off for concept, story, cinematography, acting and music)

Not something I would necessarily call a “good movie,” but it’s often hilarious. Probably the funniest movie from Hollywood’s “Golden Age” that I’ve seen.