Merrily We Live (1938)

People are voting emotionally.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

That Merrily has a plot similar to My Man Godfrey is no reason to think Merrily is the inferior entertainment. Originality is not the supreme goal of the Hollywood factory system. Entertainment is. And Merrily jauntily delivers. It is fresh and hilarious from start to finish. Bennett, whose career was revived with Topper the previous year, has top billing, but Merrily is not a star vehicle. Rather it's an ensemble film with meaty roles for all cast members. Particularly amusing are Clarence Kolb, Alan Mowbray,("I'm quitting and that's final.") and the repetition of the family gathering around the breakfast table and resultant silliness. Another thought on Godfrey ... I prefer Bennett's self-sufficient society girl to Lombard's mentally-deficient society girl. Furthermore, I foresee a happy marriage for Jerry & Rawlins, and a quick divorce for Irene & Godfrey.

I think that people make too much out of the supposed resemblance to "My Man Godfrey", in claiming that it is merely a "copy". "Godfrey" was not original itself. The basic idea was used many times before in books and plays, not to mention other movies. It is virtually impossible to come up with an idea that someone has not used before, nor is that really important. It is what you DO with a basic idea, how well you use it, that is more important.NOthing wrong with a "fresh variant" of an old idea. All of the actors are superbly cast, and succeed very well in making the best of their roles. As a COMEDY, I think that this is actually better than "Godfrey", which is often praised mainly because of its "social comment" aspects, how it looks at victims of the depression. But as pure comedy, I think that "Merrily" works better, non stop laughs. Clarence Kolb was an inspired choice, and is great in every scene, and Brian Aherne plays deftly off of Constance Bennet. And of course Bonita Granville and Billie Burke and Alan Mowbry and Patsy Kelly each contribute their own choice bits. All in all, a really funny movie, and after all, isn't that what you want from a comedy?

I always like to see these films where the whole family is a tad...let's say different.A wealthy family of oddballs lives in a nice house and the wife, played by Billy Burke, has a habit of taking "forgotten men" into their home and trying to rehabilitate them. One leaves and decides to steal all the silverware in the house and she just about decided to never bring anther one in her house. Along comes a guy who's car happens to break down and then proceeds to roll backwards into a gorge. He goes to their house for the intended purpose of using their phone to call someone about the mishap with the car. Of course, he can't get a word in edge wise and she decides he's a "forgotten man" and promptly gives him a job as the chauffeur. The 2 daughters, Constance Bennett and Bonita Granville both have a crush on him. The oldest one grows to like him and he notices her not so subtle advances. Will they fall in love? Will they realize who he actually is?In between there's lots of fun and clever dialog. Big credits for the casting in this. Each character gets to shine and leaves a memorable footprint in your brain. This was Bonita Granville's high mark playing the spoiled brat role she did so well. Unfortunately this film gets paired off with "My Man Godfrey" but it's really not the same film. This one is total comedy and the story is a smidge different. Mentioning Godfrey, you should get an idea of what it's like but trust me, it stands on it's own. Are they just a nutty well-to-do family or are they just like your family? Be prepared to laugh and judge for yourself.

Considering the obscurity of this film, it's a big surprise to see how well made, visually rich and entertaining it is, despite, as others have noted, its unoriginal premise. The dialogue is frequently funny but not up to the standard of MY MAN GODFREY - too much of the eccentricity seems to be forced and a bit cutesy but the cast overcomes all. Clarence Kolb steals the film with his masterful slapstick but he's first rate whether playing stern-and- sober, falling-down drunk or warmly empathetic. Though Billie Burke was Oscar nominated as the ditzy society matron mother, her performance here is no better than it was the year before in TOPPER or five years before in DINNER AT EIGHT (now THAT was an award-worthy turn!). Perhaps because this particular role was as over-the-top ditzy as such roles get, Hollywood decided it was time to honor it. What a splendid cast: Constance Bennett in fine form; Brian Aherne at his best - called upon to be elegant, dashing and charming, he accomplishes all three. Cary Grant would have given the character more oomph, but Aherne's reserve works here. Then we have the inimitable Patsy Kelly as a kitchen maid, the underused Ann Dvorak as a predatory Senator's daughter who lusts after Aherne, Bonita Granville as a wild, irrepresible teenage daughter, and last but not least Alan Mobray as the snooty butler being undermined by one indignity after another; his double takes are hilarious. Near the beginning there is an accomplished scene in which Aherne's wheezing jalopy rolls for what seems like a mile down a mountainside until it's totalled: no editing tricks here. Being a Hal Roach film there are of course generous helpings of slapstick, but they're brilliantly staged and expertly carried out by actors who are also capable of delivering deft overall performances. Every actor has at least one extended scene of well staged physical comedy. The opening credits are fun and welcoming: the whole cast is walking through the gates of the property with arms linked, singing the swingy title song. So, even though the concept of this film is derivative, its execution is fresh and alive.