My Man Godfrey

(Gregory La Cava, US 1936, 94 min., 35mm)

In the midst of the Great Depression, a socialite scavenger hunt leads spoiled Irene Bullock (Carole Lombard) to the city dump to find a “forgotten man.” There she meets Godfrey Smith (William Powell) who, despite appearances, acts with self-respect and self-determination. Godfrey accepts Irene’s offer of a job as the butler to the eccentric Bullock family, whose carelessness and ignorance have put their finances at risk. When Irene falls in love with Godfrey, he rebuffs her for her own good, and to hold on to a secret he doesn’t want her to find out. This screwiest of screwball comedies is not just a comedy of manners, but also a social statement on judging a book by its cover.