Merrily We Live (1938)
Welcome to the family of Merrily We Live: a family where the younger daughter shouts “Come and get it!” before breakfast while sliding backwards down the banister, the mother hires homeless bums to be butlers and chauffeurs, the father gets drunk and staggers home, and the Great Dane dogs are named “Get Off the Rug” and “You Too”. If you’re in the mood for a zany, fast-talking, overly silly 1930s family comedy, you’ll absolutely love Merrily We Live. It’s a total copy of My Man Godfrey, but in my opinion, far funnier.
In this version of the hobo-turned-butler, the matriarch Billie Burke has a penchant for adopting homeless bums and she picks up the handsome, dapper Brian Aherne after her latest charity project left the house with the family silver. Their steady butler, Alan Mowbray, is disgusted with everyone’s antics, but he stick around anyway. Of course, Brian attracts both daughters, Bonita Granville and Constance Bennett. He’s simply gorgeous! And he gets to show off his quick comic timing alongside the rest of the cast. When Billie chides Brian for not serving her on her left, he reminds her that he is on her left. She giggles her imitable giggle and confesses she gets confused because she’s right-handed. Brian, as suave as William Powell, covers her mistake by saying, “I was pretending to be a left-handed butler.”
If you’re in the mood for a combination of obvious humor mixed with clever quips, you’ll love this movie. It reminded me of the quick humor featured in A Royal Scandal. Yes, it’s not exactly realistic dialogue, but it’s hilarious nonetheless. Over breakfast, Billie tells her family she’s been reading a book. “It’s called—stop squirming, dear,” she orders Bonita. “What a name for a book,” Constance quips. In an attempt at an insult, Bonita baits, “Your mother was smarter than my mother,” but Billie merely answers, “I know she was, darling,” without batting an eyelash.
I didn’t like the screwball comedy My Man Godfrey, but this one added a level of sophistication to the plot. I couldn’t stop laughing!
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "john S" for posting!
More Brian Aherne movies here!
In this version of the hobo-turned-butler, the matriarch Billie Burke has a penchant for adopting homeless bums and she picks up the handsome, dapper Brian Aherne after her latest charity project left the house with the family silver. Their steady butler, Alan Mowbray, is disgusted with everyone’s antics, but he stick around anyway. Of course, Brian attracts both daughters, Bonita Granville and Constance Bennett. He’s simply gorgeous! And he gets to show off his quick comic timing alongside the rest of the cast. When Billie chides Brian for not serving her on her left, he reminds her that he is on her left. She giggles her imitable giggle and confesses she gets confused because she’s right-handed. Brian, as suave as William Powell, covers her mistake by saying, “I was pretending to be a left-handed butler.”
If you’re in the mood for a combination of obvious humor mixed with clever quips, you’ll love this movie. It reminded me of the quick humor featured in A Royal Scandal. Yes, it’s not exactly realistic dialogue, but it’s hilarious nonetheless. Over breakfast, Billie tells her family she’s been reading a book. “It’s called—stop squirming, dear,” she orders Bonita. “What a name for a book,” Constance quips. In an attempt at an insult, Bonita baits, “Your mother was smarter than my mother,” but Billie merely answers, “I know she was, darling,” without batting an eyelash.
I didn’t like the screwball comedy My Man Godfrey, but this one added a level of sophistication to the plot. I couldn’t stop laughing!
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "john S" for posting!
More Brian Aherne movies here!