Editing My Man Godfrey (section)

==Production==
The film is based on the 1935 [[Eric S. Hatch]] novel, ''1101 Park Avenue''.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Staff|title=My Man Godfrey: by Eric Hatch. 243 pp. Boston: Little, Brown & Co. $2.|date=October 27, 1935|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|page=BR24}}</ref> [[Charles R. Rogers|Charles Rogers]], head of Universal, called it "a sure-fire laugh-getting novel". That studio purchased the film rights and assigned Hatch to write the script with [[Morrie Ryskind]], who received top billing for the screenplay. Rogers hired [[Gregory La Cava]] to direct, "the best comedy director in Hollywood."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Staff|title=Rogers Tells Secrets of Successful Film: Theory Illustrated by Method Used in New Production|date=September 1, 1936|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|page=11}}</ref>

===Casting===
It was the first major film from Universal after that studio had been taken over by new management, including head of production [[Charles R. Rogers|Charles Rogers]]. However the studio did not have any major stars under contract apart from [[Buck Jones]], [[Boris Karloff]] and [[Edward Everett Horton]], and needed to borrow some from other studios.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Associated Press|author-link=Associated Press|title=Star Scarcity Still Is Acute Studio Problem: Only Fifty Real Winners in Harness and That Is Not Enough|date=August 24, 1936|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|page=X9}}</ref>

The studio's original choice to play Irene, the part eventually played by [[Carole Lombard]], was [[Constance Bennett]], and [[Miriam Hopkins]] also was considered, but the director [[Gregory La Cava]] would only agree to Bennett if [[Universal Pictures|Universal]] borrowed William Powell from [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM]]. Powell, for his part, only would take the role if Carole Lombard played Irene. Powell and Lombard had divorced three years earlier, but remained good friends.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="time_100_best_movies" /><ref name="gem_theguardian">Hutchinson, Pamela: [https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/apr/24/my-man-godfrey-comedy-1936-film "My streaming gem: why you should watch My Man Godfrey,"] April 24, 2020, ''[[The Guardian]]'' retrieved May 27, 2024</ref>

Powell's casting was announced in January 1936.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Staff|title=New Films Announced: "Magnificent Obession" Heads Hit Parade|date=January 3, 1936|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|page=A13}}</ref> Universal borrowed Lombard from Paramount. As part of the deal, Universal loaned Paramount's [[Margaret Sullavan]] for the film ''I Love a Soldier,'' and Lombard's clothes designer, Travis Banton, accompanied her.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Shaffer|first=George|title=Boy Refuses to Wear Kilts for Film Scene: Believes Costume Is One for Little Girl|date=March 14, 1936|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune|Chicago Daily Tribune]]|page=16}}</ref> [[Alice Brady]] joined the cast in March.<ref>{{Cite news|title='John Barleycorn' by Jack London Will Be Made Into Picture|date=March 28, 1936|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|page=7}}</ref>

===Shooting===
''My Man Godfrey'' was in production from April 15 to May 27, 1936, and then had retakes in early June of the year.<ref name=":0" /> Its budget was $575,375; Powell was paid $87,500 and Lombard $45,645.<ref name="dick" /> The film was one of the first under the new regime of [[Charles R. Rogers|Charles Rogers]] at Universal, although it had been developed under his predecessor [[Carl Laemmle Jr]].<ref name="dick"/><ref name="latimes_1936_09_01_newspapers_com" />

La Cava, a former animator and freelancer for most of his film career, held studio executives in contempt and was known to be a bit eccentric. When he and Powell hit a snag over a disagreement about how Godfrey should be portrayed, they settled things over a bottle of Scotch. The next morning, La Cava showed up for shooting with a headache, but Powell didn't appear. Instead, the actor sent a telegram stating: "WE MAY HAVE FOUND GODFREY LAST NIGHT BUT WE LOST POWELL. SEE YOU TOMORROW."<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/5794/my-man-godfrey#articles-reviews|title=My Man Godfrey (1936)|last=McGillicuddy|first=Genevieve|date=ndg|website=[[Turner Classic Movies]]|access-date=April 23, 2020}}</ref>

Due to insurance considerations a stand-in stuntman (Chick Collins) was used when Godfrey carried Irene over his shoulder up the stairs to her bedroom.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/5794/my-man-godfrey#trivia|title=My Man Godfrey (1936) - Trivia|website=[[Turner Classic Movies]]|language=en|access-date=April 23, 2020}}</ref>

In a premiere special in the ''[[Los Angeles Times]],'' Universal producer Rogers said it was key to the film's production to make "everyone connected with the picture" feel "a happy-go-lucky mood," and "keep them laughing... madder and merrier the better," "while you're shooting the picture." Film crew described star Lombard as "a good egg" who "never stands on ceremony,... impulsive,... outspoken... extremely frank," always "gay," and particularly "a friend to everyone" who worked with her. They also called Powell as "a good egg," and humble, who asked for no special considerations, and praised others' work.<ref name="latimes_1936_09_01_newspapers_com">{{Cite news |title='My Man Godfrey' Premiere at Pantages Tonight: Film First to Be Released Under Rogers |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/44138936/ |date=September 1, 1936 |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |page=11 |access-date=May 27, 2024 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |id={{ProQuest|164598348}}}}</ref>

When tensions hit a high point on the set, Lombard had a habit of inserting four-letter words into her dialogue, often to the great amusement of the cast. This made shooting somewhat difficult, but clips of her cursing in her dialogue and messing up her lines can still be seen in blooper reels, along with four-letter words from Powell.<ref name="gem_theguardian" /><ref name="cinemontage" /><ref name="the_collection" />