MovieChat Forums > Merrily We Live (1938) Discussion > Predictable as are most of the 30's movi...

Predictable as are most of the 30's movie comedies

posted 17 years ago by foster1-2
16 replies | jump to latest

I have just finished watching Merrily We Live and I am sure I will have a smile on my face for the rest of the day.Is there anyone that can watch Billie Burke without smiling? As with most films of this period the plot is obvious and the conclusion is no surprise but they are so wonderful to watch.The stars play their roles with genius simply because it was a simple time in our lives.
Personally I will watch these movies again and again, these actors did it all,singing ,dancing, whistling,etc. Todays actors have more doubles than twins born in the US in a day!Animation and computers rule the movies of today. So if you want to have a plain and simple afternoon or evening,fix yourself a bowl of popcorn ,pick out several of these gems from the past, prepare to be amused, to laugh and be entertained the way we were when movies were movies and not either so violent that the children can't watch them or so filled with sex that in the 30's would have been triple X rated!
Thank heavens these movies have been preserved to be enjoyed by all ages for all times.

[–] lexnlido2 16 years ago

Compare this to the far superior "My Man Godfrey" which is nearly identical in plot. Godfrey is light as a souffle, Merrily is heavy handed and too predictable. Billy Burke is over the top though Brian Ahearne is suprisingly good.

[–] musicbytes 13 years ago

I prefer merrily we live.

[–] kevdun22 13 years ago

for anyone at home this great comedy is coming on TCM in seven minutes.
sit back and enjoy. cheers

[–] kathymac1443 13 years ago

I was completely entertained. I do love My Man Godfrey. This had some great players in it also. Who cares if it's predictable is so much fun along the way.

[–] liscarkat-2 13 years ago

I wasn't surprised at all that Brian Aherne was good.

[–] lolarites 10 years ago

As do I, as much as I love both Powell and Lombard (they were married in real life, though not when Godfrey was made, I love this one more. I have never laughed so hard in my life when I saw Clarence Kolb to the back flip. He's sensational.

[–] alistla 12 years ago

I realize this post was written 5 years ago, but I can't help but comment on the misleading headline the author chose to write. He (or she) sums up this delightful comedy as "predictable," and then goes on to praise it profusely (and justifiably) in the text of his post. The predictability of the plot (as the post itself notes) is incidental to the fact that this is a very funny and vastly enjoyable romp.

I bemoan this because if someone were trying to decide whether to see this movie, and merely perused the message board headlines, he would assume from this that Merrily We Live isn't worth his time. Nothing could be further from the truth. Go ahead and watch it; if you have any love for screwball comedy, you will not be disappointed.

[–] jac91604 12 years ago

I couldn't agree more alistla, it is on TCM right now and a delight.

Don't know why the OP decided to go with such a misleading thread.

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] MissMellieY 11 years ago

I am watching Merrily We Live right now and I have to agree with the others who prefer My Man Godfrey. Merrily We Live is cute but it definitely would be better served on stage in some community theatre. Constance Bennett is no Carole Lombard. However, Brian Aherne was better looking that William Powell!

"A man's kiss is his signature" -- Mae West

[–] PussyCrusher_Principal 11 years ago

I don't disagree with you about Carole Lombard, MeYouStew, and you're probably right about Godfrey being the better film (although I understand those who might prefer Merrily We Live, as there are some differences, such as cinematography, that I could understand might make fans side with one film or the other)...

But Merrily does have a couple of other things going for it. First, even if Constance Bennett is no Lombard, she certainly had a range within which she was quite a good and pleasant actress to watch, within which range her character in Merrily certainly falls. Not to mention she was quite beautiful - especially so in Merrily We Live. There are quite a few close ups where I find her absolutely exquisitely gorgeous. Also, Billie Burke is her usual delightful self. And speaking of close ups, there were a couple of points in the film where I was moved to think about how she was 54 years old when Merrily was released, and she looked half that. She was ageless...as far as keeping her looks together, she was the Joan Collins or Helen Mirren of her time (minus the sexual component).

"You will not hear me scream!" "I Will.
But it is not your screams I want.
Only your life."

[–] MissMellieY 11 years ago

BadAsCan, I do agree with you that Constance was a love lady and really, not a bad actress. I suppose it really is not fair to compare her to Lombard. Now, you are COMPLETELY on target with regard to Billie Burke. Actually, comparing her performance with that of Alice Brady's in the mother role, there is no comparison. Billie's was really the better performance. And as for the "sexual component", looking at a picture of her as Glinda in The Wizard of Oz, she was 55 and has a bit of that sex appeal...maybe not a Helen Mirren (I find Joan over the top), but definitely she had that...something.

In Merrily We Live, I found Bonita Granville and Tom Brown's characters extrememly annoying. Gail Patrick a litte more palatable.

It IS interesting that Alan Mowbray is in BOTH pictures, though!

"A man's kiss is his signature" -- Mae West

[–] tesab-1 11 years ago

Constance Bennett could hold her own. She is equally great in Topper with Cary Grant...

[–] MissMellieY 11 years ago

I definitely agree with you with regard to Topper. She did a great job in that one.

"A man's kiss is his signature" -- Mae West

[–] rebekahrox 10 years ago

I found the acting very stagy and theatrical. Exaggerated gestures and mugging. Especially from Aherne and Bennett. Billy Burke is delightful, always. Bonita Granville is a favorite, but again her acting in this one is not as good as in the Nancy Drews. Found it very much a poor man's My Man Godfrey. disappointed.

[–] 398 10 years ago

While My Man Godfrey is one of my all-time favorites, I just watched Merrily We Live and liked it a lot. Godfrey is a tad better, but Merrily is fun all the way and I will certainly enjoy re-watching it often.

*I only remembered Clarence Kolb as the old boss on My Little Margie, and it was a revelation seeing him doing pratfalls. He was very limber for a man his age.