Merrily We Live

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Merrily We Live is a 1938 film directed by Norman Z. McLeod and starring Constance Bennett, Bonita Granville, Brian Aherne, Alan Mowbray, Billie Burke, Clarence Kolb, Tom Brown, Patsy Kelly, Willie Best, Marjorie Kane, and Ann Dvorak. The film was produced by Hal Roach for Hal Roach Studios, and originally released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The movie was extremely successful and garnered five Oscar nominations. The movie is considered one of the greatest comedy films of all time with its superb casting and acting, witty and sparkling dialogue, with the pets also making their comedic presence felt.

The screenplay is by Eddie Moran and Jack Jevne. The core story plot and characters are derived from What a Man (1930). This story plot is of the "forgotten man" (tramp, hobo, panhandler) being inadvertently forced into a position in a rich upper class household and the comedy of manners and errors which takes place. This same source was also used in My Man Godfrey in 1936 by the screenplay writer Eric Hatch who had earlier worked with McLeod, Jevne & Moran on Topper in 1937. Some critics have tried to claim that Merrily We Live was copy of My Man Godfrey (in which Alan Mowbray also stars) but the earlier movie has a very different story and does not come to par to the brilliant comedy and cast of Merrily We Live in all aspects. Other story sources attributed to the story plot include both the 1924 novel "The Dark Chapter; a Comedy of Class Distinctions" by E.J. Rath and the play "They All Want Something" has been added to the writers section. The play opened on Broadway in New York City, New York, USA on 12 October 1926 and closed in December 1926 after 62 performances.

The movie takes place at the Kilbourne family mansion which starts in the morning with butler Grosvenor (Alan Mowbray) discovering that the silver has been absconded by the latest tramp Emily Kilbourne (Billie Burke) has taken under her wings in her hopes of reforming fallen and destitute men much to the exasperation of the family. Later in the morning a new tramp Wade Rawlins(Brian Aherne)appears at the doorstep and is immediately adopted by Emily Kilbourne despite the efforts of the butler Grosvenor and her daughters 'Jerry' Geraldine (Constance Bennett) and Marian (Bonita Granville)to chase him off. The tramp shaved, washed up, and in uniform turns to be extremely handsome and very sure of taking care of himself. Further attempts to convince Mrs. Emily Kilborne to get rid of this tramp are made but this is like pouring water on a duck's back as Mrs. Kilbourne remains always blissfully unconcerned and diverted in her future plans. A comedy of errors, nighttime interludes with drunken family behavior and arrogant boyfriend, and some delightful flirting ensues resulting in Geraldine falling in love with the tramp. The tramp chauffeur and footman next accidentally becomes a guest at an important dinner party for Senator Harlan who takes to him and the immediate prey of Harlan's daughter Minerva (Ann Dvorak). The next morning the family discovers that the tramp Rawlins has ensconced himself in the guest room. It is impossible to throw him out as it is discovered that he is now a confidante of Senator Harlan and his daughter's target of affections. Geraldine overflows with jealousy as she sees Minerva Harlan (Ann Dvorak) flirting and making her moves on Rawlins at golf later that morning. After a fudge making spat with Geraldine, Rawlins then takes off for the rest of the afternoon and is not seen again much to the dismay of Geraldine. The next morning the newspaper reports Rawlins death much to the shock and dismay of the family, the cook and the maid. The previous night a store clerk believes he has been visited by Rawlins' ghost. A lot of fainting, ammonia, slipping on the floors, two-way door pileups, and flying jugs of water leads to the final scene. The story is interspersed with the sassy and mischievous Marian pulling pranks along with the pet dogs, parrot and fish making their hilarious presence integral to the story.

The film netted five Oscar nominations in total: Supporting Actress, Sound, Song, Art Direction and Cinematography. Billie Burke's performance as the lovable ditzy Emily Kilbourne in Merrily We Live (1938) resulted in her only Oscar nomination.