Unlike "Ninotchka" (1939), with its witty innuendos and tight screenplay, "Merrily We Live" is a wacky, completely irreverent screwball comedy, similar to the style of "Philadelphia Story" (1940)or "Bringing Up Baby" (1938). I laughed through the whole movie, sometimes so hard I couldn't even breathe! It is a tongue-in-cheek look at philanthropy, and thoroughly joyous. Billie Burke is brilliant, Brian Aherne a handsome and charming rogue, and Constance Bennett lovely and amusing. I too wonder why this has not been released on DVD. After all, it did garner five Academy Award nominations (but won nothing). What does it take to get MGM to release this on DVD?

...that it's basically a remake of "MY MAN GODFREY"? I can't be the only person to have noticed this. It's a screwball comedy about a hobo taken in as butler for a wealthy but eccentric family. There's the exasperated father, airhead mother, two daughters each with ulterior motives, wisecracking other servants, and the handsome young man who seems a little too polished to be a tramp. Even right down to the closing water-splashing payoff involving the leading man and the ingénue.

But to this film's credit, it's worthy of viewing in its own right. The gags are clever, the dialogue is sharp, and the plot is well-structured and fast paced. Solid screwball comedy with a great cast: Constance Bennett, Billie Burke, Alan Mowbray, Patsy Kelly, and young Bonita Granville. It's a forgotten classic only because people remember MY MAN GODFREY better.

Copyright 28 February 1938 by Loew's Inc. New York opening at the Capitol: 17 March 1938 (ran one week). The VintageFilmBuff DVD runs 86 minutes.

NOTES: The stage play on which the movie is allegedly based, "They All Want Something", opened on Broadway at Wallack's on 12 October 1926 and ran 63 performances. Tennis ace, Bill Tilden, played a young millionaire who masquerades as a tramp.

The movie was nominated for no less than five of Hollywood's most prestigious awards: Best Supporting Actress, Billie Burke (won by Fay Bainter in Jezebel); Best Photography (won by Joseph Ruttenberg for The Great Waltz); Best Art Direction (won by Carl J. Weyl for The Adventures of Robin Hood); Best Sound Recording, Elmer Raguse (won by Thomas Moulton for The Cowboy and the Lady); Best Song (won by Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin for Thanks for the Memory). Oddly, the clever screenplay with its wacky but believable situations and engagingly witty dialogue did not receive any nominations.

COMMENT: Here we have a well-loved movie, beautifully made by some of Hollywood's best talents – both in front of and behind the camera – that still holds up well in 2012. In other words, it offers grand entertainment thanks to its amusing script, the charisma of its players and the stylish, punchy direction. On the other hand, the film just missed out on Hollywood's premier awards, is rarely broadcast on TV, and is no longer available on DVD. A pity! I regard this as by far Brian Aherne's best performance. For once he has a role that not only suits his personality right down to the ground, but that he can play with flair. Despite the best efforts of such accomplished scene stealers as Billie Burke and Alan Mowbray, Aherne dominates the movie with seemingly effortless ease and even manages to transcend the fleeting impression of a photographed stage play that some of the other players – particularly Clarence Kolb – give us from time to time. (Mind you, although Kolb overplays the role, he still delivers at least one really astonishing surprise). As usual in a 1930s movie, the support cast, led by the delightfully obnoxious Phillip Reed and the wonderfully pained Sidney Bracey – and not to forget the super-lovely Ann Dvorak – also gain their share of our admiring attention.