Harvard School of Business My Man Godfrey and Stagecoach Films Discussion

My Man Godfrey

The arrival of “talkies” in 1927 with The Jazz Singer caused a revolution in how movies were manufactured and shown.

1. What kind of talent and creative personnel were required for a film like Godfrey that were not necessary for silent films a decade earlier?
2. My Man Godfrey is considered a “Screwball Comedy.” The word “screwball” is a baseball term. Having watched the film, why do you think the label “Screwball Comedy” was applied to the film? Which aspects of the film earn the label?
3. The Great Depression hit in 1929. How is the Great Depression depicted in Godfrey, and what part does it play in the story, the characters’ development, and the ending?

Stagecoach

This film revived and elevated the Western genre which had always been popular in American films, but had become a “B Movie” staple with lesser budgets and lesser stars by 1939.

1. Which aspects of the production, direction, cast and story account for Stagecoach‘s impact on the genre? What part does the landscape play in the film?
2. The film is populated with clearly defined characters from different classes and backgrounds. How would you say the class conflicts of the Great Depression are personified in the film? What part does the Civil War play in the film?
3. What did you think of the portrayal of the Native Americans in the film?
4. This film made John Wayne a movie star. Have you seen other films starring John Wayne or do you have a favorite John Wayne film?