Daily Dialogue — May 2, 2017

GODFREY: Who are you?
IRENE: I’m Irene. That was my sister Cornelia you pushed in the ashpile.
GODFREY: Like me to push Cornelia’s sister?
IRENE: I don’t think I’d like that.
GODFREY: Then you’d better get out of here.
IRENE: Oh, you bet.

She prepares to return to her limousine parked on the street above.

GODFREY: Wait a minute! Sit down.
IRENE: I’m sitting.

Two fellow hobos walk over to Godfrey.

HOBO #1: What’s up, Duke?
HOBO #2: Need some help?
GODFREY: No thanks, boys. Got everything under control.

They leave; Godfrey turns to Irene.

GODFREY: Are you a member of this hunting party?
IRENE: I was, but I’m not now. Are they forgotten men, too?
GODFREY: Yes, I guess they are, maybe. Why?
IRENE: I couldn’t help but laugh. I’ve wanted to do that since I was six years old.
GODFREY: You wanted to what?
IRENE: Oh, push Cornelia in a pile of ashes. That was Faithful George with her. That really isn’t his name. He gets in everyone’s hair. His father’s the broker.
GODFREY: That’s very enlightening.
IRENE: Cornelia thought she was going to win, and you pushed her.
GODFREY: Could you follow an intelligent conversation for just a minute?
IRENE: I’ll try.
GODFREY: Well, that’s fine. Do you mind telling me just what a scavenger hunt is?
IRENE: Well, a scavenger hunt is exactly like a treasure hunt. In a scavenger hunt, you try to find something that nobody wants.
GODFREY: Hmmm, like a forgotten man?
IRENE: That’s right. The one that wins gets a prize, only there really is no prize. It’s just the honor of winning. The money goes to charity. That is, if there’s any money left over, and there never is.
GODFREY: Well, that clears the whole matter up beautifully.
IRENE: I’ve decided I don’t want to play any more games with human beings as objects. It’s kind of sordid when you think of it, when you think it over.
GODFREY: Yeah, well, I don’t know. I haven’t thought it over.
IRENE: I don’t like to change the subject, but whydo you live in a place like this? There’s so many other nice places.
GODFREY: You really want to know?
IRENE: Yes, I’m very curious.
GODFREY (sarcastically): Because my real estate agent felt the altitude would be good for my asthma.
IRENE: Oh, my uncle has asthma.
GODFREY: No!
IRENE: Well, I suppose I should be going now, shouldn’t I?
GODFREY: That’s a good idea.
IRENE: I want to see who won the game. I suppose it was Cornelia. She probably got another forgotten man by now.
GODFREY: If you took me with you, you’d win the game? Is that the idea?
IRENE: Well, I might if I got there first. But after seeing what you did to Cornelia, I’m not saying anything.
GODFREY: But you’d win if you got back first with me?
IRENE: It’d be awfully nice of you, but I don’t like to ask.
GODFREY: Let’s beat Cornelia.
IRENE: It wouldn’t be asking too much?
GODFREY: See, I’ve got a sense of curiosity, just the same as you have. I’d really like to see just what a scavenger hunt looks like.
IRENE: But I told you!
GODFREY: Yes, I’m still curious.
IRENE: Well, come on.
GODFREY: Thank you.

They walk to her limousine.

— My Man Godfrey (1936), screen play by Morrie Ryskind & Eric Hatch, play by Eric Hatch

The Daily Dialogue theme for next week: Meet-Cute. Today’s suggestion by Vincent Paterno.

Trivia: This was the first film to ever receive four acting nominations at the Academy Awards, and it did so in the year that the supporting categories were introduced.

Dialogue On Dialogue: Commentary by “How about the ‘meet cute’ from the greatest screwball comedy of them all, 1936’s ‘My Man Godfrey’? Here, Godfrey (William Powell) meets Irene Bullock (Carole Lombard) at his ‘residence,’ the city dump on the East River, after he pushes her snooty older sister Cornelia (Gail Patrick) into an ashpile, much to Irene’s delight as she looks on and Cornelia leaves.”