Merrily We Live Overview:

Merrily We Live (1938) was a Comedy - Romance Film directed by Norman Z. McLeod and produced by Hal Roach and Milton H. Bren.

Academy Awards 1938 --- Ceremony Number 11 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best Supporting ActressBillie BurkeNominated
Best Art DirectionCharles D. HallNominated
Best CinematographyNorbert BrodineNominated
Best Music - SongMusic by Phil Charig; Lyrics by Arthur QuenzerNominated
.

BlogHub Articles:

Constance Bennett and Brian Aherne top the cast in "Merrily We Live"

By Stephen Reginald on Dec 4, 2022 From Classic Movie Man

Constance Bennett and Brian Aherne top the cast in "Merrily We Live" Merrily We Live (1938) is an American screwball comedy directed by Norman Z. McLeod and starring Constance Bennett and Brian Aherne. The supporting cast includes Ann Dvorak, Bonita Granville, Billie Burke, Tom Brown, Alan Mowb... Read full article


Merrily We Live! (1938): My Man Godfrey Redux

By 4 Star Film Fan on Dec 10, 2020 From 4 Star Films

What a harebrained movie this is in all the best ways. The origins of Merrily We Live themselves are a tad murky or, at the very least, convoluted. It’s purportedly based on the novel The Dark Chapter, which subsequently received a Broadway adaptation, They All Want Something. There was a film... Read full article


On Blu-ray: Constance Bennett and Brian Aherne in Merrily We Live (1938)

By KC on Sep 17, 2019 From Classic Movies

The lightly silly screwball comedy Merrily We Live (1938) was a pleasant revelation for me. Set in the world of the super wealthy, it centers on a family that lives in chaos, much like the brood in My Man Godfrey (1936). While this Hal Roach production isn’t quite as witty as Godfrey, it’... Read full article


One of 1938’s Wonders: Merrily We Live (1938)

By Virginie Pronovost on Jan 17, 2019 From The Wonderful World of Cinema

We often speak of 1939 as being one of the most prolific years in film history with the release of films like Gone With the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Mr. Smith Goes to Washingtonor Stagecoach. Consequently, it’s predecessor, the year 1938, often gets overlooked with no good reason. I remember a ... Read full article


DOUBLE BILL #11: Merrily We Live (1938) and My Man Godfrey (1936)

By Carol Martinheira on Feb 9, 2018 From The Old Hollywood Garden

DOUBLE BILL #11: Merrily We Live (1938) and My Man Godfrey (1936) On February 9, 2018 By CarolIn Uncategorized In many ways, Merrily We Live (1938) is the forgotten cousin of My Man Godfrey (1936). They are strikingly similar, plot-wise and character-wise, and yet, onl... Read full article


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Quotes from

Marian Kilbourne: [introducing the two Great Danes] His name is "Get Off the Rug." His is "You, too!"


Jerry Kilbourne: Maybe he didn't have a father.
Mrs. Emily Kilbourne: Oh darling, everyone has a father, that's one of nature's unwritten laws.


Mrs. Emily Kilbourne: Every night when I go to bed, I search myself.
Marian Kilbourne: Did you ever find anything?


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Facts about

Although not credited onscreen or noted by reviewers or the SAB, this film is so similar to What a Man (same plot and even many of the same character names) that the source of the screenplay must surely be the same for both films. 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.
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Best Supporting Actress Oscar 1938






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Also directed by Norman Z. McLeod




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Also produced by Hal Roach




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Also released in 1938




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