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      Merrily We Live

      Released Mar 4, 1938 1h 30m Comedy List
      Reviews 80% Audience Score 100+ Ratings The wealthy Kilbourne family is tired of Mrs. Kilbourne (Billie Burke) hiring ex-convicts as servants. After a servant steals the family's silver, Mrs. Kilbourne agrees to never hire another drifter for help. But when a rough-looking man named Rawlins (Brian Aherne) arrives at her doorstep, she cannot help but hire him as the new chauffeur. As Rawlins catches the eye of their oldest daughter, Jerry (Constance Bennett), the Kilbournes realize that he may not be the vagrant he claims to be. Read More Read Less

      Critics Reviews

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      Times (UK) Staff Times (UK) [Merrily We Live relies] neither on wit of dialogue nor on situation, but on the simple assumption that if everybody behaves in the manner of escaped lunatics not only the keeper but also those outside the asylum will be amused. Jul 8, 2020 Full Review Variety Staff Variety It's all in the acting and directing. Director Norman Z. McLeod has the knack of building up gags until he has three or four racing each other to the big laugh. Feb 23, 2012 Full Review Ann Ross Maclean's Magazine Merrily We Live is completely hay-wired for comedy and should make everybody happy, if slightly unhinged, for an hour and a half. Oct 8, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

      Audience Reviews

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      Audience Member This is hardly an original film, as it was apparently a variation on the 1930 film WHAT A MAN. Plus, it's amazingly similar to the 1936 hit film, MY MAN GODFREY. However, despite being so unoriginal, the overall film is amazingly watchable and a lot of fun. Like in GODFREY, the rich family that is the focus of the film is amazingly ditsy and....well, nuts! Unlike GODFREY, most of the insanity is concentrated into the mother (played by Billie Burke)--though as the film progresses, you come to realize they're all touched! As for Burke, her stupid schtick wears thin at the beginning of the film (making you wonder why the other family members haven't killed her). But, fortunately, as the film continues, she is given such wonderful lines of dialog that I really am glad they didn't kill her. Additionally, the rest of the family's dialog was great as well--showing that the writers were really hitting their mark. The film is about Burke's bizarre habit of bringing home hobos to rehabilitate them, though in many ways they were treated more like pets or toys than people. The rest of the family is sick of this because the hobos are usually thieves or opportunists, so it's no wonder that when Brian Aherne is taken in by Burke that the rest of the family is angry and wants Aherne to go. However, what's really strange is that although Aherne is dressed like a bum, he never WANTS to be saved by Burke and he more or less becomes a part of the family against his will! As the film progresses, like Godfrey, Aherne is obviously more than just a man down on his luck--leading to a dandy conclusion. The film has excellent and well-paced direction, wonderful writing and an excellent ensemble cast. It is actually quite surprising that this film isn't more well-known, as it's one of the better comedies of the 1930s. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Audience Member A forgotten screwball comedy that is a great little watch. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review kevin w This was made one year after "My Man Godfrey" and has virtually the same plot: a well-to-do family of nutty eccentrics takes in a homeless man and hijinks ensue, much to everyone's joy. It's fun, wacky, but still not as good as Godfrey. Billie Burke got a Best Supporting Actress nod, and Clarence Kolb has a stairway bit that is well performed. Alan Mobrey does his exasperated butler and Patsy Kelly her wiseacre maid. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member The cast is great with Constance Bennet and Billie Dove but the script, editing and direction is ordinary. Not a great movie but okay. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/12/23 Full Review Audience Member Merrily We Live is a humorous look at a goofy rich family that seems to be struggling because the matriarch likes to take in men off the street as charity cases. I loved the silly interactions of the family members as they all had their own wacky traits. This movie never shies away from the humor of the situations. In fact, it is fully embracing the comedy and at times becomes downright farcical. As one small example we are introduced early to the two dogs that are named “Get off the rug” and “You too!” At first I thought that was just the character making a joke, but through the rest of the film they are constantly called by those exact names. I was laughing more than once at this type of quirky joke, and I found each of the family members to be funny in their own way. But the highlights of the film came any time they were all gathered together. The plot revolves around the fact that all of these people have their own problems, and the mother brings in a man that they all assume is going to be another vagrant, who is just there to take advantage of them. But, as you might have guessed, he turns out to be something more, and possibly just what these people need. There are so many wonderful comedic situations that spring up from such a simple premise, but nothing can top the climax of the film. Things became quite slapstick at one point and I was laughing so hard that my face started to hurt. It was one of the funniest scenes I’ve watched in ages, and the timing was impeccable. Every time I thought they couldn’t make the same joke work again, the film went back to the well and I was cracking up once more. Merrily We Live is a delightful comedy and one I’m already recommending to others. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/14/21 Full Review steve d Nothing new but the acting is good. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Merrily We Live

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      Movie Info

      Synopsis The wealthy Kilbourne family is tired of Mrs. Kilbourne (Billie Burke) hiring ex-convicts as servants. After a servant steals the family's silver, Mrs. Kilbourne agrees to never hire another drifter for help. But when a rough-looking man named Rawlins (Brian Aherne) arrives at her doorstep, she cannot help but hire him as the new chauffeur. As Rawlins catches the eye of their oldest daughter, Jerry (Constance Bennett), the Kilbournes realize that he may not be the vagrant he claims to be.
      Director
      Norman Z. McLeod
      Screenwriter
      Eddie Moran, Jack Jevne
      Distributor
      Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
      Production Co
      Hal Roach Studios Inc.
      Genre
      Comedy
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Mar 4, 1938, Original
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Dec 1, 2020
      Runtime
      1h 30m