In 1999, the original version of My Man Godfrey was deemed "culturally significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.

During the Great Depression, Godfrey Smith lives with other homeless men at a New York City dump in a Hooverville by the East River.

In the ballroom of the Waldorf-Ritz Hotel, Irene's businessman father Alexander Bullock waits resignedly, as his ditsy wife Angelica and her mooching protégé Carlo play the game.

Upon hearing this, Irene impulsively announces her engagement to a surprised Charlie Van Rumple, but breaks down in tears and flees after being congratulated by Godfrey.

Godfrey explains that when he lost the woman he loved, he considered suicide, but the undaunted attitude of the homeless men living at the dump rekindled his spirits.

The Bullocks send their daughters to Europe to help Irene get over her broken engagement to Charlie, but when they return, her feelings for Godfrey have not changed.

That studio purchased the film rights and assigned Hatch to write the script with Morrie Ryskind, who received top billing for the screenplay.

As part of the deal, Universal loaned Paramount's Margaret Sullavan for the film I Love a Soldier, and Lombard's clothes designer, Travis Banton, accompanied her.

"[15] Due to insurance considerations a stand-in stuntman (Chick Collins) was used when Godfrey carried Irene over his shoulder up the stairs to her bedroom.

Film crew described star Lombard as "a good egg" who "never stands on ceremony,... impulsive,... outspoken... extremely frank," always "gay," and particularly "a friend to everyone" who worked with her.

[14] When tensions hit a high point on the set, Lombard had a habit of inserting four-letter words into her dialogue, often to the great amusement of the cast.

This made shooting somewhat difficult, but clips of her cursing in her dialogue and messing up her lines can still be seen in blooper reels, along with four-letter words from Powell.

[10][17][18] It was the first film released under the aegis of Charles Rogers and was given a big premiere at The Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, with comedian George Jessel as master of ceremonies.

[20] Writing for The Spectator in 1936, Graham Greene gave the film a moderately positive review, characterizing it as "acutely funny [for three-quarters of its way]".

[21] Modern critics have praised it as enduring amusement, and truth, and as a "landmark" icon of the 1930s screwball comedy film concept, and the overall craft of filmmaking.

[10][17][22][23][24] In 1999, the film was selected for the Library of Congress's National Film Registry (NFR) of motion pictures "selected for... historical, cultural and aesthetic contributions," saying that "Carole Lombard sparkles [at] one of her greatest roles," in this "comedic take and sometimes caustic commentary on the Great Depression," adding "William Powell portrays Godfrey with knife-edged delivery," in "one of the most exemplary screwball comedies of the 1930s."

He praised the film, and "the actors in it,... its style of production," even... "the system that produced it," as an escape from today's "pop culture of brainless vulgarity.

[39] It was also adapted to radio in a half-hour version on the October 2, 1946, episode of Academy Award Theater, again starring William Powell.

[40] When the film was remade in 1957, David Niven played Godfrey opposite June Allyson, directed by Henry Koster.

[41] A stage musical version of My Man Godfrey, produced by Allan Carr and written by librettists Alan Jay Lerner and Kristi Kane and composer Gerard Kenny, was intended for Broadway in 1985,[42] but remained uncompleted at the time of Alan Jay Lerner's death in 1986.