Reel Beans: A Film and Coffee Podcast

by Ben Schneider

Season 2

The Screwball Masterpiece That Mocked the Ultra-Rich | My Man Godfrey

What happens when a spoiled heiress finds a "forgotten man" at the city dump and hires him as the family butler? In 1936, it made for one of the sharpest, funniest, and most quietly radical comedies of the Depression era. This week, classic film expert Josh Rozett joins Ben to dig into MY MAN GODFREY (1936), Gregory La Cava's screwball classic starring William Powell as the mysterious Godfrey and Carole Lombard, the reigning queen of screwball, as the madcap Irene who can't stop meddling in his life. We get into what makes the film tick, why it still stings as class satire nearly a century later, and how a movie this funny smuggled in such a pointed message about wealth and inequality. In the cup: Stumptown Ethiopia, brewed in the moka pot, the humble, everyman's coffee maker that makes a bold, honest cup with no fuss and no frills. A fitting brew for a film about what's really hiding under the surface. Dig deeper: My Man Godfrey at the Criterion Collection: https://www.criterion.com/films/653-my-man-godfrey "My Man Godfrey: The Right Kind of People" (Criterion essay): https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/5928-my-man-godfrey-the-right-kind-of-people Bialetti Moka Express (Seattle Coffee Gear): https://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/products/bialetti-moka-express-stovetop-espresso-maker The History of the Moka Pot (Sunday Baker): https://sundaybaker.co/the-history-of-the-moka-pot/ Support the show: Website: reelbeans.com Listen: reelbeans.com/podcast Merch: reelbeans.com/merch Support Reel Beans: reelbeans.com/support Instagram: @reel_beans If you enjoy the show, follow, rate, and share it with a fellow film-and-coffee lover. It helps more than you'd think. Available now on all podcast platforms, or visit reelbeans.com/podcast. Sip. Watch. Repeat.

S2 · E10

Sep 15, 2026

1:05:02

Why Everyone Needs a 6-Foot Rabbit | Harvey (1950) Review

What if the kindest man in town is the one everyone wants to fix? Kathryn joins me for Harvey (1950), where Jimmy Stewart plays Elwood P. Dowd, a man whose best friend is a six-foot invisible rabbit and whose only real crime is being too pleasant for polite society. We dig into the question the film never answers. Does Harvey exist, or is he a figment of Elwood's imagination? You can't just blame the drink, because Veta sees him too. Then there's Formula 977, the serum that would make Elwood normal again, and the knot at the center of it. How often do we try to change the people we love, or ourselves, just to feel comfortable in a room? We get into Elwood's radical kindness, and we call out Dr. Chumley, who wants Harvey for himself while signing off on the shot that would take him from Elwood. Then the big one. Does the comedy at Chumley's Rest hold up in 2026, or does its take on mental health belong to 1950? We make the case both ways. Plus the trivia is loaded this time. Josephine Hull's Oscar win over a brutal field, the record million dollar rights deal that nearly sank the film, the censors who never let Stewart take a sip, and the Francis the Talking Mule cameo that almost was. COFFEE PAIRING Verve Vancouver Swiss Water Decaf, brewed Chemex, 40g to 600g. Here's the thesis. Decaf is Formula 977. It's coffee with the one thing removed that everyone swears makes it what it is, altered so it's acceptable to all of society, looking and smelling the same while missing its core. Swiss Water does it with no chemicals, one thing out and everything else intact, which is exactly what Veta is about to allow before she stops the needle. Notes of chocolate, honey, and almond. The chocolate hits right out of the bag. Skip the French Press on this one and let the Chemex give you the clean cup it deserves. So pour a cup that everyone says isn't real coffee, and settle in. Sip. Watch. Repeat. LINKS Watch Harvey: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/harvey | IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042546/ | Josephine Hull Oscar Speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFArR_cVtIU The coffee: https://www.vervecoffee.com/products/vancouver-swiss-water-decaf | How Swiss Water decaf works: https://www.swisswater.com/pages/coffee-decaffeination-process Cast deep dives: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Stewart | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephine_Hull Friends of the show, Cinescare: https://cinescarehorror.com/ REEL BEANS Website: https://reelbeans.com | Support: https://reelbeans.com/support | Merch: https://reelbeans.com/merch Instagram: @reel_beans | YouTube: https://youtube.com/@reelbeans Sip. Watch. Repeat.

S2 · E9

Sep 1, 2026

42:08

She Done Him Wrong (1933) — Come Up and Kick Ass Sometime | Kicking Horse Coffee

She Done Him Wrong (1933) — Come Up and Kick Ass Sometime Mae West didn't wait for permission. She wrote the play, sold it to Hollywood, and walked onto the Paramount lot with her own material, her own rules, and a wardrobe that made censors reach for their pencils. She Done Him Wrong is the film that made her a star, nearly broke the Hays Code all on its own, and gave us one of the most misquoted lines in cinema history. Ben and Danielle sit down with Diamond Lou -- the original bad girl of the Bowery -- and unpack what makes this 66-minute firecracker still feel dangerous nearly a century later. They dig into pre-Code Hollywood, Mae West's genius for self-invention, a young Cary Grant who barely gets a word in edgewise, and why "good" is such a relative term when you're this entertaining. The coffee? Kicking Horse Coffee's Kick Ass dark roast. Full-bodied, unapologetic, dark chocolate and molasses with a finish that lingers. Mae West didn't do subtle. Neither does this roast. Sip. Watch. Repeat. Stream She Done Him Wrong: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/she-done-him-wrong Kicking Horse Kick Ass: https://kickinghorsecoffee.com/products/kick-ass-coffee Guest: Danielle Aubuchon -- danielleaubuchon.com Support the show: reelbeans.com/support | Merch: reelbeans.com/merch Instagram: @reel_beans | YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reelbeans

S2 · E8

Aug 18, 2026

1:18:11

Autographs, Butterscotch Toffee, and Shirley | Bright Eyes (1934) | Boyer's Butterscotch Toffee Coffee

Shirley Temple brings pure joy and golden-age innocence to this week's double feature. Ben and returning guest Danielle Aubuchon dive into Bright Eyes (1934), the film that made Shirley a household name, plus the delightful Donald Duck short The Autograph Hound (1939) where Shirley steals the show. And what better pairing for Depression-era escapism and gumdrops-and-lollipops sweetness than Boyer's Butterscotch Toffee Coffee? A 50-year-old roasted favorite that's as unapologetically indulgent as Shirley Temple's infectious charm. GUEST Danielle Aubuchon | @danielleaubuchon | danielleaubuchon.com Where to watch: Bright Eyes: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/bright-eyes Autograph Hound: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8b0cvl Boyer's Butterscotch Toffee Coffee: boyerscoffee.com Reel Beans: reelbeans.com Support Reel Beans: reelbeans.com/support Shop Reel Beans Merch: reelbeans.com/merch Subscribe to Our Podcast: rss.com/podcasts/real-beans

S2 · E7

Aug 4, 2026

1:10:04

Viridiana (1961): Ban First, Baptize Later ft. Morally Offensive | Dark Matter Coffee

Explicit

In 1961, Luis Buñuel's Viridiana was banned in Spain and declared blasphemous by the Vatican. Centuries earlier, the Catholic Church condemned coffee as "the Devil's drink" due to its Islamic origins - only to later "baptize" it when it proved too delicious to resist. Same institution. Same playbook. This week Reel Beans teams up with Bill Holland of Morally Offensive Podcast to explore Buñuel's masterpiece - a biting satire on religious hypocrisy, the failure of idealism, and the gap between genuine faith and institutional corruption. Both hosts are sipping Dark Matter Coffee from Chicago: Ben with Devil's Lettuce and Bill with Unicorn Blood. In this episode: Why Viridiana was banned and declared blasphemous by the Vatican The Church's pattern: condemn first, baptize later The iconic Last Supper scene and why it still shocks Dark Matter Coffee: Chicago's rebellious roaster and why it fits perfectly MORALLY OFFENSIVE PODCAST Exploring films considered banned or offensive to the Catholic diocese, hosted by Bill Holland. Website: https://www.morallyoffensive.com Instagram: @morallyoffensivepod DARK MATTER COFFEE https://www.darkmattercoffee.com Ben's Pairing: Devil's Lettuce | Bill's Pairing: Unicorn Blood REEL BEANS Films paired with great coffee. Sip. Watch. Repeat. Website: reelbeans.com Instagram: @reel_beans Listen: https://rss.com/podcasts/real-beans/ RESEARCH & FURTHER READING Viridiana - Criterion Collection: https://www.criterion.com/films/373-viridiana The Viridiana Controversy Explained: https://www.slashfilm.com/723199/the-viridiana-controversy-explained/ Criterion Essay - "The Human Comedy" by Michael Wood: https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/423-viridiana-the-human-comedy Coffee: How "Satan's Drink" Spread to Europe: https://sacredfootsteps.com/2019/07/12/coffee-how-satans-drink-spread-to-europe-through-the-ottomans/ Pope Clement VIII & Coffee - Satan's Brew: https://www.papalartifacts.com/pope-clement-viii-coffee-satans-brew/

S2 · E6

Jul 21, 2026

1:28:47

Dorothy McGuire Double Feature: Seeing Past the Surface | Gentleman's Agreement & The Enchanted Cottage

Explicit

SHOW NOTES Episode Title: Dorothy McGuire Double Feature: Seeing Past the Surface | Gentleman's Agreement & The Enchanted Cottage Description: What do a journalist pretending to be Jewish and a disfigured war veteran falling in love in a magical cottage have in common? They're both about learning to see what's actually there instead of what we've been taught to see. In this double-feature episode, Ben and returning guest Danielle Aubuchon explore two Dorothy McGuire classics asking the same question: What happens when we're forced to see past the surface? Gentleman's Agreement (1947) confronts antisemitism through a journalist who poses as Jewish to expose "polite" prejudice. The Enchanted Cottage (1945) finds beauty in what society deems "imperfect"—a disfigured veteran and a "plain" woman who see each other clearly for the first time. Both films reveal McGuire's range and her gift for playing characters learning to see clearly—whether recognizing unconscious prejudice or discovering their own worth. We explore silent racism, the glass bottles metaphor, and "nice people" who hate prejudice but won't fight it. Paired with Counter Culture's Hologram blend—a coffee that reveals different flavors depending on how you approach it—this episode asks: What would change if we all just actually SAW each other? sip. watch. repeat. Films Discussed: The Enchanted Cottage (1945) - Dir. John Cromwell Gentleman's Agreement (1947) - Dir. Elia Kazan Coffee Pairing: Counter Culture Coffee - Hologram Blend Guest: Danielle Aubuchon | danielleaubuchon.com Featured Performances: Dorothy McGuire, Gregory Peck, Robert Young, John Garfield, Celeste Holm, Anne Revere, Herbert Marshall, Spring Byington, Mildred Natwick Links: Stream Gentleman's Agreement | https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/gentlemans-agreement Stream The Enchanted Cottage | https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-enchanted-cottage Counter Culture Coffee | https://counterculturecoffee.com Danielle Aubuchon | https://danielleaubuchon.com La Jolla Playhouse (co-founded by McGuire, Peck, Ferrer) | https://lajollaplayhouse.org Dorothy McGuire - TCM | https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/133081 Support Reel Beans: https://reelbeans.com/support | https://buymeacoffee.com/reelbeans | https://reelbeans.com/merch Connect: Instagram: @reel_beans | YouTube: @reelbeans | Website: reelbeans.com

S2 · E2

May 26, 2026

1:36:47

The Descent (2005) — What Grows in Darkness | Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee

Season 2 kicks off with a descent into darkness. Join Ben Schneider and Kathryn Horan as they explore Neil Marshall's THE DESCENT (2005) — now in Ben's top ten horror films. Six women. One unmapped cave. Creatures that shouldn't exist. And betrayals that cut deeper than any monster ever could. We're pairing this claustrophobic nightmare with Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee, because Kathryn had a brilliant insight: mushrooms literally grow in caves. What starts as a clever connection becomes something deeper as we explore the Finnish WWII origins of mushroom coffee and why Lion's Mane is exactly what you need when the walls close in. In this episode: Why the UK ending hits different (and harder) than the US version Juno's fatal mistake: when fight or flight goes horribly wrong What makes these women work when so many horror characters don't Neil Marshall's Argento/Fulci influences and how they shape the terror The affair subplot you might have missed Cave diving as metaphor for confronting truth Why all-female casts are still revolutionary in horror This one's intense, claustrophobic, and earned every scare. Let's descend. sip. watch. repeat. RESOURCES: The Film: The Descent (2005) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0486655/ Where to Watch - https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-descent The Director & Influences: Neil Marshall - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Marshall Dario Argento - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dario_Argento Lucio Fulci - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucio_Fulci The Coffee: Four Sigmatic Focus Organic Coffee Latte - https://us.foursigmatic.com/products/focus-organic-coffee-latte Connect with Reel Beans: Website: reelbeans.com Instagram: @reel_beans Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/reelbeans

S2 · E1

May 12, 2026

46:04

1 of 4

Reel Beans: A Film and Coffee Podcast

The Screwball Masterpiece That Mocked the Ultra-Rich | My Man Godfrey

Why Everyone Needs a 6-Foot Rabbit | Harvey (1950) Review

She Done Him Wrong (1933) — Come Up and Kick Ass Sometime | Kicking Horse Coffee

Autographs, Butterscotch Toffee, and Shirley | Bright Eyes (1934) | Boyer's Butterscotch Toffee Coffee

Viridiana (1961): Ban First, Baptize Later ft. Morally Offensive | Dark Matter Coffee

Top Gun (1986) | Danger Zones & Smooth Operators | Stumptown Nitro Cold Brew

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) | Peru Coffee

The Truman Show (1998) | Starbucks Veranda Blend

Dorothy McGuire Double Feature: Seeing Past the Surface | Gentleman's Agreement & The Enchanted Cottage

The Descent (2005) — What Grows in Darkness | Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee