Watching all their films, i had a hidden desire. I was hoping DUCK SOUP wouldn't get my highest accolades, because "conventional wisdom" picks that as the best, and a part of me rankles when i align with conventional wisdom. The verdict? SOUP is as great as anything they did - cain't be denied. I'd pick A NIGHT AT THE OPERA, though. Picking a "best" is silly subjectiveness, of course. I found BIG STORE profoundly lacking...yet when i saw it as a youth, perhaps my first marx film, it may have been the funniest thing i'd ever seen. Am i more discerning now? Perhaps. But it's possible there's someone out there who's about to see GO WEST for the first time, and maybe sixty years from now she'll still swear it's the funniest thing ever. And she'll be right. My own little marx dream is that all the bits edited out of the films because of the 1930 hayes censorship code, will be found.
THE COCOANUTS ** 1929
A bit slow, but charming from a "first-film" standpoint. It contains the classic "Why a duck?" scene.
ANIMAL CRACKERS **** 1930
Yay!!! Jump with joy! Or jump on joy, if you're feeling lucky! Or jump on her sister faith, if you're feeling religious! If you're lucky, she'll feel religious too! This film just plasters a goofy smile on you, so that your face hurts afterwards. Give these boys good lines, and there's no one better. George kaufman gave 'em great lines. One morning, i shot an elephant in my pajamas.
MONKEY BUSINESS **** 1931
Again, it would be hard to overstate the writer's importance...this time, those duties were brilliantly led by s.j. perelman. Margaret dumont is gone, but the luminous thelma todd almost outgrouchos groucho.
HORSE FEATHERS **** 1932
Oh professor, you're so full of whimsy. It slows down the teeniest bit at the end, but the richness elsewhere is undeniable. All four brothers performing a version of the song "Everyone Says I Love You", is unique (and uniquely delightful) in marx history. Does anyone have a line on why harpo chases girls, but reserves his true love for horses?
DUCK SOUP **** 1933
As frenetic anarchy goes, this was the high point. Why have one groucho, when you can have three? Does anyone have a tally on how many uniforms he wore in the final scene? Margaret is back, the piano/harp solos and thelma are sadly gone, but this final Paramount release proves that there was no absolute formula for their brilliance.
A NIGHT AT THE OPERA **** 1935
Comedic perfection. Not every four-star film can boast one iconic scene, let alone the two contained here: the stateroom and the contract. After DUCK SOUP, their career was nearly shelved and zeppo dropped out (though he was, by some accounts, the funniest brother offstage). They signed with MGM, and did their first collaboration with "genius" irving thalberg. This film marks a major change in style, as their new producer moved them from slapdash anarchy to sentimental friend of the underdog (though they had championed underdog lovers a bit before). If you want to make the point that their previous work demeaned women, i can't disagree. The harp/piano solos are gratefully back, and sam wood proves that a director need not have a pedigree in comedy or get along with his stars, to create a masterpiece. Sig ruman points his beard beautifully. Some complain that the grand production numbers and allan jones/kitty carlyle subplot slow down the story, and that the feel-good vibe is a flaccid substitute for a blanket indictment of society. I fancy a good blanket indictment as much as the next gal, but i disagree. A seamless film.
A DAY AT THE RACES *** 1937
Irving thalberg died midway through production, and it shows. Harpo was also injured. Maureen o'sullivan shines, allan jones is fine, and there are inspired moments, (tootsie fruitsy ice cream and a jaw-dropping ballet by vivien fay), but the film ultimately fails to rise above a general lethargy.
ROOM SERVICE * 1938
The budget was shoestring, which needn't have been fatal if the writing were up to par, but it weren't - zip and zing are nowhere to be found. Plus no piano, no harp, and no margaret. The brothers were only as good as their material.
AT THE CIRCUS **** 1939
Loveable, inventive, and inspired fun from start to finish. The harp, piano, and margaret are back! Plus "Lydia, the Tattooed Lady", and a priceless quip at the expense of the hayes code.
GO WEST *** 1940
What fun. How they managed to do an indian village scene in 1940, without being demeaning, is quite a trick.
THE BIG STORE ** 1941
Enjoyable, but that's faint praise. The stunts are ambitious and rewarding, but aside from quips, verbal humor is in short supply.
A NIGHT IN CASABLANCA ** 1946
This film just floats along, never bogging down...and always a step short of magic. The most likable non-winner you'll ever meet.
LOVE HAPPY **** 1949
Perhaps it was partly the knowledge that this was their final one, but i had a feeling of sweet happiness throughout the entire film. The brothers seemed more relaxed than ever before. No other marx picture has this much heart, due largely to the park scene with harpo and maggie, in which we see his home for the first time. Because of the unrushed pace, he's more real than ever...without losing one bit of his magic. He's what we all might be, if we weren't so dragged down by life. Happy just being happy, and making others happy. I suppose it's no coincidence that this was the only time a marx had a screenwriting credit...story by harpo (and probably also no coincidence that his character's name is simply "harpo"). The slower pace has only one drawback, it makes maggie's simpering, reliant-on-her-man quality a little hard to stomach. Ah, well. Groucho gets off another priceless zing at the expense of the hayes code, and the then-unknown marilyn munroe's appearance is unforgettable. The brothers do many of their scenes alone, and never all three together. But it's magic, so who are we to complain?
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