All trace of reason and logic are joyfully cast aside in this wild comedy starring the muchloved 30s comics the marx brothers. Gloria teasdale margaret dumont is unwilling to continue to finance the countrys treasury unless rufus t. Firefly is named presidentdictator of bankrupt freedonia and declares war on neighboring sylvania over the love of wealthy mrs. This is real comedy courtesy of director leo mccarey, the credited screenwriters bert kalmar, harry ruby, arthur sheekman and nat perrin and four marx brothers, with invaluable support from margaret dumont, edward kennedy, louis calhern and raquel torres. The marx brothers were an american family comedy act that was successful in vaudeville, broadway, and motion pictures from 1905 to 1949. This 1933 movie is one of the best comedies ever made, using the typical marx brothers formula of continuing antics. Five of the marx brothers feature films were selected by the american film institute afi as among the top 100 comedy films, with two of them duck soup and a night at the opera in the top 12. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading hail, hail, euphoria. It is especially noted for its anarchic style and effective satirization of war. Groucho marx becomes president of an imaginary country called freedonia.
In casual terms, it has all the trappings we associate with a marx brothers picture. Marx brothers duck soup satire still delights audiences. Its jokes and gags come quickly and constantly in a barrage of ratatattat amusement. We no show up, this is the epitome of the marx brothers movies. The marx brothers greatest and funniest masterpiece the classic comedy duck soup 1933 is a short, but brilliant satire and lampooning of blundering dictatorial leaders, fascism and authoritarian government. Hired as an our gang gagwriter by hal roach in 1923, mccarey was. Its a movie which ridicules the leader of a country whose narcissism and rivalry manages to horrify, amuse or infuriate the international community and pushes him to create division and conflict. Duck soup is a 1933 precode marx brothers comedy film written by bert kalmar and harry ruby, with additional dialogue by arthur sheekman and nat perrin. In this 1933 marx brothers film, the mythical country of freedonia is broke and on the verge of revolution. For those new to the marx brothers, this is the perfect introduction to groucho, chico, and harpo and even zeppo, three of the funniest men to ever grace the screen. It takes place in freedonia, a small hilly country with an old castle, somewhat like liechtenstein. Duck soup the marx brothers left to right chico, zeppo, groucho, and harpoin duck soup 1933. Tour our photo gallery of all marx brothers films, ranked worst to best, including duck soup and animal crackers. Duck soup 1933 groucho marx and raquel torres in duck soup 1933.
Duck soup is a 1933 precode marx brothers film universally acknowledged as a comedy classic. The marx brothers are at their hilarious best in this insanely satirical comedic romp. Duck soup for those who love the marx brothers animal crackers, a night at the opera, that this movie is sideslappingly funny is a given. Dispite the short duration of it and the lack of more informations about mccareys storytelling, duck soup is one of the finest marx brothers film. Marx brothers duck soup rufus t fireflys introduction.
Filled with jokes about tinpot dictators, the marx brothers 1933 film duck soup resonates with the politics of the time, but its the wonderful. The marx brothers were an american family comedy act that was successful in vaudeville, on broadway, and in motion pictures from 1905 to 1949. If duck soup is about anything, its about the abuse of power and the absurdity of war. Written by bert kalmer, harry ruby, arthur sheekman, nat perrin. It is a fully funny, wholly highenergy romp whose only misfire may be that not every bit of wit flows organically from its narrative.
Duck soup 1933 groucho marx and raquel torres in duck soup 1933 groucho marx. Mccarey later used the same title for the classic marx brothers film, duck soup, which he directed for paramount pictures in 1933. When pressed, most select duck soup as the best of the marx brothers films, and its easy to see why. They were always missing from that box set, and now theyre available here to complete any true marx brothers fans collection. Apparently the marx brothers were over the moon when they received the news that duck soup had been banned in italy by benito mussolini since he believed the film to be making a. This picture marks the return of margaret dumont to the fold for perhaps the most bizarre marx brothers film ever made. No 7 best comedy film of all time film the guardian. This film also contains the famous mirror sequence. The marx brothers vaudevilleoriginated comedy requires a little acclimatisation now, but the silliness. Not to be missed, duck soup is one of the marx brothers most popular films. Bert kalmar story, harry ruby story, arthur sheekman additional dialogue, nat perrin additional dialogue actors. Starring groucho, chico, and harpo marx, and margaret dumont.
Despite the title, this film has little to do with ducks or soup. They might have even known that the marx brothers considered making a film version of of thee i sing at one point. The film, produced by herman mankiewicz, was prepared during the crisis period of. Best of all, however, was duck soup 1933, starring the marx brothers. Firefly, the hilarious dictator of mythical freedonia. His brothers harpo, chico and, the one nobody remembers, zeppo marx all become involved in some way or other their even less well known brother gummo marx is not in the film at all. Nearly eighty years after its release, the marx brothers film duck soup remains one of the most influential pieces of political satire in history. Duck soup won its place in the national film registry in 1990. Marx are at their very best in the political satire duck soup which is. This countrys going to war duck soup sequence youtube. The duck soup audience would have recognized the line and recalled that of thee i sing was, like duck soup, a political lampoon.
Five of the marx brothers thirteen feature films were selected by the american film institute afi as among the top 100 comedy films, with two of them, duck soup 1933 and a night at the opera 1935, in the top fifteen. Like all marx brothers movies, it is an anarchic farce with a. The 1933 film is an outlier in the marx oeuvre, mostly in ways that relate to its epic scale. Moreover, duck soup marks the only time in their film career when the marxes worked with a firstrate director who knew how to direct a marx brothers film. Rufus t firefly, a cynical reprobate, is foolishly appointed president of freedonia when his rich sponsor mrs. The story begins in the vaguely european country of freedonia, which is nearly bankrupt due to. The war scenes at the end of the film are incredibly surreal for the time. It was one of the first films to openly mock the rising fascism in europe. Hail, hail, euphoria presenting the marx brothers in. Teasdale margaret dumont, freedonias principal benefactress, will lend the. Duck soup 1933 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Very often, when people discuss film directors, they restrict themselves to those widely perceived as the great auteurs the ones with. Duck soup 1933 official trailer marx brothers movie hd youtube. National film registry, this comedy classic features some of the most.
Harpo and chico are commissioned as spies by grouchos political rival, the calculating trentino louis calhern. What the marx brothers duck soup can teach us about trump. With groucho marx, harpo marx, chico marx, zeppo marx. The story begins when the totally unqualified rufus t firefly becomes dictator of the shambolic country of freedonia, and is soon involved in a senseless war with nextdoor sylvania but the plot is barely relevant in a film this hilarious, where all that. The title duck soup appears to have nothing to do with the rest of the movie. The marx brothers, groucho, chico, harpo and zeppo are a group of actors known for duck soup 1933, animal crackers 1930 horse feathers 1932 a night in casablanca 1946 a day at the races 1937 and a night at the opera 1935. And the marx brothers groucho, chico and harpo sorry zeppo. The final song of the 1933 marx brothers film duck soup.
He only renewed his contract at paramount when told the marx brothers had quit. Presenting the marx brothers in duck soup, the greatest war movie ever made. In 1935 wood had his first major hit with a night at the opera. Released theatrically by paramount pictures on november 17, 1933, it starred the four marx brothers groucho, harpo, chico, and zeppo and also featured margaret dumont, louis calhern, raquel torres and edgar kennedy. The film wasisduck soup and it recently celebrated its 85th anniversary. The sketch on which the film was based was written by stan laurels father, arthur j. Duck soup 1933 official trailer marx brothers movie hd subscribe to classic trailers.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. A pointed political satire, duck soup is the marx brothers funniest and most insane film. Directed by leo mccarey and released in 1933, it was also their final film for paramount pictures. The marx brothers created a body of work in which individual films are like slices from the whole, but duck soup 1933 is probably the best. This film is usually billed as a political satire, but political farce is more accurate. The marx brothers fifth film and, in the eyes of the public, in tough competition with a night at the opera as their best. Yet appreciation for this anarchic, hilarious movie has grown through the years, and many justifiably regard duck soup as the ultimate marx rothers work, the. The action takes place in the mythical country of freedonia. Is that racist line still in the version shown today. They are widely considered by critics, scholars, and fans to. Firefly, the cynical, sarcastic, and moneyhungry leader of a fictional. Presenting the marx brothers in duck soup, the greatest war movie ever made kindle edition by blount jr. Deprived even of this status in duck soup, zeppo finally walked.
Edmund goulding directed some scenes, but his work was. The new york post reported on 17 may that the marxes would make a new comedy for. Duck soup, american screwball comedy, released in 1933, that is considered to be among the marx brothers best films. The marx brothers, groucho marx, harpo marx, chico marx plot. They began their careers in vaudeville, before becoming stars in the movies. The marx brothers collection animal crackers, monkey business, duck soup, horse feathers rated. Indifferently received when it opened, duck soup has since been celebrated as one of hollywoods most memorable war films. You might think it would be nigh on impossible to direct the supremely anarchic marxes, but look how much tamer their later films were.
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