Sick Product of a Sick System

How sad is this?

Fantastic!

A Disappointing Continuation

The second and last Marx Brothers film produced by the legendary Irving Thalberg, who had brought the brothers to MGM, but died quite young during the production of this film. Like the prior "A Night at the Opera" it was considerably longer(110 min.) than the last two films they did at Paramount, and the subsequent films at MGM or RKO. Like "A Night at the Opera", in addition to the usual piano and harp playing of Chico and Harpo, the music is mostly packaged in 2 classy productions. Alan Jones is back to lead the singing in both, although they are not operatic,like in the previous film. There is dancing in both, although of very very different styles! The first, played to "On Blue Venetian Waters", features a whole troupe of ballerinas, a fountain and reflecting floor. Vivian Fay is featured in part of this show as the sole dancer....The second production features 3 songs "Tomorrow is Another Day" is sung by Jones. Sandwiched between the beginning and end of Jones' sing are 2 numbers sung by the all African American Crinoline Choir, sometimes featuring Ivie Anderson, borrowed from the Duke Ellington Orchestra. The first is the familiar "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen. The second is "All God's Chillin Got Rhythm", also featuring Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, who entertained with extreme jitterbug dancing....In addition to his harp solo, Harpo played the piano after Chico finished. As you might expect, he managed to totally destroy the piano when he got over excited.So much for the musical portions. What about the comedy? The first approximately quarter of the film is relatively lacking in comedy. until a goon sent by banker Morgan to take the race horse Hi Hat is foiled by Chico and Harpo, who ride off to temporary safety.Next, Morgan tries to discredit Groucho(a veterinarian and presently a pseudodoctor) by introducing him to a willing statuesque blond(Flo, played by Esther Muir). Groucho invites her up to his room. Chico and Harpo soon arrive to try to encourage Flo to leave. They try several tricks until they arrive again as paperhangers, plastering the wall and over Groucho and Flo. Groucho then performs his unorthodox examination of wealthy widow Emily((Margaret Dumont) with the aid of Chico and Harpo, and with an observing doctor present. Finally, Hi Hat(horse) enters the examining room, and the boys make their getaway. The boys hide in Hi Hat's stable until Morgan and the sheriff arrive to arrest them. Quite a melee ensues, with Hi Hat also getting some kicks in.Looks like Hi Hat won't be able to make a steeple chase, but the brothers come up with some drastic measures to delay the start until Hi Hat can hopefully be brought to the track. The race has a few major irregularities, and it looks like Hi Hat lost, but.... Yes, this is one of the better Marx Brothers films, although I don't bother with a definitive ranking, as most are of generally excellent quality. Some reviewers complain that the musical portions are too intrusive of the comedy, and unrelated to the story. Louis B. Mayer, among others, believed that even knockabout comedy films should include some classy musical numbers, and that musicals should include some comedy.As with most topnotch comedy teams, the Marx Brothers thrived on members with very different appearance and stage personality. In being silent(except for his horn and whistle) and clown-like in appearance and behavior, Harpo mimics the traditional circus clown and, to a lesser extent, a few of the clowns of silent films. Thus, the Marx Brothers incorporated the potential of silent film comedy into an otherwise talkie comedy. I'm not familiar with any other comedy team of that era that did the same.

Classic Marx Bros. comedy with the boys trying to help lovely Maureen O'Sullivan keep her sanitarium open while evil Douglas Dumbrille tries to turn it into a casino. Groucho plays Dr. Hugo Hackenbush, a veterinarian posing as a human doctor to bilk wealthy hypochondriac Margaret Dumont. Their scenes together are priceless, as they always were. Maureen O'Sullivan is perfection in everything and here she brings out a kinder, gentler side of the Marx Bros. Leonard Ceeley is great as Dumbrille's co-conspirator who runs afoul of the Marxes and lives to regret it. Esther Muir is a riot as a blonde floozy who gets more than she bargained for while trying to seduce Groucho. A terrific Marx Bros. film with many memorable lines and scenes, including 'Tutsi Frutsi Ice Cream.' It's a little long but never dull. The musical numbers were never my favorite parts of the Marx films unless they were comedy songs that were part of the story, as in Animal Crackers or Duck Soup. Here, though, there is a great number called "All God's Chillun Got Rhythm." I'm sure it will be controversial to sensitive types today but it's a lively, upbeat number that always puts a smile on my face. It's one of the best musical numbers from any of the Marx films and just one of the many reasons I recommend you see this one.

Here's the Thing. If You Like Raw, Unfettered, Unpolished, Marx Brothers Without Sometimes Intrusive Overblown and Dated Musical Numbers, the Paramount Films are It. The MGM's were Ultra-Polished, Audience Tested, Over Thought, Overblown, and Slick.This is the Longest of the Brother's Movies and it Feels Like it. The Musical Numbers Go on and On and the Romantic Subplot with Alan Jones and Maureen O' Sullivan is as Sappy as it Gets, and the Conclusion, the Race Itself is So Overstuffed it Can Feel Like a Marathon.But, the Marx's Comedy Routines are Superb and Despite the Attention to Detail and the Glossy Production of the Ballet, it is the Jitterbugging, African-American Number, "All God's Chillun Got Rhythm" Combined with "Who Dat Man" that Highlight.The Zany Medical Examination, and Tutsi Frutsi Ice Cream Skits are Classic Marx Brothers Routines and are the Most Remembered. The Movie May Seem Long, and It Is, the Energy May Dissipate at Times, but Still, This is a Prime Marx Brothers Movie and Most Fans Place it in the Top Half of All Their Output.Paramount or MGM...Take Your Pick...In the End it's Still...The Marx Brothers...and You Can't Get Any Better in Depression Era, or Any Era, Comedy.

The Marx Brothers invade the world of thoroughbred racing...and create a lot of laughs in doing so.Maureen O'Sullivan of Tarzan fame is Judy, and she owns a sanitarium that is in serious financial trouble. One of the patients, a wealthy widow named Emily Upjohn (Margaret Dumont), has the funds necessary to help Judy, but she is planning to leave since the doctors cannot find anything wrong with her. She declares she will meet up with the doctor who did find something wrong with her, Dr. Hugo Z. Hackenbush (Groucho).Seeing a chance to help Judy, Tony (Chico) says that Hackenbush is coming to the sanitarium, which keeps Dumont from exiting the facility.Judy also has help from her boyfriend Gil (Allan Jones), who has invested in a racehorse named Hi Hat. His goal is to turn Hi Hat into a race winner, theoretically accumulating enough prize money so the sanitarium can be saved. The problem is that Hi Hat is not that good a racehorse.Hackenbush gets the notice to head to the sanitarium. He is a doctor, but a horse doctor. Of course, this creates mayhem that only the Marx Borthers could pull off.The protagonists all have their adversaries to deal with. A man named Morgan is out to take over the sanitarium and create a casino. Gil is short on cash to pay for expenses relating to Hi Hat, so the horse is in danger of being taken by the sheriff. Fortunately for Gil, Tony and Stuffy (Harpo, playing the role of the jockey) are ready to help if necessary.The Marx Brothers are great as usual in this picture. Groucho's one liners are consistently funny. Chico plays the kindhearted con artist very well, and he has his share of good lines, too. And Harpo just makes you laugh without ever speaking, and is great at it.The film also becomes part musical at a couple of points. Jones sings, Harpo plays the harp (what else?) and Chico plays the piano, and all three do a good job.There are a lot of memorable scenes in the movie. The race tips scene is a good one, as is when Tony and Stuffy try to sabotage Hackenbush's date with a woman. There are plenty of laughs at the track as well (which is actually Southern California's own Santa Anita Park). As of this writing, I have seen five Marx Brothers films, and this is my favorite. It is a good one, so if you want to laugh, watch "A Day at the Races."