Duck Soup

Rating: 8/10 (8 August 2010)

From director Leo McCarey (An Affair to Remember), I was expecting this to be just as much fun to watch as The Marx Brothers classic A Night at the Opera was, I did enjoy bits. Basically the small country of Freedonia needs rescuing for bankruptcy, and eccentric, cynical and sarcastic dictator Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho Marx) is elected the new president so that Mrs. Gloria Teasdale (Margaret Dumont) will donate $20 million. Firefly refuses to act on politics like a professional would, for example he reduces workers' hours by shortening their lunches, he almost treats the country he now runs like a toy. To make more people appreciate him he attempts the same idea that the Ambassador Trentino of Sylvania (Louis Calhern), to marry Mrs. Teasdale. Unfortunately the two leaders declare war on their countries because they won't settle this fight over the rich bird, Mrs. Teasdale's house is victim to these attacks. Also starring Harpo Marx as Pinky, Chico Marx as Chicolini, Zeppo Marx (in his final appearance) as Lt Bob Roland - Firefly's Aide, Raquel Torres as Vera Marcal, Edmund Breese as Zander, Leonid Kinskey as Sylvanian Spy-Agitator #1 (as Leonid Kinsky), Charles B. Middleton as Prosecutor and Laurel and Hardy's Edgar Kennedy as Bald street vendor. It probably is a good idea that I see it again one day, as I can't remember much of it, apart from some good one liners, and it is quite often heralded as the most popular of the brothers' films, it is certainly a comedy film I wouldn't not see. The Marx Brothers were number 20 on 100 Years, 100 Stars - Men, the film was number 85 on 100 Years, 100 Movies, it was number 40 on The 50 Greatest Comedy Films, and it was number 5 on 100 Years, 100 Laughs. Very good!