Probably the most watchable of all the Marx Bros. films...

Rating: 7/10 (9 April 2005)

First off, let me say I think Groucho Marx was at his funniest as host of a program called "You Bet Your Life" which today's kids have probably only heard about or seen on shows like Nickelodeon. There, his one liners were off the cuff, not made up by script writers, and he was genuinely funny ad libbing his way through a sometimes hilarious program with daffy guests who made it easy for him to kid the pants off them.
But in a Marx Bros. movie, all of the one liners are scripted, not ad libbed, as some of the reviewers here seem to think. The script for DUCK SOUP is fast paced nonsense, all of it bordering on the utmost absurdity, but managing to get the chuckles because it's the sort of romp one expects from the zany foursome.
Zeppo does well in a comparatively straight role, letting the gags bounce off him without resorting to mugging of any kind. Groucho lets go with the sort of insults (some of which are pretty mean natured) that would give Don Rickles pause. Harpo and Chico do their usual gags with great aplomb.
The classic mirror scene has already been praised to the skies. Edgar Kennedy with his slow burn has a few very good scenes with the boys, especially the one with the peanut stand and the lemonade.
But it's a tough choice between this and A NIGHT AT THE OPERA for my Marx Bros. favorite. Some jaunty background music would have helped put over the laughs better in many spots--in other words, a little too much silence in the background (the mirror scene, for example) makes the viewer aware he's watching a relic from the 1930s.
I can understand the enthusiasm by rabid Marx Bros. fans but I can see why the film may not have been the instant hit with audiences when initially released. Screwball comedy became even more of an art form after DUCK SOUP and has remained so.
The most interesting thing about watching a Marx Bros. film is waiting for the reactions (often as funny as the gags themselves) of Margaret Dumont. She's at her best here, playing the grand dame with great skill and good humor. DUCK SOUP wouldn't be the same film without her.