You know what would go great with this film?

Rating: 9/10 (19 June 2012)

A big glass eliminate.
"Duck Soup" is often hysterical madcap comedy, showcasing the legendary Marx Brothers unit to great effect. The songs are catchy, the energy incredible, and the delivery breathless. Many of the comedies of today have got nothing on this level of invention, satirical detail, and genuine belly laughs. The irrepressible Groucho is Rufus T. Firefly, elevated to the position of president / dictator of tiny, financially strapped country Freedonia. Rufus's cheeky and sardonic ways only serve to create problems, not the least of which is rubbing the leader of the neighbouring country Sylvania the wrong way. The one liners come fast and furious, and the cast plays the entire thing to perfection. Among the many set pieces are the repeated scuffles Harpo and Chico, as spies Pinky and Chicolini, get into with a street vendor, the sight of three Grouchos running about (as Pinky and Chicolini masquerade as Rufus in order to get their hands on valuable battle plans), and of course the one sequence everybody remembers, the mirror sequence, which is old style vaudeville at its best. Margaret Dumont is a delight in her perpetual "straight woman" role, often uttering her lines in a priceless sing song style. It's too bad that this would be the last time that Zeppo would act with his brothers, as he's given a fair amount to do here, and one of the biggest joys is seeing the brothers performing together near the end. Harpo gets some big laughs with his silent comedy; the moment where he's showing off his tattoos is a riot. Clocking in at a tight 69 minutes, the movie maintains a fine forward momentum and builds towards a priceless finale where, among other things, Rufus fires on his own soldiers! Overall this is an absolute must for any comedy fan, as it starts brightly and keeps coming up with enough witty exchanges to make for very pleasant viewing. Nine out of 10.