My personal favourite Marx Brothers comedy

Rating: 10/10 (14 August 2010)

There, I've said it. Although I absolutely love A Night at the Opera as well too, Duck Soup is my personal favourite Marx Brothers comedy for several reasons. First of all, I love the humour in the Marx Brothers movies, their movies have a rough-around-the-edges sort of humour that I feel is very unique. Secondly, Zeppo is given something to do- normally Zeppo comes across as underused and bland, but while he is not the funniest here he has something worthwhile to do. Thirdly, there is no love story or musical interludes, I have nothing against them, as A Night at the Opera actually had both and they worked, but when it interferes too much like it does in some of the Marx Brothers later comedies it can lessen the film's appeal a bit.
Fourthly, I love the dialogue- the insults, the puns, the witty exchanges between Groucho and Margaret Dumont, they are now comedy classics, something you can quote this day and still laugh about it with your friends. Fifthly, the mirror sequence is absolutely brilliant, in fact it is one of my all-time favourite scenes in a Marx Brothers film, along with the shenanigans inside Groucho's cabin in A Night at the Opera. Why do I like this scene? Well, it is very clever and surreal in how it's placed and how it's choreographed, and it is timed beautifully. It is one of those scenes that is always imitated and very rarely/never equalled.
Sixthly, I love the skill of the direction, it is very playful and clever. Seventh, Duck Soup is beautifully filmed, the sets, costumes and cinematography are great. Eigth, the story is a good one, it doesn't feel contrived or creaky but it compliments the comedy well. Ninth, the score is wonderful, quirky and very pleasant on the ears. Finally, I love the performances, all the Marx Brothers play their parts brilliantly, Groucho coming off best, while Margaret Dumont is great as the stately matriarch. Overall, a truly wonderful film and a gem of a comedy. 10/10 Bethany Cox