Plot less Classic

Rating: 9/10 (30 November 2013)

Even after seventy years, the Marx Brothers' first film is still a classic. Basically plot less, the film preserves for ever some of the group's most wonderful routines: the mirror sequence involving Chico and Harpo is quite simply brilliant. As the 'president' of Freedonia, Groucho has great fun with a script that positively crackles with one-liners and dreadful puns; viewers need to watch the film more than once in order to catch them all. Margaret Dumont has her usual role as the comic butt of many of the group's jokes, while Louis Calhern does what he can as a pantomime villain. The film is also notable for one of the few screen appearances of Zeppo; he doesn't have much to do, but does it adequately.