He'll make his appearance when, the clock on the wall, strikes 10!

Rating: 9/10 (21 July 2008)

Fredonia is a country in economic crisis going begging to Mrs Teadale to borrow money. Due to the disastrous way that the politicians are running things she states she will lend the small European country the money but only on condition that Rufus T Firefly is placed in charge. However once Rufus (Grougho) is placed in charge anarchy breaks out and the country winds up at war with its nearest neighbour Sylvania.
This is the Marx Brothers finest contribution to screen comedy with Groucho on the form of his life with dialogue that is so sharp you suspect he may cut himself, he talks like he is afraid that if he stops speaking nothing may come out again, his performance is dynamic, fierce and fantastically bizarre. Chico plays his usual shifty fake Italian self and is as stupid as ever cracking a variety of puns that range from the atrocious to the "I can't believe I am laughing at such a poor joke" level. Harpo is magnificent and his facial expressions and slapstick skills are great here. Zeppo, as ever, has little to do, but does it well. Margaret DuMont is superb as the straight man playing like this is the most serious drama ever and hamming up like her life depends on it. Leo McCarey's direction is great and the stand out moment that everyone remembers is the mirror sequence which is just superb and is worth getting the DVD for this alone. If you don't have this DVD get it. It should be in everyone;s comedy collection.
Last thing of interest is the history of the film which I always thought was interesting in a world where life really does imitate art. Moustached dictator takes charge of European nation plunging it into war, an Italian turncoat changes sides when things go bad. Less than 10 years later Duck Soup played out for real as a tragic drama in the real Europe, which I always thought was an eerie coincidence.
Now you have something new to think about.
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