A consistent delight

Rating: Null/10 (4 August 2006)

For years Mrs Teasdale has been bankrolling the Government of the small country Freedonia. However when they ask for another $20 million from her she insists that she'll only give it over on the condition that the current leader step aside for the influential statesman Rufus T Firefly. And so it is that the people of this happy country cry out in gladness for their new leader even though he does nothing to endear himself to his Government. As he does just what he pleases, the neighbouring country of Sylvania sends in Pinky and Chicolini as spies to try and find out something about Firefly. However with such people is positions of power, anything could happen.
Easily the best of the Marx Brothers' films, Duck Soup has the music and comedy that we expect from them but it also serves as a great satire on war, politics, religion, the justice system and many other targets from polite civilisation. The plot is thin if you are coming to it looking for a well rounded story with a start, middle and end but it does have these themes running through it and it means that it is never tiresome or repetitive. Of course at its heart the real reason we are all here is the great material that the brothers serve up. My favourite and most dominate aspect of the film is Groucho's material. He is so sharp and quick that it is easy to have one laugh after another drawn out of you. The musical numbers are stronger here than in other films  here they are funny and part of the narrative as opposed to other films where you get the feeling that they are playing instruments for the sake of it.
Groucho is great value and does well throughout. He is supported well by Chico although I always found Harpo to be quite limited. Zeppo makes an appearance as one of the dull brothers and doesn't make much of an impression. Dumont is a good sport and good fun in a role that mostly involves coping with Groucho's barbs. The rest of the cast mainly support the manic humour with Calhern being another example of someone just soaking it up as a good straightman.
This is a great film. Fans of the Marx brothers will love it as it is a sheer melody of irreverence, wit, intelligence and invention from start to finish. Everything works and it is a consistent delight.