Thin Broth

Rating: 6/10 (17 October 2006)

This is one of those movies that I think suffers unfairly because of the temporal distance between us and the 'times' in which it arose. I remember this being much funnier when I first saw it about thirty years ago.
Look at what we had back in the 30s: massive unemployment, resentment against the monied classes, strong isolationist feelings in the U.S. against Europeans and their internecine wars...
This comedy is based on average Americans goofing on upper class twits; the message is that wars are started by uncaring aristocrats over ridiculous points of honor.
So Groucho spends the entire movie insulting the twits. Dumont, the good sport, plays it straight as the chief target. Note how she is insulted, but is too polite to respond. There are several warpings: Groucho in his own 'reality', with which we are supposed to laugh, and the 'reality' inhabited by those we laugh at. The 'reality' of the musical portions is somewhat overcooked.
Apart from this, the only skit of real cinematic interest is the 'mirrored Grouchos' scene -- if for no other reason, see it for this -- at least that part has aged well.