Duck Soup (1933)

Director:

Leo McCarey

Writers:

Bert Kalmar (story) and
Harry Ruby (story) ...

Release Date:

17 November 1933 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Plot:

Rufus T. Firefly is named president/dictator of bankrupt Freedonia and declares war on neighboring Sylvania over the love of wealthy Mrs. Teasdale.

Plot Keywords:

Animal In Title | Animate Tattoo | Fictional War | Singer | Cigar Smoking

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Groucho Marx	...	Rufus T. Firefly
Harpo Marx	...	Pinky
Chico Marx	...	Chicolini
Zeppo Marx	...	Lt. Bob Roland
Margaret Dumont	...	Mrs. Gloria Teasdale
Raquel Torres	...	Vera Marcal
Louis Calhern	...	Ambassador Trentino of Sylvania
Edmund Breese	...	Zander
Leonid Kinskey	...	Sylvanian Agitator (as Leonid Kinsky)
Charles Middleton	...	Prosecutor (as Charles B. Middleton)
Edgar Kennedy	...	Lemonade Vendor

Also Known As:

Cracked Ice (USA) (working title)
Firecrackers (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

68 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

France:U | Ireland:G | South Korea:All | UK:U | Australia:G | Germany:6 | Sweden:Btl | USA:Passed

Filming Locations:

Arbor Mansion, Pasadena, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The movie's line "You know, you haven't stopped talking since I came here? You must have been vaccinated with a phonograph needle." was voted as the #43 of "The 100 Greatest Movie Lines" by Premiere in 2007.

Goofs:

Continuity: When we first see Edgar Kennedy, a cord is visibly hanging from the back of his derby. The cord then disappears and reappears when Harpo switches hats with him.

Quotes:

Rufus T. Firefly: I got a good mind to join a club and beat you over the head with it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Naughty Nineties (1945)

Soundtrack:

The Sailor's Hornpipe

The Marx Brothers At Their Very Best

There are a lot of reasons why so many different reviewers suggest that "Duck Soup" is a genuine candidate for the funniest movie ever made. It has the Marx brothers at their very best, with rapid-fire laughs combining with a satirical "plot" that is very funny in itself, without getting in the way of the individual comedy sequences that are the real highlight of the film. Their timing and material are as good here as they ever have been.

The Marx brothers are still beloved today because when at their best, they treated their audience to a lot of riotous slapstick that cannot be watched without laughing, while at the same time rewarding their viewers for paying attention with a steady stream of puns, deadpan one-liners, brief sight gags, and other subtler humor. The more you watch, the more you notice.

"Duck Soup" has a lot of their very best material, and everyone has their own favorite scenes, whether it is the mirror sequence, or Chico and Harpo giving their report to Louis Calhern, or the street vendor scenes, or ... . The variety of comic settings and comic material is amazing, and when you add in the entertaining musical sequences (which again are particularly good in this one), it is a feast that never stops.

Any Marx brothers fan has seen this one several times, and does not need to be reminded what great fun it is. If you have never watched one of their films, give this one a try.