A Marxist´ Christmas: Groucho, Harpo, Chico, Zeppo, (Gummo)
Animal Crackers
1930, 98 min.
Directed by: Victor Heeraman
Script: Morrie Ryskind, George S. Kaufman
Music: Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby
Director of photography: George J. Folsey
Produced by: Ernst Fegtü
Act: Groucho Marx (Captain Jeffrey T. Spaulding), Harpo Marx (The Professor), Chico Marx (Signor Emanuel Ravelli), Zeppo Marx (Horatio Jamison), Margaret Dumont (Mrs. Rittenhouse), Lillian Roth (Arabella Rittenhouse), Louis Sorin (Roscoe W. Chandler), Hal Thompson (John Parker), Margaret Irving (Mrs. Whitehead), Kathryn Reece (Grace Carpenter), Robert Greig (Hives, the Butler), Edward Metcalf (Inspector Hennessy), The Music Masters (Six footman), Anna Roth (Girl), Donald MacBride (Bit Part)
Production: Paramount Public
This film of Animals Crackers was released in the Czech Republic under several different names: Psí suchary, Blázniviny, Lovci divoké zvěře.
A group of black men bring Groucho to the party of a wealthy family and introduce him as captain Spaulding, who has just returned from an African expedition. Chico - here an Italian musician - plays the piano and also performs in the role as a type of person who is able to advise himself in every situation. Curly-haired Harpo - silent faun who is enthusiastic over every mad thing - is introduced to society as a Professor, and after several foolish situations surrounding the switching of an original picture for a fake, he lulls everyone with paradise gas.
Groucho performers here as an experienced playboy who lives it up with his nonsensical characterisation of his stories (for example, when he hunted polar bears in Africa), but mainly he steals attention with his cynical anti-flatteries.
He flatters the housewife in a sweet, loving voice: "I would like to ask you - would you like to wash my socks for me?" or "You are looking so beautiful. Certainly you don't have such a long time before you retire."
No wonder that the film Animal Crackers, like the other films of the Marx Brothers, had such an enthusiastic influence on those European artists who promoted anarchic and vital exits from their works...
/taken from the text of Renata and Jan Jaroovi from the catalogue for the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival/
Duck Soup
1933, 70 min.
Direction: Leo McCarey
Script: Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby, Nat Perrin, Arthur Sheekman
Music: Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby
Director of photography: Henry Sharp
Edited by: LeRoy Stone
Production: Hans Dreier, Wiard B. Ihnen
Peforming: Groucho Marx (Rufus T. Firefly), Harpo Marx (Pinky), Chico Marx (Chicolini), Zeppo Marx (Bob Roland), Margaret Dumont (Mrs. Gloria Teasdale), Louis Calhern (Ambassador Trentino), Raquel Torres (Vera Marcal), Edgar Kennedy (Lemonade Dealer), Emund Breese (Zander), William Wothington (First Minister of Finance), Edwin Maxwell (Secretary of War), Leonid Kinskey (Agitator), Verna Hillie (Secretary), George MacQuarrie (First Judge), Fred Sullivan (Second Judge), Davison Clark (Second Minister of Finance), Charles B. Middleton (Prosecutor), Eric Mayne (Third Judge), Dale van Sickel (A Palace Guard), Blanca (Pinky´s Horse)
Production: Herman J. Mankiewicz (Paramount Productions)
The comedy Duck Soup follows the situation of events of the "government area" of fictitious state of Freedonie. The film is often labeled as a political satire, but the Marx Brothers denied that, believing it to be "clear humor".
Crazy Mr. Rufus T. Firefly is the hero. Rich Mrs. Teasdel (played by Margaret Dumont), asserts herself as the Dictator of Freedonie, because she finances the state budget herself. Firefly's situation is complicated by the intrigue of the Minister of the State Sylvanie, who would like to marry this wealthy woman.
Sylvanie has special agents for his intrigues: in addition to the nice girl, he has first and foremost Pinky (Harpo) with his horn under his waist and Chicolini (Chico). But do more harm than good.
The entire film ends in a foolish scene of enthusiasm of the State announcing war, and Marx' crowd wildly dance. The carnival crowd is proclaiming "Long Live the War", reminding one of the ecstasy of a religious rite or a New Year's Eve party.
/based on the text of Renata and Jan Jaroovi from the catalogue of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival /
A Night at the Opera
1935, 96 min.
Direction: Sam Wood
Script: George S. Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind, James Kevin McGuiness, Al Boasberg
Music: Herbert Stothart, Giuseppe Verdi, Song "Alone" Nacio Herb Brown (m), Arthur Freed (l), song "Cosi-Cosa" Bronislau Kaper, Walter Jurmann (m), Ned Washington (l)
Director of photography: Merritt B. Gerstad
Production: Cedric Gibbons
Editing: William Levanway
Sound: Douglas Shearer
Choreography: Chester Hale
Costumes: Dolly Tree
Performing: Groucho Marx (Otis P. Driftwood), Harpo Marx (Tomasso), Chico Marx (Fiorello), Margaret Dumont (Mrs. Claypool), Sig Ruman (Herman Gottlieb), Kitty Carlisle (Rosa Castaldi), Allan Jones (Riccardo Baroni), Walter Woolf King (Rudolpho Lassparri), Edward Keane (Captain), Robert Emmett O´Connor (Detective Henderson), Gino Corrado (Stewart), Purnell Pratt (Mayoer), Frank Yaconelli (Engineer), Billy Gilbert (Engineer's Assistant, Peasant), John Lipson (Engineer's Assistant), Claude Peyton (Police Captain), Rita and Rubin (Dancers), Luther Hoobyar (Ruiz), Rodolfo Hoyos (Count Di Luna), Olga Dane (Azucena, gypsy woman), James J. Wolf (Ferrando), Inez Palange (Mai), Jonathan Hale (Stage Manager)
Production: Irving Thalberg (MGM)
The theme of Night of the Opera is the melodramatic tale of "poor lovers", but the opera singer Lasspari stands in the way of their happiness. The Marx Brothers decide to help them for all its worth. The third part include part of an opera, sometimes parody - when the Marx Brothers interrupt the performance - sometimes as a document of individual arias. The film begins with the melody of Rigoletto and the performance ends with the Trubadore.
Groucho plays an astute manager of an older woman and persuades her to invest her money into the opera. Later, he is cast aside by the galling opera director. Silent Harpo performs in the role of Lasspari's servant, who is finally let go. Chico, here in the role of an unemployed, initiates the entire action of helping the lovers.
A Night at the Opera marked commercial success and created the opportunity for the Marx Brother to continue making films.
/taken from the text of Renata and Jan Jaroovi from the catalogue of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival/