Cinema Sunday: Duck Soup

 

Hello, I must be going! 

Hello, I must be going to another blog post for Cinema Sunday where we're going to talk about another a Marx Brothers a movie.

You a know, we had a movie called a Monkey Business but there was no a monkey.

Then there was a Horse Feathers which did a have a horse with is a good but no feathers which is a no good.

Animal Crackers had a no animals but there may have a been crackers. 

Today's Marx Brother's a movie is a Duck Soup.

Will there a be a duck? 

Will there even be a soup? 

Let's a get this a blog post a thing a started and let's a find out, eh?

And it's a too hot for a soup right now. Unless you're a reading this in a winter so a soup might do you a some good. 

So there's this country called Freedonia which is small in size but quite large in debt. They need money. Mrs. Teasdale is very wealthy and will consent to share some of that wealth with Freedonia but only if Rufus T. Firefly is appointed leader of the country. 

If you think that means, Groucho Marx is in charge of a country, well, congratulations, you are correct and you've won.., a duck! 

How well do you think this is going to go? If your guess is "not well at all", you're quite prescient and you've won... a duck!

Neighboring Sylvania would like to put in a new pool and a deck and quite frankly, Freedonia's land would come in handy.  Sylvanian ambassador Trentino sends in spies Chicolini  and Pinky to dig up dirt on Firefly. 

Are you thinking those two spies will be played by Chico and Harpo? 

And do you imagine that these two spies will not accomplished a damn thing for Sylvania? 

Well you're right on both counts. You win... two ducks! 

Are you thinking Zeppo is lurking somewhere in this movie? Well, he is, as Firefly's secretary, Bob Roland. Don't feel bad if you did not notice him. We still do not know why is Zeppo.

No one knows why is Zeppo.

For not knowing why is Zeppo, you win... a duck! 

A bunch of stuff happens that quite frankly I don't understand but suffice to say, Firefly and Trentino manage to offend each other over something or maybe nothing. Who cares, it doesn't matter, they are offended and this means...

Did you guess "war"? You did? Great! You win.. a duck!

Anarchy ensues and war is unleashed between the two nations. The war is exceedingly chaotic and frantic with Freedonia getting the worst of it until Trentino is captured.

The Marx Brothers pelt him with fruit! 

The movie must be over because Mrs. Teasdale arrives to sing  the Freedonia national anthem in her operatic voice.

The Marx Brothers pelt her with fruit! 

And yes, it is the end and you win... a duck.

When Groucho was asked for an explanation for why the movie was called Duck Soup, he said, "Take two turkeys, one goose, four cabbages, but no duck, and mix them together. After one taste, you'll duck soup for the rest of your life."

There's no alone time with Chico and the piano. 

And no alone time with Harpo and his harp. 

This breaks the pattern of the previous Marx Brothers movies.

Also breaking the pattern from previous Marx Brothers movies is Duck Soup was not as successful as their earlier films. 

it was also the last movie the Marx Brothers did for Paramount. And it was the last on screen appearance of Zeppo.

Without an answer to the question of "Why is Zeppo?" 

Side bar: apparently within the Marx Brothers, Zeppo was considered the funniest of the brothers. Also it seems Zeppo was quite the accomplished mimic. When the Marx Brothers were touring doing live shows, Zeppo could flawlessly impersonate Groucho, Chico or Harpo if any of them got sick on the road. 

Critics at the time of Duck Soup's release did not greet this movie with the same delight and approval of previous Marx Brothers movies. The film has since achieved the status of a classic with Duck Soup now widely considered among critics to be a masterpiece of comedy and the Marx Brothers' finest film.

I don't think I share that opinion. The general wackiness of a Marx Brothers is on display but I don't feel the setting of Groucho leading a country was fully embraced. Rufus T. Firefly in charge of Freedonia plays out like every other Groucho con of trying to get as much money and as much woman as he can for as little effort as possible. If there is any fun being poked at political ideologies, I didn't get it. 

If you want to explore the films of the Marx Brothers, Duck Soup is a must stop on the journey. But other than the absurdity of the Marx Brothers wading into geo-politics, this movie doesn't quite stand up as well as its rep suggests.

If you agree with me, you win... a duck.

if you don't agree with me, you know what? You still win... a duck.

________________________________ 

Next week on Cinema Sunday...

Hey, it's been awhile. Time for...LESBIANS! 

We take a look at the 2001 American independent romantic comedy film, Kissing Jessica Stein. 

Here! Have a duck! 

Bye!