At first, many critics deemed the film to be a commercial failure because its popularity paled in comparison to other marx brothers productions like the cocoanuts, animal crackers, and the house that shadows built. Duck soup 1933 when the tiny nation of freedonia goes bankrupt, its wealthy benefactor, mrs. Jun 16, 2011 in this 1933 marx brothers film, the mythical country of freedonia is broke and on the verge of revolution. Theyre rude, insulting, pranksterish, and loyal to nobody. Affiliate links contained in this post will take you to andor the itunes store. In the country of freedonia, wealthy socialite mrs.
Duck soup is a fantasy book that is sure to capture the heart of early elementary children everywhere. The movie was banned in fascist italy because it seemed to be a statement against dictatorship. In duck soup, max decides to cook a soup and in the middle of cooking he goes to the store to get a missing ingredient. Why a fouryearold child could understand this report. The film, produced by herman mankiewicz, was prepared during the crisis period of the depression. Paramount pictures released duck soup on november 17, 1933. Duck soup was the last film the marx brothers made for paramount. I believe the most cleverest scene to be the pretend mirror scene where chico copies groucho superbly well as if the mirror really was there. Or is the phrase a play on the fact that any spot of water with a resident duck is already duck soup. Duck soup recipes duck turns plain soup into something special.
Perhaps because of its uncompromisingly absurd nature the film was a resounding commercial failure and with its failure the marx brothers had their contract with paramount terminated. The films stream of consciousness is an offkilter bent about what power does to people played to nearimprovisational madness and still pulsates quiet readily in the. The film, produced by herman mankiewicz, was prepared during the crisis period of the. Neighboring sylvania and its ambassador trintino louis calhern have designs on the country, and trintino hires harpo and chico as spies.
The marx brothers greatest and funniest masterpiece the classic comedy duck soup 1933 is a short, but brilliant satire and lampooning of blundering dictatorial leaders, fascism and authoritarian government. Duck soup, chinese style 1 stewing duck, or the feet, necks. Allstar t he movie vaudeville of the marx brothers was perhaps never so inspired, and surely never as brazen, as in their surreal satire of tinpot nationalism and political. Jackie urbanovic is the new york times bestselling author and illustrator of duck at the door, duck soup, and duck and cover, as well as the illustrator of if youre hoppy, by april pulley sayre.
Teasdale margaret dumont, freedonias principal benefactress, will lend the country 20 million dollars if the president withdraws and places the government in the hands of the fearless, progressive rufus t. To describe the plot would be an exercise in futility, since a marx brothers movie exists in moments, bits, sequences, business and dialogue, not in comprehensible stories. Commonly used by gumshoes in books by chandler and spillane. Duck soup 1933 leo mccarey synopsis, characteristics.
I know, i know, i still need to get the cast names in there and ill be eternally tweaking it, so if you have any corrections, feel free to drop me a line. Filled with jokes about tinpot dictators, the marx brothers 1933 film duck soup resonates with the politics of the time, but its the wonderful nonstop puns that drive this classic comedy. Teasdale margaret dumont, insists that the wacky rufus t. Dec 06, 20 the joy of duck soup is that its actually gotten better with age, even if the films take down of nationalism is snuggled comfortably in the 1930s political reality. The joy of duck soup is that its actually gotten better with age, even if the films take down of nationalism is snuggled comfortably in the 1930s political reality. Firefly is named presidentdictator of bankrupt freedonia and declares war on neighboring sylvania over the love of wealthy mrs. A semisurrealist farce about war, duck soup is the marx brothers most sustained bit of insanity. This film is usually billed as a political satire, but political farce is more accurate. The small country of freedonia is in financial trouble and before wealthy, and recently widowed, mrs. Presenting the marx brothers in duck soup, the greatest war movie. Firefly, who becomes dictator of fredonia under the sponsorship of the rich mrs. Under the opening credits, four quacking ducks the four marx brothers are seen swimming and cooking in a kettle over a fire.
This script is a transcript that was painstakingly transcribed using the screenplay andor viewings of duck soup. The classic 1933 marx brothers film duck soup begins with a shot of ducks paddling around in a soup cauldron. Bitter contract disputes, including a threatened walk out. The story begins when the totally unqualified rufus t firefly becomes dictator of the shambolic country of freedonia, and is soon involved in a senseless war with nextdoor sylvania but the plot is barely relevant in a film this hilarious, where all that. View notes duck soup notes from fls 241 at smith college. Duck soup is a 1933 marx brothers comedy film written by bert kalmar and harry ruby, with additional dialogue by arthur sheekman and nat perrin, and directed by leo mccarey.
With groucho marx, harpo marx, chico marx, zeppo marx. First released theatrically by paramount pictures on november 17, 1933, it starred what were then billed as the four marx brothers groucho, harpo, chico, and. Later, tamer features usually would cast them in some goodguy roles, their destructive mayhem having a secret agenda to help out a pretty girl in distress or the like, but not in this movie. Duck soup definition of duck soup by merriamwebster. The duck soup community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author.
Overview of duck soup, 1933, directed by leo mccarey, with groucho marx, harpo marx, chico marx, at turner classic movies. Run out and find me a fouryearold child, i cant make head or tail out of it. Duck soup is a silent comedy short film starring stan laurel and oliver hardy prior to their official billing as the duo laurel and hardy. Teasdale margaret dumont, the brothers tireless and irreplaceable foil. Duck soup notes duck soup notes questions and responses. Duck soup is a classic comedy movie made in 1933, directed by leo mccarey and starring the marx brothers groucho, harpo, chico and zeppo with margaret dumont, raquel torres, louis calhern and edgar kennedy. Firefly groucho marx declares war on neighboring sylvania, just for the fun of it. Margaret dumont, louis calhern, raquel torres, and edgar kennedy. Zeppo was tired of being second banana and groucho simply wanted him to stick to his traditional role as the juvenile lead. Many intellectuals and academics have argued as much, though they tend to belong to the school of criticism. Duck soup can be read as an indictment of the insanity of war and a critique of the relationship between wealth and political power, but to do so is to miss much of the fun. Sep 28, 2017 thanks for watching one hundred years of cinema, you can support me on patreon here.
Parents need to know that the marx brothers are the epitome of anarchy in duck soup. Jan 15, 2015 although its appearance in duck soup is the bestknown instance, the concept of the mirror scene did not originate in this film. Marx brothers duck soup satire still delights audiences. If the audiences of 1933 found duck soup unsettling, even longtime fans will be shocked today by its uncanny relevance. The duck soup community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you.
Leo mccarey directed the film, and bert kalmar, harry ruby, arthur sheekman, and nat perrin wrote it although many thought duck soup was something a box office disappointment to when it was. Released theatrically by paramount pictures on november 17, 1933, it starred the four marx brothers groucho, harpo, chico, and zeppo and also featured margaret dumont, louis calhern, raquel torres and edgar kennedy. Jackie urbanovic has written six books about a lovable duck named max and his household of animals he lives with. Hail, euphoria presenting the marx brothers in duck soup, the greatest war movie.
The movie had a mixed reception when it was first released but it was rediscovered in the 1960s and is now generally regarded as a masterpiece of anarchic comedy and one of the. The marx brothers film duck soup was first released in 1933. The marx brothers mustachioed, stogiesmoking ringleader groucho, chatty, italianaccented con man chico, silent skirtchaser harpo and, early on, relatively normal matinee idol zeppo. Starring groucho marx, harpo marx, chico marx, zeppo marx, margaret dumont, louis calhern and edgar kennedy. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of duck soup, directed by leo mccarey.
Monkey business duck soup a day at the races classic screenplay. Max linder included it in seven years bad luck 1921, where a mans servants have accidentally broken a mirror and attempt to hide the fact by imitating his actions in the mirrors frame. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. Furthermore, many sensitive american audiences were offended at the rampant political disrespect, buffoonery and. Firefly groucho marx become the countrys president. Teasdale margaret dumont, freedonias principal benefactress, will lend the. Jan 09, 2015 filled with jokes about tinpot dictators, the marx brothers 1933 film duck soup resonates with the politics of the time, but its the wonderful nonstop puns that drive this classic comedy. Released theatrically by paramount pictures on november 17, 1933, it starred the four marx brothers groucho, harpo, chico, and zeppo and also featured. When the tiny nation of freedonia goes bankrupt, its wealthy benefactor, mrs. Opening sequence of duck soup, starring the marx brothers.
As much as war itself, soup lampoons the flimsy pretexts, the pompous sword rattling, and the noxious nationalism that are the furnishings of the leadup to wars of choice. Finally, the duck soup script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the marx brothers movie. This means when you click a link, and purchase an item, the mhm podcast network will receive an affiliate commission. Bitter contract disputes, including a threatened walkout. Rent duck soup 1933 starring groucho marx and chico marx on dvd and bluray. When it was completed, zeppo retired from show business, and groucho, chico, and harpo moved to mgm where, under the guidance of irving thalberg, they began a night at the opera an entirely different kind of film, and one perceived at the time as a comeback for the team. Leo mccareys duck soup is the greatest film comedy of the marx brothers. Thanks for watching one hundred years of cinema, you can support me on patreon here. Although its appearance in duck soup is the bestknown instance, the concept of the mirror scene did not originate in this film.
Film critic roger ebert said, the marx brothers created a body of work in which individual films are like slices from the whole, but duck soup is probably the best. Firefly, ruler of fredonia, and zeppo marx as his secretary, bob. Duck soup was the only one of these films that fully integrated and balanced all of the marx brothers comic elements. In postagestampsized freedonia, prime minister rufus t. In this 1933 marx brothers film, the mythical country of freedonia is broke and on the verge of revolution. Dec 30, 2005 leo mccareys duck soup is the greatest film comedy of the marx brothers. Duck soup is a classic marx brothers movie and one of their biggest successes. After one taste, youll duck soup for the rest of your life.
Duck soup script transcript from the screenplay andor. Duck soup is indisputably the marx brothers greatest film. All trace of reason and logic are joyfully cast aside in this wild comedy starring the muchloved 30s comics the marx brothers. Deprived even of this status in duck soup, zeppo finally walked.
Duck soup is a 1933 precode marx brothers comedy film written by bert kalmar and harry ruby, with additional dialogue by arthur sheekman and nat perrin, and directed by leo mccarey. Scott describes, but that doesnt mean its an enjoyable movie in 2009. Rodney dangerfield at his best on the tonight show starring johnny carson 1983 duration. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing duck soup near you. This is an excellent example of a romantic musical comedy built around the theme of war.
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