Firefly is named presidentdictator of bankrupt freedonia and declares war on neighboring sylvania over the love of wealthy mrs. 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. Bitter contract disputes, including a threatened walkout. Duck soup notes duck soup notes questions and responses. The duck soup community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author. In this 1933 marx brothers film, the mythical country of freedonia is broke and on the verge of revolution. Hail, euphoria presenting the marx brothers in duck soup, the greatest war movie. Commonly used by gumshoes in books by chandler and spillane. Leo mccareys duck soup is the greatest film comedy of the marx brothers. 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. Theyre rude, insulting, pranksterish, and loyal to nobody. 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. The marx brothers mustachioed, stogiesmoking ringleader groucho, chatty, italianaccented con man chico, silent skirtchaser harpo and, early on, relatively normal matinee idol zeppo.
In the country of freedonia, wealthy socialite mrs. 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. In postagestampsized freedonia, prime minister rufus t. 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. 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. 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. Starring groucho marx, harpo marx, chico marx, zeppo marx, margaret dumont, louis calhern and edgar kennedy. Jun 16, 2011 in this 1933 marx brothers film, the mythical country of freedonia is broke and on the verge of revolution. 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. 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. Why a fouryearold child could understand this report.
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. Paramount pictures released duck soup on november 17, 1933. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing duck soup near you. If something is as good as done or will be done very easily is said to be duck soup. The flavor of duck makes it perfect in soups or stews, adding a richness youll love. Or is the phrase a play on the fact that any spot of water with a resident duck is already duck soup. Furthermore, many sensitive american audiences were offended at the rampant political disrespect, buffoonery and.
Duck soup recipes maple leaf farms duck duck recipes. 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. The team appeared in a total of 107 films between 1921 and 1951. Sep 28, 2017 thanks for watching one hundred years of cinema, you can support me on patreon here. Groucho marx, chico marx, harpo marx, margaret dumont. Margaret dumont, louis calhern, raquel torres, and edgar kennedy. If the audiences of 1933 found duck soup unsettling, even longtime fans will be shocked today by its uncanny relevance. 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. This script is a transcript that was painstakingly transcribed using the screenplay andor viewings of duck soup. 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. Duck soup recipes duck turns plain soup into something special.
The duck soup community note includes chapterbychapter summary. Teasdale margaret dumont, freedonias principal benefactress, will lend the. Parents need to know that the marx brothers are the epitome of anarchy in duck soup. Rodney dangerfield at his best on the tonight show starring johnny carson 1983 duration. The film, produced by herman mankiewicz, was prepared during the crisis period of the depression. This film is usually billed as a political satire, but political farce is more accurate. Deprived even of this status in duck soup, zeppo finally walked. 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. 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.
Firefly, ruler of fredonia, and zeppo marx as his secretary, bob. Fueled by inspired silliness and blessed with some of the marx brothers most brilliant work, duck soup is one of its or any eras finest comedies. The classic 1933 marx brothers film duck soup begins with a shot of ducks paddling around in a soup cauldron. Duck soup was the last film the marx brothers made for paramount. This is an excellent example of a romantic musical comedy built around the theme of war. Firefly groucho marx become the countrys president. 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. The film, produced by herman mankiewicz, was prepared during the crisis period of the. With groucho marx, harpo marx, chico marx, zeppo marx. 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. 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. Duck soup was the only one of these films that fully integrated and balanced all of the marx brothers comic elements. 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.
Finally, the duck soup script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the marx brothers movie. Duck soup is indisputably the marx brothers greatest film. Overview of duck soup, 1933, directed by leo mccarey, with groucho marx, harpo marx, chico marx, at turner classic movies. Rent duck soup 1933 starring groucho marx and chico marx on dvd and bluray. Affiliate links contained in this post will take you to andor the itunes store. The small country of freedonia is in financial trouble and before wealthy, and recently widowed, mrs. 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. Teasdale margaret dumont, insists that the wacky rufus t. 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.
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. Duck soup is a classic marx brothers movie and one of their biggest successes. The movie was banned in fascist italy because it seemed to be a statement against dictatorship. A semisurrealist farce about war, duck soup is the marx brothers most sustained bit of insanity. Although its appearance in duck soup is the bestknown instance, the concept of the mirror scene did not originate in this film. 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.
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. Duck soup definition of duck soup by merriamwebster. Duck soup, chinese style 1 stewing duck, or the feet, necks. All trace of reason and logic are joyfully cast aside in this wild comedy starring the muchloved 30s comics the marx brothers. When the tiny nation of freedonia goes bankrupt, its wealthy benefactor, mrs. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of duck soup, directed by leo mccarey. Teasdale margaret dumont, the brothers tireless and irreplaceable foil. Bitter contract disputes, including a threatened walk out. Firefly groucho marx declares war on neighboring sylvania, just for the fun of it. 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. Run out and find me a fouryearold child, i cant make head or tail out of it.
Neighboring sylvania and its ambassador trintino louis calhern have designs on the country, and trintino hires harpo and chico as spies. 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. 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. This means when you click a link, and purchase an item, the mhm podcast network will receive an affiliate commission. View notes duck soup notes from fls 241 at smith college. After one taste, youll duck soup for the rest of your life. Duck soup 1933 when the tiny nation of freedonia goes bankrupt, its wealthy benefactor, mrs. Practically everybody wants a good laugh right now and duck soup should make practically everybody laugh. Many intellectuals and academics have argued as much, though they tend to belong to the school of criticism. Duck soup script transcript from the screenplay andor.
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. Presenting the marx brothers in duck soup, the greatest war movie. Monkey business duck soup a day at the races classic screenplay. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. Thanks for watching one hundred years of cinema, you can support me on patreon here. 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. Under the opening credits, four quacking ducks the four marx brothers are seen swimming and cooking in a kettle over a fire. Firefly, who becomes dictator of fredonia under the sponsorship of the rich mrs. Opening sequence of duck soup, starring the marx brothers. Duck soup 1933 leo mccarey synopsis, characteristics. Scott describes, but that doesnt mean its an enjoyable movie in 2009.
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 margaret dumont, louis calhern, raquel torres and edgar kennedy. Dec 30, 2005 leo mccareys duck soup is the greatest film comedy of the marx brothers. Zeppo was tired of being second banana and groucho simply wanted him to stick to his traditional role as the juvenile lead. Released theatrically by paramount pictures on november 17, 1933, it starred the four marx brothers groucho, harpo, chico, and zeppo and also featured.
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