Review of A Day at the Races (1937) by Jeff B — 04 Jan 2011
It's more cohesive and coherent than their earlier films yet it doesn't come close to it's predecessor A Night At the Opera or their masterpiece Duck Soup. They use many of the same elements that made Opera work but they're just not as good.
Nevertheless it is still a highly entertaining movie. The Marx Brothers are still in fine form even when of the jokes don't work. There are plenty of highlights in the film especially when Chico rips off Groucho by selling him some books just so he can know which horse to bet on, the dance sequence in the horse stable, and the chaotic ending that is the horse race itself.
The only thing that brings this film lower than the others is that it's just a tad too long and uneven. It would probably be a better film if they trimmed the running time by about 20 minutes to about 90 minutes instead of nearly 2 hours.
Still, this is a film that all fans of the Marx Brothers must watch especially since it's considered their last "classic" film. It may not be as great as Duck Soup or A Night At the Opera but it's well worth watching.
I definitely recommend it, it's a fun time. 8/10.
This review of A Day at the Races (1937) was written by Jeff B on 04 Jan 2011.
A Day at the Races has generally received very positive reviews.
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