Review of A Night at the Opera (1935) by Luc L — 13 Nov 2010

There ARE some people who will say this doesn't live up to "Animal Crackers", "Day at the Races" or "Honk, Honk, I Don't Talk" but I wouldn't say that. How could I? I haven`t seen them and I just made one of them up.

I`m a big fan of classic Hollywood, my reviews will attest to that, but I can never quite fathom the appeal of the Marx Brothers. If you watch one Marx Brothers movie, you've seen them all. Is that baggy pants Harpo stuff actually funny? He honks a horn, stuffs things down his pants, throws pies around. He`s not actually deaf or mute though, right? What's THAT all about, and is it funny? Chico? `What-da-ya-thinka-da-mama-da-mi-ada?" That`s Chico's schtick, right? That hack Italian stereotype from 1880 is funny? Hmmm. You know Chico isn't even an Italian name, it's Spanish. The Marx's should have just went full-bore cartoon Italian and named him Guido or Luigi. Luigi Marx.

Now, even though I don't get the whole gigantic mustache thing, I'll admit that Groucho is occasionally funny. He's on par with, say, Henny Youngman, but not enough to make up for his lame brothers. Gummo? Zeppo? C'mon, this stuff sucks. You know what I think it is? Woody Allen loves the Marx Brothers, so all movie buffs feel an obligation to think the Marx Brothers are the height of hilarity since Allen is such a "genius". Secretly they'd rather watch the "Three Stooges", or Rob Schneider, but they won't admit to it.

AFI's 100 greatest movie comedies? Five slots taken up by the Marx Brothers. More than anyone, save one. The cinema cognescenti, whoever they are, are in the tank for the Marx Brothers. Abbott and Costello, Bob Hope and Buster Keaton only rate one entry each. Martin and Lewis get none and the Marx Brothers get FIVE! That's too damn many. How many slots taken up by Woody Allen? Yep, you guessed it, five. So fully 10% of the America Film Institute's list of greatest laughs are taken up by the Marx Brothers and a lecherous old has-been who hasn't written a decent comedy in 25 years. It's depressing. 2 stars.