Review of Duck Soup (1933) by Logan M — 14 Jan 2016

Long before anyone heard the name "Zucker" there were a group of guys making spoof movies like this by the name of "Marx". Like any good madcap comedy, the plot in Duck Soup is merely a loose structure that is sitting there for them to fill with jokes, and this one is definitely full of them.

I really love the witty dialogue that includes a lot of one-liners that effectively play on words. The jabs are coming so rapid-fire that you almost don't have time to laugh for fear you'll miss the next one.

What's really great about these guys is that they aren't just good with comedic dialogue, they also nail physical comedy. There are a few scenes that are very reminiscent of Chaplin or other silent comedians, and I love them too.

This is the type of movie that includes a team of people who are living in a comedy, but the rest of the world is still in a dramatic film, and that always makes me laugh. The way everyone else plays straight men to the Marx brothers comedy works brilliantly.

I think some people who expect more story from their movies would find Duck Soup frustrating, because it doesn't really make sense, and jumps all over the place, but I think it works because the comedy holds it all together.

My one hesitation is that they chose to include a few musical numbers. They aren't all that funny, and they don't do much to move the story forward. It just felt like everything was put on hold for the song, and then picked up again.

Aside from those few strange moments, I found Duck Soup to be a delightful comedy and one I would love to watch regularly.