Review of Duck Soup (1933) by Kristen B — 02 Feb 2011

Having no previous experience with any Marx Bros. movie, and going off the recommendation of a good friend, I gave this film a try. I'm not sure how well it's held up over time. Some parts were downright hilarious, while others seemed completely asinine. I must admit I liked some of Groucho's work, though admittedly not at the beginning. Chico and particularly Harpo came off as nearly pointless for me, and I did not get into their physical, slapstick-y comedy. The doorbell scene and the mirror scene were kinda funny.

Since I've never seen any other Marx Bros. film, I wasn't sure what to make of the running gags. Are they a common thing in all their movies or just this film in particular? I never found most of them funny to begin with.

I did like the writing throughout, and the comedic timing was well done. The musical numbers I never quite understood, and I'll admit any kind of social commentary this film was making is totally being overlooked right now. The pace was fast, and I was ok with that. For only being 70-ish minutes long, it felt boring at times (probably during Harpo's fights with the lemonade guy), but other points were smooth.

I'm probably not the best person to review a Marx Bros. movie, but for what it's worth, I think it's still a good film. Does it make me want to see other Marx films? Meh, I'm not sure.