movie review of Duck Soup, starring the Marx Brothers

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DVD Review of Duck Soup, starring Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, Zeppo Marx, Margaret Dumont

Overview of Duck Soup, starring Groucho, Chico, Harpo, Zeppo

When asked to explain the movie title, Groucho said, "Take two turkeys, one goose, four cabbages, but no duck, and mix them together. After one taste, you’ll duck soup for the rest of your life." Start with excellent production and direction. Add the Marx brothers (Groucho, Chico, Harpo and the long-suffering Zeppo), add the ultimate straight person (Margaret Dumont), stir well and you’ll be serving Duck Soup.

Yes, that’s a silly description, but it’s a silly movie. A wonderful, hilarious, utterly enjoyable silly movie. The plot (which is probably the least important part of a Marx Brothers movie) is that the tiny nation of Freedonia is in dire financial straights. Mrs. Teasdale (the wonderful, underappreciated Margaret Dumont) is willing to loan the government the money it needs, on the condition that it names Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho Marx at his finest, with his brother Zeppo as Groucho’s secretary) as immediate president. The leader of a neighboring nation sends spies (Chico and Harpo), and hilarious insanity ensues.

It’s a wonderful movie, spoofing pomp & circumstance (the ‘regal’ introduction of Firefly must be seen to be appreciated), politics, war, and numerous other things. It includes some of the Marx brothers’ best-loved routines, including the famous ‘mirror’ routine (a mirror breaks, and Harpo imitates Groucho, move for move, to postpone the discovery of the broken mirror).

This movie is also available as part of The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection.

Trivia about Duck Soup:

Shortly before this film premiered, the city of Fredonia, New York, complained about the use of its name with an additional "e". The Marx Brothers’ response was: "Change the name of your town, it’s hurting our picture."
The mirror trick was previously used in Charlie Chaplin’s The Floorwalker (1916).
During the battle scene, Groucho wore five different uniforms: A Union soldiers uniform, a Confederate general’s uniform, a boy scout troop leader’s uniform, a Revolutionary War-era British general’s uniform, and a Davy Crockett outfit.
Edgar Kennedy delivers his famous "slow burn" in a minor role as a street vendor. In 1942 he played the lead in a short of his own also called "Duck Soup".
This film marks the last appearance of Zeppo in a Marx Brothers film. He opted to work behind the scenes from then on.
Italian dictator Benito Mussolini banned the film from Italy because he thought it was a direct attack on him. When news of this reached the Marx Brothers, they were reportedly ecstatic.
Despite the fact that this is considered the finest film the Marx Brothers ever made, it was a box office flop when first released and nearly ruined Paramount Pictures.
This was Zeppo’s final film with the brothers; not due to lack of talent, but he simply couldn’t compete with the on-screen antics of his brothers. This is the same reason that Harpo doesn’t speak on screen; he can’t compete in the verbal jousting between Groucho and Chico.
Chico is pronounced Chick-o, because he liked to chase the ladies ("chicks" in the slang of the time)—it’s only because of a typo years before that Chico became his stage name.

I rate it 4 clowns on a 5-clown scale.

Funny movie quotes from the Marx Brothers’ Duck Soup:

Groucho : I got a good mind to join a club and beat you over the head with it.

Groucho : Awfully decent of you to drop in today. Do you realize our army is facing disastrous defeat? What do you intend to do about it?

Chico : I’ve done it already.

Groucho : You’ve done what?

Chico : I’ve changed to the other side.

Groucho : So you’re on the other side, eh? Well, what are you doing over here?

Chico : Well, the food is better over here.

Groucho : Lieutenant, why weren’t the original indictment papers placed in my portfolio?

Zeppo : Why, uh, I didn’t think those papers were important at this time, your excellency.

Groucho : You didn’t think they were important? Do you realize I had my dessert wrapped in those papers?

Zeppo : We’ve got to get rid of that man at once. Now I’ve got a plan. You say something to make him mad, and he’ll strike you… and we’ll force him to leave the country.

Groucho : That’s a swell plan… why couldn’t you arrange for me to strike him?

Zeppo : Ambassador Trentino is a very sensitive man. Perhaps if you insult him. He’s very easy to insult. Why, I said something to Vera Marcal in his presence once, and he slapped my face.

Groucho : Why didn’t Vera slap your face?

Zeppo : She did.

Groucho : What’d you say to her?

(Zeppo whispers it in his ear. Groucho slaps his face.)

Groucho : You ought to be ashamed of yourself. Where’d you hear that story?

Zeppo : Why, you told it to me.

Groucho : Oh, uh, I suppose you would think me a sentimental old fluff, but, uh, would you mind giving me lock of your hair?

Margaret Dumont : A lock of my hair? Wh-why, I had no idea.

Groucho : I’m letting you off easy: I was going to ask for the whole wig.

Groucho : I’ll see you at the opera tonight. I’ll hold your seat till you get there. After that, you’re on your own.

Groucho : Now, what is it that has four pairs of pants, lives in Philadelphia, and it never rains but it pours?

Chico : ‘At’s-a good one. I give you three guesses.

Groucho : Now lemme see. Has four pair of pants, lives in Philadelphia. Is it male or female?

Chico : No, I don’t think so.

Groucho : Is he dead?

Chico : Who?

Groucho : I don’t know. I give up.

Chico : I give up, too.

Groucho : How would you like a job in the mint?

Chico : Mint? No, no, I no like a mint. Uh - what other flavor you got?

Groucho : You’re a brave man. Go and break through the lines. And remember, while you’re out there risking you’re life and limb through shot and shell, we’ll be in be in here thinking what a sucker you are.

Groucho : Gentlemen, Chicolini here may talk like an idiot, and look like an idiot, but don’t let that fool you: he really is an idiot. I implore you, send him back to his father and brothers, who are waiting for him with open arms in the penitentiary. I suggest that we give him ten years in Leavenworth, or eleven years in Twelveworth.

Chico : I’ll tell you what I’ll do: I’ll take five and ten in Woolworth.

Groucho : I can see you in the kitchen bending over a hot stove, and I can’t see the stove.

Ambassador Trentino : I am willing to do anything to prevent this war.

Groucho : It’s too late. I’ve already paid a month’s rent on the battlefield.

Groucho : Not that I care, but where is your husband?

Margaret Dumont : Why, he’s dead.

Groucho : I bet he’s just using that as an excuse.

Margaret Dumont : I was with him to the very end.

Groucho : No wonder he passed away.

Margaret Dumont : I held him in my arms and kissed him.

Groucho : Oh, I see, then it was murder. Will you marry me? Did he leave you any money? Answer the second question first.

Groucho : We’re fighting for this woman’s honor, which is more than she ever did.

(After answering the phone in Firefly’s office)

Chico : That was for you again.

Groucho : I wonder whatever happened to me.

Groucho : Maybe you can suggest something. As a matter of fact, you do suggest something. To me you suggest a baboon.

Ambassador Trentino : What?

Groucho : I, uh, I’m sorry I said that; it isn’t fair to the rest of the baboons.

Chico : Now I aska you one. What has a trunk, but no key, weighs 2,000 pounds and lives in a circus?

Prosecutor : That’s irrelevant.

Chico : Irrelephant? Hey, that’sa that answer. There’s a whole lot of irrelephants in the circus.

Groucho : Well, that covers a lot of ground. Say, you cover a lot of ground yourself. You better beat it—I hear they’re going to tear you down and put up an office building where you’re standing. You can leave in a taxi. If you can’t get a taxi, you can leave in a huff. If that’s too soon, you can leave in a minute and a huff. You know, you haven’t stopped talking since I came here? You must have been vaccinated with a phonograph needle.

Prosecutor : Chicolini, you are charged with high treason, and if found guilty, you will be shot.

Chico : I object.

Prosecutor : You object? On what grounds?

Chico : I couldn’t think of anything else to say.

Groucho : Objection sustained.

Prosecutor : Your majesty, you sustain the objection?

Groucho : Sure, I couldn’t think of anything else to say either.

(Rufus T. Firefly / Groucho fires on soldiers)

Groucho : Look at them run. They know they can’t deal with a Firefly.

Zeppo : Your Excellency,

Groucho : (opens fire again) There. Take that. That will take care of them. Maybe they’ll give me a Firefly medal. (opens fire)

Zeppo : Your Excellency, your shooting your own men.

Groucho : What?

Zeppo : You’re shooting your own men.

Groucho : Here’s five dollars, keep it under your hat. (takes it away) Never mind, I’ll keep it under my hat.

Groucho : I’ll see my lawyer about this as soon as he graduates from law school.

Groucho : Oh, I’m sick of messages from the front. Don’t we ever get a message from the side? --What is it?

Messenger : Your Excellency, General Mills reports a gas attack. What should he do?

Groucho : Tell him to take two teaspoons of bicarbonate and soda and a half a glass of water.

Zeppo : The Department of Labor wishes to note that the workers of Freedonia are demanding shorter hours.

Groucho : Very well, we’ll give them shorter hours. We’ll start by cutting their lunch hour to 20 minutes.

Margaret Dumont : Notables from every country are gathered here in your honor. This is a gala day for you.

Groucho : Well, a gal a day is enough for me. I don’t think I could handle any more.

Margaret Dumont : As chairman of the reception committee, I welcome you with open arms.

Groucho : Is that so? How late do you stay open?

Groucho : Just for that, you don’t get the job I was going to give you.

Chico : What job?

Groucho : Secretary of War.

Chico : All right, I take it.

Groucho : Sold.

Margaret Dumont : Your excellency, the ambassador’s here on a friendly visit. He’s had a change of heart.

Groucho : A lot of good that’ll do him: he’s still got the same face.

Ambassador Trentino : I’m sorry we lost our tempers; I’m willing to forgot if you are.

Groucho : Forget? You ask me to forget? A Firefly never forgets. Why, my ancestors would rise from their graves, and I’d only have to bury them again. Nothing doing. I’m going back and clean the crackers out of my bed; I’m expecting company.

Prosecutor : You haven’t been paying your taxes.

Chico : Taxes. I have an uncle who lives in Taxes.

Prosecutor : No, Money. Dollars.

Chico : Dollars, Taxes. That’s where my uncle is a-from.

Groucho : Don’t look now, but there’s one man too many in this room, and I think it’s you.

Groucho : I could dance with you until the cows come home. On second thought, I’d rather dance with the cows till you come home.

Groucho : There goes my gun. Run out and get that like a good girl.