No, this isn't a political message. It means that the American Cinematheque is
having a Marx Brothers festival in June. Let the
celebration begin!
You say you've never heard of the Marx Brothers, or that
you haven't seen their films? Or,
perhaps you haven't seen their films in a while. Well, this is your opportunity to see one of
the most unique and hilarious acts in the history of cinema. And to top it off, you'll be seeing them the
way they are supposed to be seen, in a theater with a live audience.
That last part is very important in the case of the Marx
Brothers. Unlike other comedy acts,
before some of their films were shot they actually took the comedy scenes on
the road and played them in front of live audiences. That way they could clock
the laughs for timing and response. This
told the editor how to pace the scenes, and also told them what material should
stay and what should go.
Who were the Marx Brothers, you ask? Read on, MacDuff.
The Marx Brothers were born to German immigrants Sam and
Minnie Marx in the Yorkville section of Manhattan (the Upper East Side). In chronological order, there was Chico
(Leonard, 1887-1961), Harpo (Adolph, who later changed it to Arthur, 1889-1964), Groucho (Julius, 1890-1977), Gummo (Milton,
1896-1977, who was in the early vaudeville act, but never made a film), and
Zeppo (Herbert, 1901-1979). (A first
child, Manfred, died in infancy.) Their
mother was the classic stage mother. Her
brother was the very successful Al Shean, of the popular comedy team Gallagher
and Shean (“Absolutely, Mister Gallagher?...Positively, Mister Shean!”), and if
it was good enough for him it was good enough for her boys. The boys had a long career in vaudeville
before they finally got their big break in a Broadway musical revue called I'll
Say She Is. That led to The Cocoanuts and Animal Crackers. Both were very
successful.
While they were performing in Animal Crackers on stage in
the evenings, Paramount Pictures called and decided to film The Cocoanuts during the day (as a performer I can assure you that this could not have been
easy, to say the least). This was their
goodbye to the Broadway stage, and there was no turning back.
Twelve more films followed, and of the thirteen I would
say that five of them are certified classics.
The rest have their merits, but it seems that two things hurt their
later films: the introduction of the
production code, and their signing with MGM.
MGM was not known for its expertise in making “comedian comedies” (films
that were actually tailored for specific comedians). They were just fine in the “romantic comedy”
department, but when confronted with the likes of a Buster Keaton, Jimmy
Durante, Red Skelton, Laurel and Hardy, or the Marx Brothers, they were totally
at sea. MGM was the Tiffany's of
studios, but like Tiffany's it could be fairly stodgy and took itself far too
seriously. The brothers' earlier films
for Paramount were mostly made up of unbridled lunacy, all done at a rapid pace
cramming in as many jokes, bits, and puns as possible. These are the films most preferred by Marx
fans, although their first film for MGM, A Night at the Opera, is as good as
any of the earlier ones.
Fans love to quote their favorite lines from the films,
and to recall the famous comedy set pieces from them. Who can forget the classic stateroom scene
from A Night at the Opera (1935), where about 30 people cram themselves
into Groucho's shipboard stateroom, which happens to be the size of a broom
closet? Or the hilarious "mirror
scene" from Duck Soup (Paramount 1933), in which Groucho is put through
some very funny paces by Harpo (who is dressed exactly like him) as he pretends
to be his reflection. (Harpo repeated
this routine with Lucille Ball in a very famous episode of I Love Lucy.)
Now let's look at some things you should know about the
Marx Brothers characters:
Groucho was the star of the act. Most of the plots (such as they were)
revolved around his character. He was a comedian blessed with a masterful
delivery (still being purloined to this very day), a hilarious physicality, and
an irreverence which could probably be measured on the Richter scale. He has inspired several generations of funny
people, and rightfully so. The
intelligent comedy of Woody Allen, the inspired and biting wit of Bill Maher
and Stephen Colbert, and the hilarious irreverence of Chris Rock all have roots
from the tree of Groucho. His visage is
still being used as a brand to advertise comedy clubs and shows, and everybody seems to do a bad
imitation of him.
Harpo never spoke a word, but he was not a pantomimist in
the accepted sense. I always imagined
that his character COULD speak, but chose not to because it was more fun for
him. He was anything but silent. He could whistle, he used a handy taxi horn
whenever he wanted attention, and he had a trench coat from which he could
produce the most amazing things. He also
played the harp (thus his nickname).
When he sat down at the harp, his clowning stopped and he showed us his
actual self. Of the brothers he was the
most magical, and because he didn't rely on jokes (which have a tendency to
date, or become too familiar) his work seems to connect best with modern
audiences.
Chico was the “Italian” who usually played the brother or
best friend of Harpo's character. He
played straight man to Harpo, but he also played comedian to Groucho's straight
man. He was the essential middle man,
much like Larry of the Three Stooges. He
was a rascal with a sly grin who always seemed to have a terrible pun on his
lips. But it was when he played the
piano that the magic of Chico is revealed. As a comedian I don't think he was a
major force, but as an entertainer he was terrific. He had a style of piano playing that was all
his own.
Zeppo was usually called the straight man, or the
romantic lead of the act, but that's not altogether true. He was not utilized enough to warrant either
of those titles. Yes, he played the
romantic lead in Monkey Business, and to a lesser extent, Horse Feathers, but
he wasn't given enough screen time to make a real impression. When I was a child I often wondered why he
was there at all, but there was an energy that the four brothers had that was
missing when they became three. After
their first five films Zeppo grew weary of being the nondescript brother, so he
left the act to head a successful talent agency.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the honorary member
of the family, the glorious Margaret Dumont (1882-1965) She was a rather formidable lady of very
regal bearing. She was the perfect foil
for Groucho. Here are some samples of
the comical abuse she took:
The Cocoanuts (Paramount 1929):
"Meet me tonight under the moon. Ah, I can see you now...you and the
moon. You wear a necktie so I know
you."
Animal Crackers (Paramount 1930):
"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, and
that's not saying much for you."
Duck Soup (Paramount 1933):
"I can see you now in the kitchen bending over a hot
stove. But I can't see the stove."
You get the idea.
Fans of the Marx Brothers revere her. But sometimes a more glamorous woman was
needed to move the plots along. Enter
Thelma Todd (1905-1935). Todd was the
blonde beauty who graced many a Depression-era comedy with her sexy looks and
her comedic talent. She worked with the
brothers in two of their best films, Monkey Business (Paramount 1931), and my
personal favorite, Horse Feathers (Paramount 1932). If we couldn't have "Maggie", then
Thelma was a welcome replacement.
In my opinion, their classic films are Animal Crackers,
Monkey Business, Horse Feathers, Duck Soup, and A Night at the Opera. After that the films became more formulaic
and less funny. They were rife with young
lovers who sang a lot, production numbers that seemed to go on forever, and so-so
comedy material. I'm glad the later
films exist, but it was obvious that the boys had had their day and were now
pretty much just going through the motions.
I leave it to you to form your own opinions. See these films. Bring your children. The Marx Brothers were big stars back in
their day, but during the politically turbulent late 1960s and early 1970s they
were rediscovered and embraced all over again by a new generation who embraced
their irreverence. Unfortunately, that worship has faded, but it seems to me
that the boys are on their way back.
There is currently a revival of
I'LL SAY SHE IS about to open off-Broadway, and the release of a
beautiful DVD collection featuring their television work has made quite a
splash. There is also a Blu-ray release
on the way featuring restored version of all 5 of their Paramount films.
The Marx Brothers were that rarity in show business; they
were entirely unique. To this day there
is nobody quite like them, and I'm wagering that there never will be.
The Marx Brothers Restored takes place June 16 – 19, 2016 at the Aero Theatre
in Santa Monica and will feature eight films presented in either 35mm prints or
new digital restorations.
Nick is a comedian, actor, singer, writer, composer,
lyricist, and film historian. He's been
on Broadway twice (Grease and The Producers), two national tours, has done
stand-up comedy, and has appeared in films/on TV/in commercials/and has co-written
the Off-Broadway show, Real Men: The Musical, and all in just 42 years. He is also Benny Biffle in the recent Biffle
and Shooster two-reel comedies, produced by Michael Schlesinger. His book (written with Geoff Collins, and
Aaron Neathery), Comedy Crazy: 60 Essays About Vintage Comedy, is awaiting the
finishing touches before publication.