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Duck Soup
(1933)
In this classic Marx Brothers anti-war, anti-government
comedy film (their last film for Paramount Pictures) about the financially-ruined,
politically-unstable country of Freedonia, so irreverent that it
was banned in Italy by dictator Benito Mussolini:
- the many satirical, anarchic scenes that ridiculed
pomp, government, and authority
- the many pricelessly funny lines: (Firefly:
"I suggest that we give him ten years in Leavenworth, or eleven
years in Twelveworth." Chicolini (Chico): "I'll tell you
what I'll do: I'll take five and ten in Woolworth")
- the opening coronation scene and Freedonian inauguration
(and late arrival) of fast-talking, swindling, impertinent, and indecorous
behavior of Freedonia's new cigar-chomping President Rufus T. Firefly
(Groucho Marx)
- Firefly's familiar teasing of wide and widowed millionaire
benefactress Mrs. Gloria Teasdale (Margaret Dumont)
- the lampooning Cabinet meeting scene
- the scenes of the two confrontations with the lemonade
stand vendor (Edgar Kennedy) including a classic three-headed, hat-switching
sequence, the burning of the vendor's bowler hat on the flaming hot
dog cooker, and the barefooted Pinkie (Harpo) paddling around in
the lemonade tank
Classic Marx. Bros. Bits
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Hat-Switching and Lemonade Tank Sequence
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Mirror Pantomime
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- the classic, inventive perfectly-timed scene of
the inspired, celebrated mirror pantomime - a superlative, lyrical,
artistic example of mute physical comedy (a revival of a classic
vaudeville routine) with two (actually three) of the Marx Brothers
identically dressed in nightshirt and cap and duplicating each
other's movements
- Pinkie's sight-gags and the revelation of his tattoos
(especially the one of a doghouse on his stomach - complete with
the head of a real live, barking dog that peeped out)
- the parody of the Paul Revere ride
- Groucho's retort to Ambassador Trentino (Louis Calhern)
about war: ("Go, and never darken my towels again!")
- the final battle-war sequence (with Firefly walking
around blindly with a flower vase on his head paint-decorated with
features of his 'Groucho' face) (Firefly: "I've already paid
a month's rent on the battlefield")
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Coronation Scene of Rufus T. Firefly
Firefly Flirting With Mrs. Teasdale
Ending Battle Sequence
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