Groucho Marx stars in Paramount Pictures’ Duck Soup, released in 1933, © 2006.

It has been nearly 30 years since the death of Groucho Marx, the most famous of the Marx Brothers. According to popular belief, if it had not been for the fact that Elvis Presley died three days earlier, Groucho’s death would likely have received far more attention, and like Marlon Brando’s death just a couple years ago, it would have sparked a revival of interest in his work. That work was as the central figure of the Marx Brothers, a vaudeville group of the early 20th Century.

Beginning as a stage act in the early part of the 20th century, the Marx Brothers were famous first for their musical act. Only after a broken up show in Texas when Groucho cracked a couple of jokes following the interruption did they ever consider comedy as a career. And it would be a long time still before they developed and perfected the characters that made them famous. Chico, so named for his rather flaunted love of women, or chicks, took up an Italian accent; and Harpo, named for his musical ability to play almost any instrument, most notably the harp, began his trademark of not speaking. Only one time did Harpo ever have a line, and that was in a silent film. Zeppo, whose name’s origins still remain disputed, played the straight man, the only one of the Marx Brothers without a deliberate quirk, except perhaps his inexplicable voluntary service to Groucho’s zany boss. This brings us to Groucho, who was supposedly named after a comic strip character of a similar manner; he played the part of the boisterous buffoon.

Combined, these four brothers became one of the most famous comedy teams in cinematic history. Their career has been documented widely, and they are arguably the most respected film comedy team ever. And their most famous film remains Duck Soup, the 1933 satirical masterpiece directed by Leo McCrarey. In their five films they did with Paramount, four of them had titles with references to animals: Animal Crackers (1930), Monkey Business (1931), Horse Feathers (1932), and finally Duck Soup (1933). When asked about the origins of the title, which McCrarey was responsible for, Groucho made the joke, “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.” The phrase “duck soup” is actually slang, however, and refers to anything that is easily done; a synonym would be child’s play. And the movie almost seems like child’s play, a gaggle of gags to make one giggle.

Duck Soup was the last film in a five-picture contract with Paramount Studios, and afterwards, the brothers travelled to MGM Studios, where they would make other classics such as A Night at the Opera (1935) and A Day at the Races (1937). And with the ending of their contract with Paramount, another end came. The Four Marx Brothers became one less when Zeppo Marx left the quartet to become a talent agent. Zeppo, the youngest, would outlive all his siblings before his death in 1979, two years after Groucho passed.

1933 was a year marked by many tragic events, most notably the ascension of Adolf Hitler to Chancellor of Germany and ultimately dictator. Prohibition also ended in that year, which saw Albert Einstein come to the United States as a refugee. Political turmoil ruled the world, and everyone was begging to avoid another Great War. To make matters worse, the United States was in the middle of the Great Depression, a period of time that saw unemployment climb as high as twenty-five percent.

And so in the midst of the chaos, Duck Soup emerged and reared its satirical head. Similar to Citizen Kane, Duck Soup was a flop at the time of its release. Or at least it was considered a flop. The film was the sixth-highest grossing film of the year, but it took in less than the Marx Brothers’ previous film, Horse Feathers. Box office receipts were one thing; critical failure was another. The film was not particularly well-received by many, and it was even banned in Italy by their dictator Moussilini, who thought he was the satirical subject of the film.

The reason, perhaps, it was so poorly received is because people did not know what it was satirizing. When it was rediscovered in the 1960s, it became hailed as a master spoof of dictatorial governments, extravagance, and political leaders. But like all great satires, it suffered in its time because of the nature of its subject matter. At a time when the going was tough, Duck Soup dared to make fun.

Late in the film, Groucho, Chico, Harpo, and Zeppo are gathered in a house, taking shelter from the bombs of the enemy, the country of Sylvania. They are deciding among themselves who will go get help, and after a couple failed attempts of picking randomly, they pick Harpo. Groucho’s character Rufus T. Firefly, leader of Freedonia, utters these lines: “Remember while you’re out there risking life and limb through shot and shell, we’ll be in here thinking what a sucker you are.” Lines like these, funny as they are, were the source of controversy.

The film starts out simple enough. The Paramount logo fades out, and the opening credits play over a scene of four ducks swimming in a kettle with a fire going underneath. The viewer knows something is most definitely afoot, and that knowledge is rewarded in the only laughless scene in the film. Margaret Dumont, a staple of the Marx Brothers’ early work, plays Mrs. Teasdale, a wealthy widow who would like to help to the struggling nation of Freedonia achieve its prior splendor. She has one condition, however: Rufus T. Firefly must be made leader of Freedonia. Why Mrs. Teasdale has taken a liking to Firefly (Groucho Marx) is anybody’s guess. The truth is, much of what takes place in the film has little reason to take place. The plot is beyond absurd, but that is its point. This opening scene, while not any real cause for laughter the first time around, illustrates the insane trust many countries have in their chosen leaders, some of whom – and some would argue, all of whom – are outright buffoons.

And so the movie begins. Whatever her reasons, Mrs. Teasdale promises to loan Freedonia money to help lower the tax burden only if Firefly is appointed leader. And, without any other choice, the government is forced to acquiesce. Firefly becomes the new leader, and a celebration is thrown in his honor. At the extravagant party, the so-called plot begins to develop. Ambassador Trentino of the neighboring country Sylvania has a plan to take over Freedonia and have it annexed to Sylvania. He plans to marry Mrs. Teasdale and become leader. His partner in mischief, Vera Marcal, however, correctly points out that Mrs. Teasdale is enraptured with Firefly.

Zeppo Marx is the first of the Brothers to appear on screen, announcing that Firefly will make his appearance at the party at 10 o’clock. This begins the first of three musical numbers as the party sings the national anthem to welcome Firefly. The camera cuts to Firefly’s bedroom to find him still asleep. A bell rings, and Firefly jumps out of bed, takes off his nightshirt to reveal he’s already fully dressed for the party, and slides down a fireman’s pole, placing right in the middle of the party. He observes all the fanfare, sneaking up beside a guard and asking, “Are you expecting somebody?” The guard, with his sword held out at length, tells him yes. When the anthem is sung again, Firefly takes his cigar and mimics the guard. A sight gag for sure, but its meaning is not lost. The whole party, a coronation ceremony of sorts, is poking fun at the pompousness of such events, and the extravagance displayed throughout the whole scene is brought into sharp focus when Firefly, dressed less than appropriately (Groucho always dressed in the same style cheap tuxedo), points his trademark cigar skyward, an impotent display of power.

Mrs. Teasdale spots Firefly quickly enough, and the proceeding exchange of dialogue is among the funniest in the movie, as Mrs. Teasdale tries to welcome Firefly, only to have him repeatedly insult her and her dead husband. The puns and double entendre employed are worth repeating in conversations with one’s friends. Ambassador Trentino soon interrupts the conversation, and Firefly asks Trentino for a loan from Sylvania of $20 million. When Trentino hesitates, Firefly makes a second request for a loan of $12, saying that he will pay it back. He assures Trentino that he will give him a “personal note that’s good for 90 days. If it isn’t paid by then, you can keep the note.” This is actually the second time in less than thirty seconds that Firefly insults Trentino, and before the minute is up, he insults him twice more, leading to Trentino’s exit.

Shortly thereafter, Firefly consults his secretary, Bob Roland, played by Zeppo. He instructs him to take a letter to his dentist that says there is enclosed a check for $500, and to send it off right away. When Roland says he will have to enclose a check first, Firefly responds, “You do, and I’ll fire you.” The scene closes with another musical number, as Firefly sings about how he will run his administration, boasting the hilarious refrain:

The last man nearly ruined this place
He didn’t know what to do with it
If you think this country’s bad off now
Just wait till I get through with it

As he sings these lines, it is interspersed by bits of the national anthem, most notably the line, “This is the land of the free,” right after Firefly announces, “If any form of pleasure is exhibited/ Report to me and it shall be prohibited.” Finally, summoned to the House of Representatives, Firefly calls for his car, a motorcylce and sidecar. This is the first use of a running sight gag. Firefly climbs into the sidecar and orders Pinky (Harpo Marx) to go. Pinky goes, but the sidecar and consequently Firefly are most unfortunately left behind.

The next scene takes us to Sylvania, to Trentino’s office, where he is hatching a plan to take over Freedonia. His two spies, Pinky (the guy who drove the motorcycle) and Chicolini (Chico Marx), have arrived. In a funny moment, they rush to answer a ringing phone. Trentino, bewildered, says, “Gentlemen, what is this?” Chicolini shhs him and says, “This is spy stuff.” A few seconds later, we find out that Pinky had a ringing alarm clock in his pocket. The scene continues as gag after gag is employed, all successfully. Trentino is disappointed to find out that his spies have found nothing he can use against Firefly, but he gives them a second chance, and as he shakes Pinky’s hand goodbye, Pinky puts a mousetrap in it. The mousetrap snaps on Trentino’s fingers.

We cut to a cabinet meeting in Freedonia, but all we find is Firefly playing Jax as the cabinet members look on. The meeting begins, and Firefly says to take up old business. One member asks to discuss the tariff, but Firefly tells him that’s new business. When no old business is discussed, Firefly moves on to new business. The same cabinet member again asks to discuss the tariff, but Firefly counters, “Too late. That’s old business already.” But soon, his antics become too much, as the Secretary of War resigns, ending the meeting.

What happens next might be the most famous sequence in the film. It involves Chicolini and Pinky, who are posing as peanut salesmen, and another man, a lemonade vendor. Chicolini and Pinky start to argue over how to trail Firefly, and their argument becomes physical. The lemonade vendor is upset at the disruption, which is driving his customers away. As Chicolini tries to calm the man down, Pinky trades hats with the man, and the fight escalates until finally Pinky squirts lemonade in the man’s face. The man in return squirts some down Pinky’s pants. Pinky then burns the man’s hat. This is one of the more outrageous scenes in the film, but it’s also one of the funniest.

Some time later, Firefly, whose office overlooks the area where Chicolini and Pinky are selling peanuts, comes out onto the balcony. He spots Chicolini and offers him the position of Secretary of War by saying first, “You want to be a public nuisance?” and then later, after Chicolini accepts, “Come on up here, I want to scare the cabinet.” Once again, the boisterous satire abounds. In light of recent issues like Mike Brown’s qualification to run FEMA after the Hurricane Katrina disaster, this joke hits the nail on the head. The joke continues in Firefly’s office as Firefly interviews Chicolini to see if he’s qualified by telling a joke. Pinky barges in, and there ensues a lot of sight gags because Pinky can’t talk. This is probably the funniest moment for Pinky.

Firefly decides he must get rid of Trentino before he takes over Freedonia, and he decides that the only way to do that is to insult Trentino, who will retaliate with a slap, and Firefly can then banish Trentino. He goes to Mrs. Teasdale’s party to accomplish this, but it all goes wrong when Trentino calls him an upstart. This prompts Firefly to slap Trentino, and thus the latter man declares war. Later, all parties try to reconcile at Mrs. Teasdale’s house. They do for a moment reach a peace, but in recalling what started the argument in the first place, Firefly slaps Trentino again, and this ends all hope of peace. Again, the satire here is unmistakable: two countries will go to war over an insult.

But, of course, Trentino still wishes to take over Freedonia, and so he plots to steal Freedonia’s war plans, which are stored at Mrs. Teasdale’s house. Trentino sends Chicolini and Pinky to retrieve the plans. This leads to another famous sequence from the film. Pinky disguises himself as Firefly and pantomimes him in what was a mirror only a few seconds earlier. Unfortunately, the ruse is broken when Chicolini enters the frame. Chicolini gets put on trial for treason. The trial is a sham, with jokes and one-liners abounding. Firefly says, “Chicolini, I bet you 8-to-1 we find you guilty,” to which Chicolini replies, “That’s-a no good, I can get 10-to-1 at the barber shop.”

The trial is interrupted by Mrs. Teasdale, who announces that Trentino is willing, one more time, to offer a truce. It ends poorly, however, and the two countries are plunged into war. When it’s declared, an elaborate musical number and dance is performed involving the Four Brothers, the people of Freedonia, and the cabinet. This great number, which is entertaining beyond compare, makes fun of national pride, and how when a country goes to war, all the people follow in the name of nationalism, even when the war is over something stupid.

As if the first hour of the film was not funny enough, the gags are piled on – all to hilarious effects – in the last fifteen minutes. It is as if they decided to pull out all the stops. Beginning from the musical number in the previous scene all the way to the end credits, it is non-stop laughter. Gags include Pinky as a silent Paul Revere, Firefly dressed as both Davy Crockett, Robert E. Lee, and George Washington, and Chicolini as Benedict Arnold.

As the battle gets intense, the dialogue gets wittier. Most films of this nature would suffer from a weakening of material toward the end. Conversely, Duck Soup gets stronger. In one tense moment, as Firefly is delivered an important message from the front lines, he says, “I’m sick of messages from the front. Don’t we ever get a message from the side?”

Freedonia’s chances of victory become bleaker, though, as the battle wears on. Firefly, Zeppo, Chicolini, Pinky, and Mrs. Teasdale end up trapped in a house together with no hope of getting out alive. In a moment of desparation, Firefly sends out a message to anyone who will help: “Send help at once. If you can’t send help, send two more women.” Then, noticing Pinky, he says, “Make that three more women.” Sylvania finally breaks through the lines and breaches the house. Unfortunately for them, the force is small, and Firefly and company are able to capture the invaders, which includes Trentino. All the brothers begin hurling fruit at Trentino, who immediately surrenders. The surrender prompts Mrs. Teasdale to start singing the national anthem, but right after she starts, the brothers turn and start throwing the fruit at her. And the film ends on this hilarious note, with Mrs. Teasdale’s hands lifted in the air in celebration, the country in ruins, and Trentino trapped in a make-shift stockade.

I doubt anyone will ever laud Duck Soup as an artistic masterpiece. There is no cinematography to praise, no editing to comment on, no acting to win adoration. The film is simply comedy in its truest form, and, some might argue, in its purest form. For the Marx Brothers, it was a departure from the normal style they’d done in previous films. In Duck Soup, there was no romantic subplot involving Zeppo, there was no harp solo for Harpo, and there was no piano solo for Chico. This film embraced what one could see coming from their previous films: the satiric genius and the witty double entendre. And in that regard, it stands as an achievement of what talented comedians can do when their talent is given a go signal. Yes, it is zany and silly, but it’s spot-on. It makes me laugh more than any other film I’ve ever seen, and it is the only film I can laugh the whole way through. It is no wonder this film made the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 Greatest Films; Duck Soup is one of the smartest films ever made.

Not Rated

Running time 68 minutes.