Scenes We Love: Groucho Insulting Everyone in 'Duck Soup'
Filed under: Classics, Comedy, Fandom, Scenes We Love
The other night I went to the top of Hotel deLuxe in downtown Portland for an open-air screening of Duck Soup, which kicked off the Northwest Film Center's summer series of rooftop movies. I was under the impression that I'd seen every Marx Brothers movie when I was in high school, but it turns out that apart from clips (such as the legendary mirror scene), Duck Soup was new to me. It's an easy mistake to make, as those early Marx films have titles -- Horse Feathers, Animal Crackers, etc. -- that don't give you any clue what they're about. Duck Soup is the one with Groucho playing Rufus T. Firefly, the newly appointed leader of the country of Freedonia. Released in 1933, it was the fifth and last feature that the Marxes made for Paramount before going to MGM, and it was also the last film that Groucho, Chico, and Harpo Marx made with their fourth brother, Zeppo. (Zeppo left movies to become a very successful Hollywood talent agent.) Duck Soup wasn't as big a hit as their previous films had been, but over time it has come to be considered ones of the Marx Brothers' best.
One of the funniest scenes is Rufus T. Firefly's introduction. After much pomp and circumstance surrounding his triumphant arrival at a gathering held in his honor, he shows up -- late -- and immediately begins insulting the peerless Margaret Dumont (in the type of role she played in seven Marx Bros. movies). One of the things I find so funny about this type of scene (and there's at least one in every film) is that Groucho's character is rude for no reason whatsoever. It's wholly unprovoked and uncalled for. And the dialogue, while clearly of the old-fashioned vaudeville-style "set-up/punchline" variety, is still snappy.
The scene, after the jump.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-18-2009 @ 3:53PM
KMF said...
Love Marx Bros. !
The movies with Zeppo still with them were the best. My sister and I do the 'take a letter Jamison' routine from Animal Crackers, for no reason, just out of the blue one of us will go "You omitted the body of the letter did you?".
Duck Soup is my sister's fave movie. The Cocoanuts really is my personal fave. But heck they're all really good! You can't go wrong really. :)
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7-18-2009 @ 5:21PM
FTB said...
You're writing for a web site called 'cinematical' and you've never seen "Duck Soup" and further seemed to have never heard of it?
WTF? Do they just allow anybody who can write about movies past 1985 to contribute? One would think that if you're going to be a writer on cinema one would have at least seen a comedy ranked #5 on the AFI greatest comedies.
It's a bit like going to a cardiologist who has 'vaguely' heard of something called a 'heart by-pass'.
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7-18-2009 @ 5:44PM
CSnake said...
If you are so concerned about it, then go read somewhere else and don't be a dick.
7-18-2009 @ 7:26PM
vegimorph said...
Duck Soup was definitely kooky and hilarious when I first saw it in my high school film class. Actually, I think Groucho was really insulting the party guests because they were kind of uptight and snooty you know? It would be fun if Cinematical covered more of the older movies from the Golden Age but I think they do a pretty good job as is with the modern stuff. Good job Cinematical. Keep up the good work.
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7-18-2009 @ 8:07PM
Chicolini said...
Duck Soup is Awesome! How can anyone not love ' All God's chilin' got guns.' !!! Political and a way head of it's time! I even believe it holds up as an anti- Iraqi war statment.
I also say that the first films with the four brothers were the best. Yeah Zeppo disapears quite often but Anyone notice HE plays Groucho/ Captain Spaulding in the dark room scene in Animal Crackers! You can clearly see that it's Zeppo's profile when lightening strikes. His accent falters a bit but according the Groucho in the Marx Brother's scrap book( a wonderfully vulgar and humourous read!) that Zeppo played Groucho on stage quite often and sometimes better.
I recently showed the first five to my 18 year old little sister and said "these men are the definition of Anarchy!" She loved them now too. The material is dated sometimes(Hiabis Irish Rose) but still holds up today more than many from the era.
When it comes to the Marxs I believe no one since has been able to touch them! Never will. Minnie's boys can't be beat.
Being a HUGE Chico fan I find myself quipping out of the blue
" No spades partner! No spades!"
Please discover more of thier movies!! You will not be disapointed!
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