The Marx Brothers at sea

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Movie
German title The Marx Brothers at sea
Original title Monkey business
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1931
length 77 minutes
Rod
Director Norman Z. McLeod
script SJ Perelman
Ben Hecht
music Sammy Fain
Edward Heyman
Irving Kahal
Chico Marx
Pierre Norman
Leo Robin
Dana Suesse
Sol Volinsky
Richard Whiting
camera Arthur L. Todd
occupation

The Marx Brothers at Sea (original title: Monkey Business ) was the third film with the Marx Brothers Groucho, Chico, Harpo and Zeppo Marx. It was shot and published in 1931 .

action

The Marx Brothers want to travel from Europe to America as stowaways on a ship. On their escape from the ship's crew, they get into an argument between the two rival gangsters Big Joe Helton and Alky Briggs. Groucho and Zeppo are on the one hand to help Briggs deal with Helton, while Harpo and Chico on the other hand are hired as his bodyguards. Upon arrival in New York, Helton throws a party for his daughter Mary. Briggs tells Groucho about his plan to kidnap Mary to blackmail her father on the terrace. Zeppo fell in love with Mary on the passage and Groucho tried to land with Briggs' wife Lucille. Finally the brothers manage to free Mary.

Known scenes

  • In order to disembark as stowaways, the four brothers pretend to be singer Maurice Chevalier (also Harpo) at passport control, driving the inspector almost insane.
    They already showed their imitation of Maurice Chevalier in their Broadway play I'll Say She Is .
  • The scenes in which Groucho and Chico sneak into the captain's cabin to eat and Harpo hides in a puppet theater while on the run from an officer are also legendary.

background

Instead of Margaret Dumont, Thelma Todd plays the female role in this film, who also played alongside the Marx Brothers in Blooming Nonsense the following year . In this film Groucho says to her in one scene: “ You're a woman who's been getting nothing but dirty breaks. Well, we can clean and tighten your brakes, but you'll have to stay in the garage all night.

Tragically, Todd died under mysterious circumstances one night in a garage in 1935 - officially of carbon monoxide poisoning, but there was also speculation about murder.

criticism

The Protestant Film-Observer draws the following conclusion: “A little weaker than the showpiece of the brothers, the anti-war film“ Duck Soap ”, but nevertheless extremely entertaining fun. Especially recommended to friends of slapstick. "

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. amazon.com
  2. Evangelischer Presseverband München, Review No. 295/1967