The Marx Brothers

The Marx Brothers
A Night at the Opera (1935)

Click on posters to enlarge

The boys signed with Irving Thalberg and M-G-M for this 1935 all-time classic. Otis B. Driftwood, Fiorello and Tomasso turn Mrs. Claypool's opera into a circus. This comic masterpiece contains the famous stateroom and contract scenes (with the Sanity Clause) and the best plot of any Marx film. (J. Bradley Main)

GROUCHO: Wait a minute. Have I got time to go back and pay my hotel bill?
OFFICER: Too late!
GROUCHO: That's fine

The following exchange between Groucho and Margaret Dumont -- Dumont asks, "Are you sure you have everything, Otis?" and Groucho replies, "I've never had any complaints yet!" -- was cut by the censorship boards in every state on the film's release, but fortunately was preserved and is in current copies.

External Links

Sounds

The Contract Scene at http://www.whyaduck.com

Quotes

The Contract Scene at http://www.whyaduck.com
The Contract Scene at http://www.nightattheopera.net
The Stateroom Scene at http://www.nightattheopera.net

Videos

Quicktime video clips at http://www.nightattheopera.net

General

Scenes removed from the final script at http://www.nightattheopera.net
Plot line and quotes at http://www.filmsite.org
Reviews at http://www.nightattheopera.net
All kind of information prepared by the 'Alex Film Society' at http://www.keyconnect.com/alexfilmsoc through web.archive.org

Cast:

Groucho Marx Otis P. Driftwood
Harpo Marx Tomasso
Chico Marx Fiorello
Margaret Dumont Mrs. Claypool
Sig Ruman Herman Gottlieb
Kitty Carlisle Rosa Castaldi
Allan Jones Riccardo Baroni
Walter Woolf King Rudolpho Lassparri
Edward Keane Captain
Robert Emmett O'Connor Detective Henderson
Gino Corrado Stewart
Purnell Pratt Mayor
Frank Yaconelli Engineer
Billy Gilbert Engineer's Assistant, Peasant
John Lipson Engineer's Assistant
Claude Peyton Police Captain
Rita and Rubin Dancers
Luther Hoobyar Ruiz
Rodolfo Hoyos Count Di Luna
Olga Dane Azucena, gypsy woman
James J. Wolf Ferrando
Inez Palange Maid
Jonathan Hale Stage Manager
Otto Fries Elevator man
William Gould Police Captain
Leo White Aviator
Jay Eaton Aviator
Rolfe Sedan Aviator
Wilbur Mack Committee member
George Irving Committee member
Phillips Smalley Committee member
Selmer Jackson Committee member
George Guhl Policeman
Harry Tyler Sign Painter
Alan Bridge Immigration inspector
Harry Allen Doorman
Lorraine Bridges Louisa
Fred Malatesta Stage Hand
Edna Bennett Maid
Zuke Welch Steward
Gennaro Curci Doorman

Director Sam Wood
Written by George S. Kaufman
Morrie Ryskind
James Kevin McGuiness (story)
Al Boasberg (additional material, uncredited)
Music Herbert Stothart
Giuseppe Verdi
Song "Alone" Arthur Freed (lyrics)
Nacio Herb Brown (music)
Song "Cosi-Cosa" Bronislau Kaper (music)
Walter Jurmann (music)
Ned Washington (lyrics)
Cinematography Merritt B. Gerstad
Art director Cedric Gibbons
Associate art directors Ben Carre
Edwin B. Willis (set decorator)
Editor William Levanway
Recording director Douglas Shearer
Dance director Chester Hale
Costume design Dolly Tree
Production Manager Tlacateotl Mata
Producer Irving Thalberg (uncredited)
Miguel Necoechea (associate)
Production company / Distribution Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer (Loew's Inc.)
Runtime 96 min.
Baltimore / St. Louis opening 01 Nov 1935
Release date 15 Nov 1935
Remade as Brain Donors (1992)
Spanish title Una noche en la ópera
French title Une nuit à l'opéra
German title Die Marx Brothers in der Oper
Skandal in der Oper
Swedish title Galakväll pa Operan
Italian title Una notte all'Opera
Finnish title Ilta oopperassa