The Marx Brothers

The Marx Brothers
Duck Soup (1933)

Click on posters to enlarge

Released in 1933, this political satire is thought by many as their greatest movie. Rufus T. Firefly, Pinkie, Chicolini, and Bob Rolland defend Mrs. Teasdale and Freedonia's honor. Contains the classic mirror sequence, the hotdog stand and the climatic battle scene is not to be missed. (J. Bradley Main)

FIREFLY: To my dentist. Er .. 'Dear Dentist: Enclosed find cheque for five hundred dollars. Yours very truly.' Send that off immediately.
BOB:I'll ... er I'll have to enclose the cheque first.
FIREFLY: You do and I'll fire you.

In "Harpo speaks" one of the pictures is captioned, "Innocent Bystander watches Edgar Kennedy and small friend exchange slow burns, in 'Monkey Business'." The "small friend" is Billy Barty. The scene with Barty was cut before the film was released.

External Links

Sounds

"These are the Laws of My Administration" at http://members.tripod.com/Cleo256/marx
Enter his Excellency at http://www.whyaduck.com
"Chico, secretary of war" at http://www.whyaduck.com
The Trial at http://www.whyaduck.com

Quotes

Enter his Excellency at http://www.whyaduck.com
"Chico, secretary of war" at http://www.whyaduck.com
The Trial at http://www.whyaduck.com

General

The different scripts for "Duck Soup" at http://marxbros.cjb.net/
Plot line and quotes at http://www.filmsite.org

Cast:

Groucho Marx Rufus T. Firefly
Harpo Marx Pinky
Chico Marx Chicolini
Zeppo Marx Bob Roland
Margaret Dumont Mrs. Gloria Teasdale
Louis Calhern Ambassador Trentino
Raquel Torres Vera Marcal
Edgar Kennedy Lemonade Dealer
Edmund Breese Zander
William Worthington First Minister of Finance
Edwin Maxwell Secretary of War
Leonid Kinskey Agitator
Verna Hillie Secretary
George MacQuarrie First Judge
Fred Sullivan Second Judge
Davison Clark Second Minister of Finance
Charles B. Middleton Prosecutor
Eric Mayne Third Judge
Dale van Sickel A Palace Guard
Blanca Pinky's Horse
Dennis O'Keefe extra
E.H. Calvert

Director Leo McCarey
Written by Bert Kalmar
Harry Ruby
Nat Perrin (additional dialogue)
Arthur Sheekman (additional dialogue)
Music Bert Kalmar
Harry Ruby
Cinematography Henry Sharp
Editor LeRoy Stone
Art director Hans Dreier
Wiard B. Ihnen
Musical advisor Arthur Johnston
Chief sound mixer H.M. Lindgren
Producer Herman J. Mankiewicz
Production company / Distribution Paramount Productions / Paramount Distributing (A Paramount Picture)
Runtime 70 min.
New York Premiere 22 Nov 1933
Release date 24 Nov 1933
Featured in Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
Veillees d'armes (1994)
Spanish title Sopa De Ganso
French title La Soupe au canard
German title Die Marx Brothers im Krieg
Swedish title 4 Fula Fiskar
Italian title La guerra lampo dei fratelli Marx
Finnish title Neljä naurettavaa naapuria