#Marx brothers animal crackers movie#

Unfortunately, it still grinds to a halt for some of the songs, especially during the inevitable harp solo from Harpo. It actually utilizes some of them to tell the story, which is a change from Cocoanuts. On the positive side, Crackers tends to integrate its musical numbers better than usual. Nope - we get the blown takes here! They usually recover fairly well, but these elements add to the amateurish nature of the flick. On a few occasions, the actors screw up, but God forbid they reshoot those scenes. The sloppiness extends to even the takes used. Her work is so strange that it turns entertaining. Actually, she becomes inadvertently amusing. These seem worse than usual here, especially due to the insanely broad gestures from Roth.

#Marx brothers animal crackers movie#

It seems artificial and makes the movie even more off-kilter.Д®xcept for the usually reliable Dumont, Marx movies present generally flat characters and weak performances from the secondary participants. ItвЂ™s a weird choice show the crowds as they do nothing while the shtick unfolds. People just stand around and watch while exposition and gags occur. The editing contributes to the awkwardness, and some bizarre staging also mars the piece. When it doesnвЂ™t find anything, it flails, and it pushes unnaturally toward the next joke. The flick jerks from one moment to another, usually in search of a gag. Marx films usually suffer from weak plots, and that occurs here. ItвЂ™s a distraction that makes the movie amateurish much of the time. The composition is often bad, and we actually watch the cameraman struggle to figure out where to settle. The camera often bobs when it moves, displays strange and erratic framing, and canвЂ™t quite decide what it wants to show. Crackers suffers from a shocking lack of clarity in its photographic elements. Unfortunately, not much to Crackers soars, and it works as one of the BrothersвЂ™ lesser efforts.ДЄ lot of the problems stem from the inept filmmaking on display.

The flicks live and die by their comedic set pieces. Marx movies use their stories for little more than a loose framework.

Various other schemes develop.ДЄs usual, the plotlines donвЂ™t add up to much. Emanuel and the Professor reveal a secret about ChandlerвЂ™s past that he wants to keep under wraps. Arabella decides to play a painting-related gag that she hopes will advance JohnnyвЂ™s career. Daughter Arabella Rittenhouse (Lillian Roth) doesnвЂ™t care for the Whiteheads either, but sheвЂ™s involved with struggling artist Johnny Parker (Hal Thompson).ДЄ mix of complications evolve. They donвЂ™t like the Rittenhouses, so Grace plans to play a trick on them that involves a copy of the famous artwork. Whitehead (Margaret Irving) and her daughter Grace (Kathryn Reece), part of a prominent family that just returned from Europe. After the party ends, they prepare for the unveiling of the painting, and two new characters arrive: Mrs.

Hot on his heels we meet a musician named Signor Emanuel Ravelli (Chico Marx) and his partner вЂњThe Professor (Harpo Marx). Spaulding arrives with his field captain, Horatio Jamison (Zeppo Marx). He does so to declare his love for the widowed Mrs. As part of the celebration, вЂњwealthy art patronвЂќ Roscoe Chandler (Louis Soren) brings a valuable painting for exhibition. In this flick, we start with a party held in the honor of explorer Captain Jeffery Spaulding (Groucho Marx) at the home of Mrs. Reviewed by Colin Jacobson (December 20, 2004)ДЇor the Marx BrothersвЂ™ second big-screen adventure, we head to 1930вЂ™s Animal Crackers. Sony 36' WEGA KV-36FS12 Monitor Sony DA333ES Processor/Receiver Panasonic CV-50 DVD Player using component outputs Michael Green Revolution Cinema 6i Speakers (all five) Sony SA-WM40 Subwoofer. This essential DVD set features the legendary four Marx Brothers in five of their most acclaimed and best loved films вЂ“ Duck Soup, Horse Feathers, Monkey Business, Animal Crackers and The Cocoanuts вЂ“ the only five movies ever made with all four brothers together: Groucho, Chico, Harpo and Zeppo!ДЄvailable Only as Part of The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection. Kaufman (play), Bert Kalmar (play), Harry Ruby (play), Morrie RyskindД¬elebrate the 75th anniversary of the greatest comedy act in history with The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection. Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx, Zeppo Marx, Lillian Roth, Margaret Dumont, Louis Sorin, Hal Thompson, Margaret Irving, Kathryn Reece Review Archive: # | A-C | D-F | G-I | J-L | M-O | P-R | S-U | V-Z | Viewer Ratings | Main Animal Crackers: The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection (1930)