Classic Pick: Duck Soup (1933)
We tend to use the term “classic film” to apply to anything made before 1980, and certainly anything in black and white; but true classics are timeless, no matter what their era. This is the case with the Marx Brothers’ Duck Soup, a film made in 1933 that remains as funny and topical today as it was in pre-World War II America.
Groucho Marx is Rufus T. Firefly, the recently appointed leader of Freedonia with designs on attractive widow Mrs. Teasdale (Margaret Dumont). Meanwhile, nasty Ambassador Trentino (Louis Calhern), from neighboring country Sylvania, plans to undermine Firefly’s administration and marry Mrs. Teasdale himself in an effort to annex Freedonia. He employs two spies, Chicolini (Chico Marx) and Pinky (Harpo Marx), to infiltrate Freedonia and wreak havoc; which they do, but not in the way that Trentino intended. Through some rather elaborate and ridiculous machinations on the part of the brothers, Freedonia and Sylvania wind up in a truly great war.
Like most Marx Brothers films, the humor of Duck Soup lies in the interactions among the four brothers – Zeppo Marx is also on hand as Firefly’s secretary – and the excellent supporting cast. Classic and oft-copied sketches abound, including the famous “mirror sketch” that allows the three out of four brothers to mimic each other in an extended silent sequence. The film bobs along from comic moment to comic moment, almost without a pause, showcasing Groucho’s verbal acrobatics, Harpo’s silent clowning, and Chico’s endless stream of bad puns.
At the same time, Duck Soup has an underlying political tenor that elevates it above a madcap comedy. Songs about marching off to war parody martial madness, Groucho sings with glee about ruining the country, and a war is launched because one politician insults another. The underlying ridiculousness of politics, war, and power is parodied to spectacular effect, culminating in a battle sequence that has the brothers going through every major war America fought in.
Even with numerous wars fought since this film’s release, Duck Soup still resonates as one of the funniest anti-war comedies ever made.