Cheap Duck Soup (Video) (Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx, Zeppo Marx) (Leo McCarey) Price

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Customer Reviews of Duck Soup

Hail Freedonia - land of the brave and free!
DUCK SOUP is the most famous and arguably the best of all the Marx Bros.' movies, though audiences at the time of its release were confused and disappointed. One reason for this, I think, is that the movie is really just a series of comedy sketches strung together by the barest thread of a plot. But the comedy sketches are unforgettable, and the audience is treated to one unforgettable, side-splitting scenario after another: the inauguration of Rufus T. Firefly ("Pop Goes The Weasel"), the spies, the book seller, the mirror scene (imitated countless times over the years), and "Freedonia's Going To War!" Groucho said many of his best lines here; Chico is the straight man who changes sides in the war at the drop of a hat; and Harpo is bursting with energy (and lechery). Margaret Dumont plays the straight lady to Grouchos insults and affections (and it's said that in real life, she didn't understand half of the things being said about her!). This was Zeppo's last movie with the other Brothers, as their cartoony antics continually overshadowed him. Much has been made of the political satire present in this movie; and indeed, in these crazy times after the events of September 11, 2001, the antics of a number of the people in power (on both sides of this conflict) can be compared to the antics of Rufus T. Firefly.

Viewers who watch this movie expecting an actual plot will be disappointed, which may be the reason why the it was a box-office flop. Newcomers should take this movie in the way they take a Monty Python movie, as a series of comedy sketches. It's sad to have to invoke the name of Monty Python when praising this all-time comedy classic, but the truth is that these days, far more people have seen "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" than any of the great Marx Bros. movies.

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The Best Political Satire of All Time
I mean it. Bar none. I am not a huge fan of the Marx's, but this film is certainly their best (closely followed by "A Night at the Opera"). Basically, dictator of postage-stamp sized Freedonia, Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho) declairs war on neighbouring Sylvania without good reason at all, and havoc ensues. It's perfectly simple, but at the same time is pretty accurate when you think about how most wars start. You may feel uncomfortable the first time. This movie pulls no punches when it comes to nasty insult based humour. However, it grows on you something shocking. The brothers knock off just the right mix of slapstick (Harpo), stupidity (Chico), smart-alec (Groucho) and straight (Zeppo), that you can't help but keep laughing all the way through the film's short 70 or so minutes. My favourite sequence? The Mirror scene of course! But I won't spoil things here. If you're a fan of comedy, that is ANY sort of comedy, you owe it to yourself to own this movie. It features enough gags for six features, but one this good is enough. My only minor quibble is that some of the musical numbers have lost their edge with time, and now seem contrived and out of place.

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Where is the Region 1 release?
I don't need to gush over how great this movie is, plenty of customers have already done that. Warner Brothers did the Marx Brother's justice with their five DVD set of seven films with loads of special features. Granted that set is of their later films but isn't it time their early movies got the same treatment? Great collections of their early films are available in R2 and R4 formats, why not R1? Any answer? Universal Studios?