Cinema
Duck Soup
Leo McCarey · 1933
Synopsis
Freedonia is on the brink of bankruptcy. Mrs. Teasdale, a rich widow, promises twenty million dollars if the country is entrusted to Rufus T. Firefly, who arrives late at the reception for his own inauguration. Trentino, ambassador of neighbouring Sylvania, who wants to annex the country and marry the widow, sends two spies, Chicolini and Pinky; they sell peanuts and fight with a lemonade vendor. Firefly appoints Chicolini Minister of War and takes Pinky as his driver, and one word too many between the ambassador and himself leads the two countries to war.
Context
Released in November 1933, the film disappointed without being quite the failure it has been said to be; it was the last of the brothers' contract with Paramount, which was not renewed, and they moved to MGM without Zeppo, who left the cinema. McCarey, often regarded as the only true director the Marx Brothers ever had, said later that he did not like it that much and had not chosen it. The mirror scene, in which Pinky, disguised as Firefly, reproduces each of his gestures, comes from music hall and had already been filmed by Max Linder and by Chaplin.
Who it is for
A film of about sixty-eight minutes, built on English wordplay, offered in France in the original version with subtitles.
Prizes and reception
Added to the National Film Registry in 1990, and fifth in the AFI's ranking of the hundred funniest films.
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