ANIMAL CRACKERS

(August 1930, U.S.)

Do you want to know what the worst thing about the Marx Brothers is? It's the fact that most of today's younger generation of movie watchers are either too stupid or too impatient to truly appreciate their legendary style of comedy sketches, one liner jokes and visual gags that one would find in ANIMAL CRACKERS or any of their other films. I'm not saying that every film they made was a stroke of genius. Too be honest, they're an acquired taste if don't care for musicals much. And having to sit through Harpo Marx playing the harp in nearly every film is cause enough for you to hit the "forward" button on your DVD remote.

However, no one can question the comic genius behind some of the classic dialogue that Groucho and Chico Marx have delivered during their entire film career. It was during their period when they were known as "the 4 marx Brothers" that they made some of their best films (this one and DUCK SOUP included). This, despite the fact that Zeppo Marx is just simply NOT funny!

A quick personal story now - I grew up with some of the lamest one liner jokes from my father that anyone should have to endure. Really, they were painful to listen to. When I finally discovered the films of the Marx Brothers, I learned that my father had been ripping off Groucho Marx his whole life. The thing of it was, though, my father had never seen a Marx Brothers film before. He actually thought his lame jokes were original (???). I mean, when Groucho does it, it's funny. When my father did it...not.

Favorite line or dialogue:

Captain Spaulding: "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, which doesn't say much for you."