A bit of an oddity in Marx Bros land because it was made at RKO and is based on source material which was not written for them – a hit 1937 farce. You kind of wonder why RKO didn’t use the play as a basis for something with their own stars, but presumably they didn’t have any they felt suited it as well as the Marxes.
Groucho is a theatre producer living in a hotel trying to raise funds to put on a play – Harpo and Chico are helping him. This is certainly the trio’s most conventional film yet – there is very little madness, the characters are recognisable human beings… which kind of takes the fun away. In particular, it’s a little stressful at times to see Groucho worrying about money and try to do a proper project instead of try to fleece Margaret Dumont and get into the pants of some bimbo.
Frank Albertson, who plays Groucho’s playwright, is a whiny wholesome kid – the most irritating male juvenile in a Marx Bros movie since Animal Crackers, and it’s made worse here since the kid is put front and centre to the action. Makes you long for Zeppo. On the plus side, the other support actors are good, including Lucille Ball and Ann Miller. It’s not an un-entertaining movie – well structured, fast paced, etc – just not so much a Marx Brothers movie, as a movie with the Marx Brothers in it.
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