The Marx Bros had had their balls cut off well and truly by this stage, especially Harpo, but this is better than Go West for two reasons: it is set in a more interesting world, i.e. a department store (Marx Bros were at their best in a decent playground) and Margaret Dumont is back. The latter means Groucho has something to do – Harpo is his secretary; Chico is (yawn snore) helping out kids again, but he has a fun piano duet with his brother. The low light of this one is a ten minute musical number performed by Tony Martin, The Tenement Symphony.Although it’s boring that Martin wants to sell his share in a department store to help kids (yeah right), it’s a good idea to have gangsters want to stop him and have Dumont hire Groucho as Martin’s bodyguard and there is a high spirited chase at the end of the film. Virginia Grey is very pretty, Douglas Dumbrille a good villain (as always) and it’s cute to see some kids playing piano Chico-style (i.e. with a pointed finger).
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