A Night At The Opera

Sam Wood, USA 1935, 90 minutes

Made at the height of the Marx Brothers' popularity (i.e. after they got rid of Zeppo, the unfunny one), just before MGM precipitated their descent into mediocrity by regimenting and rationalising their comedy, this is usually cited along with A Day At The Races as their best-loved and funniest film, and even today remains the one to beat in the raucous, anarchic comedy stakes.

Much of the Marx Brothers' humour always came from their bare-faced lack of respect for authority and their subversion of the codes of social behaviour, so what better place to turn them loose than the opera house? What place is more filled with pompous old windbags and prima donnas just begging for the Groucho treatment?

Around a skeleton plot involving the brothers' attempts to give a pair of Italian opera singers a big break in America, director Wood and screenwriters Kaufman and Ryskind (whose job was mainly to just contain the anarchy in the vague framework of a story) create a masterpiece of dizzying levels. Setting aside (as everyone always has) the tosh involving the boring and unnecessary romantic leads, this contains some of the most unforgettably classic Marx Brothers scenes ever: the `Party Of The First Part' contract scene, the backstage bedswitching, the opera house chase scene, Harpo's Tarzan impression and Chico in a virtuoso turn proving once and for all that in his hands the piano is a very, very funny instrument. Add to this the tried-and-tested chemistry between the leeringly flirtatious Groucho and the divine Margaret Dumont and you have one of the funniest films ever made. A treat for fans and the best possible introduction for the uninitiated.

"Groucho's favourite" - Virgin

Review by Ben Stephens
Taken from EUFS Programme 1996-97