The Cocoanuts (1929)

During the Florida land boom, the Marx brothers run a hotel, auction off some land, thwart a jewel robbery, and generally act like themselves.

Directors:

Robert Florey, Joseph Santley

Writers:

George S. Kaufman (book), Morrie Ryskind (adapted by)

Stars:

Zeppo Marx, Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx

Cast

Complete credited cast:
The Marx Brothers
Zeppo Marx	...	Jamison
Groucho Marx	...	Hammer
Harpo Marx	...	Harpo
Chico Marx	...	Chico
Oscar Shaw	...	Bob
Mary Eaton	...	Polly
Cyril Ring	...	Yates
Kay Francis	...	Penelope
Margaret Dumont	...	Mrs. Potter
Basil Ruysdael	...	Hennessy
Gamby-Hale Ballet Girls	...	Dancerss (as Gamby-Hale Girls)
Allan K. Foster Girls	...	Dancers

Storyline

Mr. Hammer runs a bankrupt Florida hotel. He'll try anything to make money, even make love to rich Mrs. Potter. But his main scheme, selling real estate, is in danger of sabotage from zanies Chico and Harpo, who also reduce the schemes of a pair of jewel thieves to chaos. A subplot involves the star-crossed love of Polly Potter and architect Bob Adams.

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Plot Keywords:

florida | hotel | marx brothers | auction | insult | 

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Taglines:

Paramount's All Talking Musicomedy Sensation

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 August 1929 (USA)

Also Known As:

A kókuszdiók

Filming Locations:

Kaufman Astoria Studios - 3412 36th Street, Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min 140 min (preview) 89 min (DVD edition)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The stage rights were originally bought by United Artists in 1928, and sold to Paramount the following year.

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Quotes

Hammer: Why, it's the most exclusive residential district in Florida. *Nobody* lives there.

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Connections

Referenced in Hollywood Hist-o-Rama: Marx Brothers (1962)

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Soundtracks

"MONKEY-DOODLE-DO0"
(1925) (uncredited)
Written by Irving Berlin
Sung by Mary Eaton
Danced by Gamby-Hale Ballet Girls and Allan K. Foster Girls

User Reviews

The first Marx comedy - huge laughs.

"The Cocoanuts" is the very first film the Marx Brothers did and is essentially a filmed recording of their Broadway triumph. Talkies were still in their infancy, and the technical aspects of this flick prove it! The camera can barely keep up with the boys as they leap around. But don't let the staginess and crummy musical interludes and subplots distract you... this film has some of the great moments in Marx comedy. Chico is especially aggressive with his lines (he just annoys the hell out of Groucho, foiling his plan to rig an auction with his denseness) and Harpo (with his original red wig, which films dark brown) has never been better, destroying the hotel lobby by eating buttons off bellboy's uniforms and swilling ink. Groucho has some of his most potent insults. Zeppo, surprisingly, has even less to do here than in subsequent outings. This film is hilarious and head-and-shoulders above their later MGM films like "Go West" and "At the Circus." Funny, funny, funny!