Monkey Business (1931)

Director:

Norman Z. McLeod

Writers:

S.J. Perelman (by) and
Will B. Johnstone (by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

19 September 1931 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

On a transatlantic crossing, the Marx brothers get up to their usual antics and manage to annoy just about everyone on board the ship.

Plot Keywords:

Gangster | Marx Brothers | Interview | Brawl | Pitchfork

Cast

The Marx Brothers		(as The Four Marx Brothers)
Groucho Marx	...	Groucho
Harpo Marx	...	Harpo
Chico Marx	...	Chico
Zeppo Marx	...	Zeppo
Rockliffe Fellowes	...	Joe Helton
Harry Woods	...	Briggs
Thelma Todd	...	Lucille
Ruth Hall	...	Mary Helton
Tom Kennedy	...	Gibson
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eddie Baker	...	Ship's Officer (uncredited)
Bobby Barber	...	Hoarse Barber Customer (uncredited)
Billy Barty	...	(uncredited)
Billy Bletcher	...	Man in Deck Chair (uncredited)
Eddie Borden	...	Joe (uncredited)
James Bradbury Jr.	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Maxine Castle	...	Opera Singer at Party (uncredited)
Maurice Chevalier	...	Singer (voice) (uncredited)
Davison Clark	...	Passport Official (uncredited)
Cecil Cunningham	...	Madame Swempski (uncredited)
Bobby Dunn	...	Gangster (uncredited)
Al Flosso	...	Punch and Judy Puppeteer (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Indian's Wife at Party (uncredited)
Otto Fries	...	Ship's 2nd Officer (uncredited)
Sherry Hall	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Pat Harmon	...	Indian at Party (uncredited)
Ethan Laidlaw	...	Cabbie at Barn (uncredited)
Sam Marx	...	Boat Passenger / Man at Quayside at Arrival (uncredited)
Charlotte Mineau	...	Emily (uncredited)
Harold Minjir	...	Emily's Lover (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Evelyn Pierce	...	Manicurist (uncredited)
Cyril Ring	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Constantine Romanoff	...	Butch (uncredited)
Rolfe Sedan	...	Barber #2 (uncredited)
Frederick Sullivan	...	Pickpocket Victim #1 (uncredited)
Ben Taggart	...	Capt. Corcoran (uncredited)
Leo White	...	Barber #1 (uncredited)
Leo Willis	...	Gangster (uncredited)

Directed by
Norman Z. McLeod		(as Norman McLeod)

Writing credits
S.J. Perelman		(by) and
Will B. Johnstone		(by)
Arthur Sheekman		(additional dialogue)
J. Carver Pusey		contributing writer (uncredited)
Al Shean		contributing writer (uncredited)

Produced by
Herman J. Mankiewicz	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
John Leipold		(uncredited)
Ralph Rainger		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Arthur L. Todd		(photographed by)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles Barton	....	first assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Harry Caplan	....	props (uncredited)

Stunts
Harvey Parry	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Daniel L. Fapp	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Other crew
Al Flosso	....	puppeteer: "Punch" and "Judy" (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures (presents) (as Paramount)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1931) (USA) (theatrical) (as A Paramount Picture)
• Paramount Pictures (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MCA/Universal Pictures (1958) (USA) (TV)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Continental Home Vídeo (2002) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Video (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (Spain) (2004) (Spain) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

77 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

USA:Unrated | USA:Approved (PCA #2720-R, 26 September 1936) | Spain:T | Finland:S (1976) | UK:U | Australia:G | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

One of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by Universal ever since.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the Passport scene, when the brothers try to get off the boat by impersonating Maurice Chevalier, neither Zeppo (the first brother to try) nor Groucho (the third to try), get Chevaliers passport back from the officer in charge, yet Chico and Harpo each have it as they approach the front of the line.

Quotes:

Groucho:I'm going back in the closet, where men... are empty overcoats.

Movie Connections:

Featured in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Laughs: America's Funniest Movies (2000) (TV)

Soundtrack:

You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me

aptly titled, and wacky good fun

How does one review a plotless movie? In "Monkey Business," the Marx Brothers spend the first hour running around on a ship, then they crash a fancy party, then they fist-fight gangsters in a barn. Is there connecting material? Well, yeah - of the thinnest sort imaginable. Does the lack of a coherent plot hurt the film? Not really. Bottom line: it's hilarious. Groucho in particular steals the show with his weird combination flirting/insulting routines.

It's worth noting that, while I laughed a lot at "A Night at the Opera," I laughed even more at this movie. In fact, I was in exquisite pain by the end. Of course, "Opera" actually makes some sense, so it might still be the better movie.

Definitely the best Marx Brothers film that doesn't feature Margaret Dumont, and the strongest showcase for the brothers' talents as physical comedians.