Horse Feathers (1932)

Director:

Norman Z. McLeod

Writers:

Bert Kalmar (by) &
Harry Ruby (by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

19 August 1932 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

The Maddest Comics of the Screen!

Plot:

Quincy Adams Wagstaff, the new president of Huxley U, hires bumblers Baravelli and Pinky to help his school win the big football game against rival Darwin U.

Plot Keywords:

College | Education | Professor | Widow | Speakeasy

Cast

The Marx Brothers		(as The Four Marx Brothers)
Groucho Marx	...	Professor Wagstaff
Harpo Marx	...	Pinky
Chico Marx	...	Baravelli
Zeppo Marx	...	Frank Wagstaff
Thelma Todd	...	Connie Bailey
David Landau	...	Jennings
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bobby Barber	...	Speakeasy Patron (uncredited)
Reginald Barlow	...	Retiring Collage President (uncredited)
Vince Barnett	...	Speakeasy Patron (uncredited)
Sheila Bromley	...	Wagstaff's Receptionist (uncredited)
E.H. Calvert	...	Professor in Wagstaff's Study (uncredited)
Edgar Dearing	...	Speakeasy Bartender (uncredited)
Robert Greig	...	Biology Professor (uncredited)
Theresa Harris	...	Laura - Connie's Maid (uncredited)
Edward LeSaint	...	Professor in Wagstaff's Study (uncredited)
Florine McKinney	...	Peggy Carrington (uncredited)
Nat Pendleton	...	MacHardie - Darwin Player (uncredited)
James Pierce	...	Ed Mullen - Darwin Player (uncredited)
Frank Rice	...	Doorman at Speakeasy (uncredited)
Syd Saylor	...	Speakeasy Patron at Slot Machine (uncredited)
Arthur Sheekman	...	Typing Sportswriter (uncredited)
Ben Taggart	...	Police Officer (uncredited)
Phil Tead	...	Football Broadcaster (uncredited)

Directed by
Norman Z. McLeod		(as Norman McLeod)

Writing credits
Bert Kalmar		(by) &
Harry Ruby		(by) &
S.J. Perelman		(by) and
Will B. Johnstone		(by)
Arthur Sheekman		uncredited

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

Original Music by
John Leipold		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Ray June		(photographed by)

Makeup Department
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

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

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

Sound Department
Gene Merritt	....	production sound mixer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Neal Beckner	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
George Bourne	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Francis Burgess	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Daniel L. Fapp	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Gordon Head	....	still photographer (uncredited)
James Knott	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Fred Mayer	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Cliff Shirpser	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Music Department
Bert Kalmar	....	music and lyrics by
Harry Ruby	....	music and lyrics by

Other crew
Adolph Zukor	....	presenter
Harold Hecht	....	dance director (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1932) (USA) (theatrical) (as A Paramount Picture)
• Paramount Pictures (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MCA/Universal Pictures (1958) (USA) (TV)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (199?) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Video (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (Spain) (2003) (Spain) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

68 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Germany:o.Al. | UK:U | Spain:T | Portugal:M/6 | South Korea:All | USA:Approved (PCA reissue certificate no. 1713-R) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Occidental College -1600 Campus Road, Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Although the present running time (68 minutes) is very close to that of the original (70 minutes), there are still a few bits and pieces and lines of dialogue missing, due to re-editing in 1935 in order to bring the film up to Production Code standards. Apparently the only surviving material also contained some splices which lop of lines of dialogue and bits of action, particularly in the sequence in Thelma Todd's apartment involving the blocks of ice. Another brief gag was cut from the speakeasy scene, in which Harpo stood up on the bar and bowled beer bottles with a grapefruit.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Huxley kicks an extra point following Pinky's touchdown, Darwin kicks off to Huxley.

Quotes:

Jennings:What are you doing here?
Baravelli:Me? I'm the music teacher. I give her singing lessons.
Jennings:[to Connie] Since when are you taking singing lessons?
Baravelli:Since you came in.
Jennings:[to Wagstaff] What are you doing here?
Professor Wagstaff:I'm the plumber. I'm just hanging around in case something goes wrong with her pipes.
[to audience]
Professor Wagstaff:That's the first time I've used that joke in twenty years.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Jeopardy!: 2010 Tournament of Champions Finals: Game 1 (#26.179)" (2010)

Soundtrack:

Whatever It Is, I'm Against It

my favorite Marx Brothers movie

While this film ISN'T as famous as DUCK SOUP or A NIGHT AT THE OPERA, it's my personal favorite. I think it's probably because unlike these other two pictures, there isn't all the singing and dancing in HORSE FEATHERS plus it has at least as much energy as any other film they made. Plus, unlike THE COCOANUTS and ANIMAL CRACKERS, there is a real honest-to-goodness plot!!! So, it's not just one gag after another after another.

Groucho is wonderful as the incompetent and perpetually horny Professor Wagstaff at Huxley College. Plus, as idiots mistaken for professional ringers, Chico and Harpo are at their best. Oh, and I guess Zeppo is in the movie, but as in all their early Zeppo films, he is pretty much a non-entity. You can really see why he never caught on as one of the Marx Brothers (nor did his other brother, Karl, who was by far the LEAST funny Marx Brother).

About the only negative about the film is the climactic football game. Even for a Marx Brothers film, this does get a little too stupid! But, the rest of the movie is so good, you really don't mind.