Duck Soup (1933)

Rufus T. Firefly is named president/dictator of bankrupt Freedonia and declares war on neighboring Sylvania over the love of wealthy Mrs. Teasdale.

Director:

Leo McCarey

Writers:

Bert Kalmar (story), Harry Ruby (story),

Stars:

Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
The Marx Brothers	...	(as The Four Marx Brothers)
Groucho Marx	...	Rufus T. Firefly
Harpo Marx	...	Pinky
Chico Marx	...	Chicolini
Zeppo Marx	...	Bob Roland
Margaret Dumont	...	Mrs. Teasdale
Raquel Torres	...	Vera Marcal
Louis Calhern	...	Trentino
Edmund Breese	...	Zander
Leonid Kinskey	...	Agitator (as Leonid Kinsky)
Charles Middleton	...	Prosecutor (as Charles B. Middleton)
Edgar Kennedy	...	Street Vendor

Storyline

The small state of Freedonia is in a financial mess, borrowing a huge sum of cash from wealthy widow Mrs. Teasdale. She insists on replacing the current president with crazy Rufus T. Firefly and mayhem erupts. To make matters worse, the neighboring state sends inept spies Chicolini and Pinky to obtain top secret information, creating even more chaos!

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Plot Keywords:

widow | spy | ambassador | dictator | dowager | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 November 1933 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cracked Ice

Filming Locations:

Sierra de Loja, Granada, Andalucía, Spain

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

68 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Premiere voted this movie as one of "The 50 Greatest Comedies Of All Time" in 2006.

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Goofs

After Ambassador Trentino has announced, he steps down the stairs followed by two gentlemen and crosses two ladies before he kisses Mrs. Teasdale's hand. Next shot the two ladies are just behind him yet and the last man after him is already on Mrs. Teasdale right hand-hand side, giving his back to the wall.

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Quotes

Chicolini: [trying to decide if himself, Firefly, Pinky, or Bob Roland will make a suicidal run into no-mans-land to get help] I gots an idea. We have a runspot to see who we choose to go. Rrrrrrringspot! One-sa, two-sa, zig-zag-zav, poptie, gimmega, tin-lie, tav, harem, scarem, moychan, tarem, tare, tore...
[realizes that he's about to land on himself]
Chicolini: I did it wrong. Wait, wait, wait... I start here! Rrrrrrringspot! One-sa, two-sa, zig-zag-zav, poptie, gimmega, tin-lie, tav, harem, scarem, moychan, tarem,...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Otto - Der Film (1985)

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Soundtracks

"Military Polonaise in C minor, Op. 40, No. 2"
(1838) (uncredited)
Music by Frédéric Chopin

User Reviews

I Wouldn't Join Any Country that Would Have Me.

I'm shocked, shocked at all the negative comments covering this comedy classic. The puns, the insults, are all now comedy classics. The Lemonade Stand & the Mirror Scenes also memorable. I hadn't seen the movie in around 15 years but bought the DVD so my 15 year old son could experience the Marxes. He loved it too.

What I noticed for the first time was the satire of society, manners, government, the military, the bureaucracy (including Roberts Rules of Order). I can't recall any other comedy I've seen that satirizes on such a grand scale.

For Marx Brothers fans this is a must see. It's the boys with no love story or musical interludes in the way.

One word for those who disagree- "Upstart". :-)