Duck Soup (1933)

Director:

Leo McCarey

Writers:

Bert Kalmar (story) and
Harry Ruby (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

17 November 1933 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Widow | Spy | Ambassador | Dictator | Dowager

Awards:

1 win

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Edward Arnold	...	Politician (uncredited)
Wade Boteler	...	Officer at Battle Headquarters (uncredited)
Sidney Bracey	...	Mrs. Teasdale's Butler (uncredited)
E.H. Calvert	...	Officer in Battle Sequence (uncredited)
Davison Clark	...	Minister of Finance #2 (uncredited)
Louise Closser Hale	...	Reception Guest (uncredited)
Carrie Daumery	...	Reception Guest (uncredited)
Mario Dominici	...	Minister (uncredited)
Maude Turner Gordon	...	Reception Guest (uncredited)
Verna Hillie	...	Trentino's Blonde Secretary (uncredited)
Edward LeSaint	...	Secretary of Labor (uncredited)
George MacQuarrie	...	First Judge (uncredited)
Edwin Maxwell	...	Freedonia's Secretary. of War #1 (uncredited)
Eric Mayne	...	Third Judge (uncredited)
Edmund Mortimer	...	Minister (uncredited)
Dennis O'Keefe	...	Bridegroom at Firefly's Reception (uncredited)
Leo Sulky	...	Agitator (uncredited)
Frederick Sullivan	...	Second Judge (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	...	A Palace Guard (uncredited)
Florence Wix	...	Reception Guest (uncredited)
William Worthington	...	First Minister of Finance (uncredited)

Directed by
Leo McCarey

Writing credits
Bert Kalmar		(story) and
Harry Ruby		(story)
Arthur Sheekman		(additional dialogue) and
Nat Perrin		(additional dialogue)

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

Original Music by
John Leipold		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Henry Sharp		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
LeRoy Stone		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Hans Dreier		(uncredited)
Wiard Ihnen		(uncredited)

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

Sound Department
Harry Lindgren	....	recording engineer (uncredited)

Stunts
Dale Van Sickel	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Cliff Shirpser	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Edward Dmytryk	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Bert Kalmar	....	music and lyrics by
Harry Ruby	....	music and lyrics by
Arthur Johnston	....	music advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures (presents) (as Paramount)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1933) (USA) (theatrical) (as A Paramount Picture)
• Paramount Pictures (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MCA/Universal Pictures (1958) (USA) (TV)
• Asociace Ceských Filmových Klubu (ACFK) (????) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Cinéma La Pagode (1965) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Image Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Video (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD) (4 film set)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2012) (Canada) (DVD) (4 film set)

Other Companies

• Emka Ltd.  current copyright proprietor

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 | Germany:6 | Sweden:Btl | USA:Passed (PCA #1370-R, 31 August 1935) | France:U | Ireland:G | UK:U | South Korea:All | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Sierra de Loja, Granada, Andalucía, Spain

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Vera was Trentino's niece in early drafts.

Goofs:

Continuity: Firefly's standing position while he's singing with his trousers up.

Quotes:

Rufus T. Firefly:Not that I care, but where is your husband?
Mrs. Teasdale:Why, he's dead.
Rufus T. Firefly:I bet he's just using that as an excuse.
Mrs. Teasdale:I was with him to the very end.
Rufus T. Firefly:No wonder he passed away.
Mrs. Teasdale:I held him in my arms and kissed him.
Rufus T. Firefly:Oh, I see, then it was murder. Will you marry me? Did he leave you any money? Answer the second question first.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Doctor Who: The Shakespeare Code (#3.2)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

One Hour with You

Dialog Highlights This Marx Bros. Gem

Well, here we are with another wild and hilarious Marx Brothers farce, this time with Groucho taking over a small country and winding up in war with a neighboring one.

There really isn't much of a story but with the Marx Brothers that doesn't matter. Many times their movies were vehicles for their vaudeville acts of funny lines, slapstick gags and musical talent.

Two differences in this film than most others from the boys: 1 - Zeppo has a number of lines. Usually, he's the almost-forgotten brother in this foursome, either with little to say or not even in the film. 2 - Harpo doesn't play the harp, but he gets in on his share of the gags, which are always dominated by Groucho and Chico (my personal favorite).

Fantastic dialog makes this version one of the best of them all. There are just tons of funny (and, yes, very dated) lines in this movie and having Duck Soup out on DVD making the sound clearer helps, too. Lots of laughs.