Love Happy (1949)

The Marx Brothers help young Broadway hopefuls while thwarting diamond thieves.

Director:

David Miller

Writers:

Frank Tashlin (screenplay), Mac Benoff (screenplay),

Stars:

Harpo Marx, Chico Marx, Ilona Massey

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Harpo Marx	...	Harpo
Chico Marx	...	Faustino
Ilona Massey	...	Madame Egelichi
Vera-Ellen	...	Maggie Phillips
Marion Hutton	...	Bunny Dolan
Raymond Burr	...	Alphonse Zoto
Melville Cooper	...	Throckmorton
Paul Valentine	...	Mike Johnson
Leon Belasco	...	Mr. Lyons
Eric Blore	...	Mackinaw
Bruce Gordon	...	Hannibal Zoto
Marilyn Monroe	...	Grunion's Client
Groucho Marx	...	Detective Sam Grunion

Storyline

Young hopefuls trying to stage a Broadway show on a shoestring are sustained with food by expert shoplifter Harpo. They little suspect that his donations include the special sardine can hiding the Romanoff diamonds! Slinky Madame Egelichi and her henchmen will do anything to get them back, but the Marx Brothers lead them a merry chase.

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Plot Keywords:

diamonds | sardine | bodyguard | marx brothers | rehearsal | 

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Taglines:

New Musical Girlesque!!!

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Musical

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 March 1950 (USA)

Also Known As:

Blonde Heaven

Filming Locations:

General Service Studios - 1040 N. Las Palmas, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Artists Alliance

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Harpo is being searched by the Zoto Brothers, and they're pulling things out of his coat, a mailbox is pulled out with the name "Moss Kaufman" on it. This is a play (no pun intended) on the playwrights, Kaufman and Hart (George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart). Kaufman collaborated on both THE COCOANUTS and ANIMAL CRACKERS for the Marx Brothers. Moss Hart & George S. Kaufman wrote THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER in which the character Banjo is based upon Harpo Marx.

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Goofs

When we first see Chico in the final scene, he is wearing a bow-tie. In the very next shot he is tie-less.

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Quotes

Mr. Lyons: Are you a friend of Mr. Yorkman?
Faustino the Great: [crossing fingers before him] Friend? Ha. Max and I are just-a like that - two heads on the same neck.

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Connections

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

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Soundtracks

"Willow Weep for Me"
(1949)
by Ann Ronell
Danced by Vera-Ellen (uncredited) and men's chorus

User Reviews

A very entertaining movie! (Who believes "movie critics" anyhow?)

Unfortunately, this movie was my first Marx Brothers movie. (I saw it in December 1977.) It really isn't a good introduction to the comic mayhem of the Marx Brothers because it was never intended to be a Marx Brothers movie in the first place! It was originally a Harpo Marx movie. But Chico had some debts to pay so he was worked into the script. Since you cannot have Harpo and Chico without Groucho, Groucho was also added to the script. Groucho didn't have that much of a part. But Groucho was so unique that he could generate laughs by saying anything! "Love Happy" was the movie that marked the end of the Marx Brothers as a single comedy act. (It would also be the movie that started Marilyn Monroe's career.)

The movie was very entertaining and it provided more than enough comedy and laughs to qualify as a good comedy. Harpo was great, doing what he was best as doing. The chase was a riot.

For those who were saddened over this movie being the end of the Marx Brothers as a comedy act, this movie also marked the beginning of the Marx Brothers as individuals who would each enjoy his own level of success with Groucho being the most successful with his TV show "You Bet Your Life" in the 1950s and a comeback in the 1970s, touring the country.

After "Love Happy", Harpo would make 9 appearances plus 15 as himself. Chico would make 6 appearances plus 7 as himself. and Groucho would make 13 appearances plus 29 as himself and he would also enjoy success as a writer and one shot as director. That's not bad.

The real tragedy was the 3 Stooges' "Kook's Tour" which really marked the end of the 3 Stooges as an act by featuring them in retirement. "Kooks' Tour" was cut short by Larry's stroke and it marked the end of the 3 Stooges (except for a few personal appearances by Moe as a member of the audience in the 1973 movie "Dr. Death Seeker of Souls" and as himself on "The Mike Douglas Show".)