The comedic team, the Marx Brothers, were the talk of Broadway during the mid-1920s. Their "I'll Say She Is' show consisted of sharp verbal humor mixed with song numbers and improvisational comedy. It was the highlight of the 1924-1925 New York City theater season. Evolving their act from the many years on the vaudeville circuit, the Marx Brothers, besides a lost quickie 1921 short 'Humor Risk,' never appeared, solo or as a group, in film until January 1925's "Too Many Kisses." Harpo Marx was the first brother to make an appearance in cinema, albeit brief but memorable, signifying his great potential in future on-screen endeavors.
Harpo, born Adolph, later changed to Arthur, was the second oldest of the Marx brothers. His self-taught skill playing the harp morphed into his known name, Harpo, during his vaudeville days. His stage and movie career is known for his lack of speaking. Several versions handed down give a reason behind his muteness. One account is a theater critic in 1914 wrote Harpo was brilliant on stage until he opened his mouth. Groucho claimed it was after a Winnipeg, Manitoba, act when the theater's owner paid them in pennies. As they left, Harpo yelled he wished the theater would burn down. It came true: that night a fire did destroy the venue. He learned to shut his mouth after that.
In "Too Many Kisses," Harpo does speak. It's the only time, with the exception in a group song in 1931's 'Monkey Business' and in a brief microphone appearance in 1936's 'The Great Ziegfeld,' he says something on film. As The Village Peter Pan, Harpo exclaims according to the title card "You sure you can't move?" Since this is a silent film, Harpo's lips are seen moving as he asks the question to a belligerent all tied up. The only other Marx Brothers who made a film appearance before their 1929 'The Cocoanuts' was Zeppo in 1925's 'A Kiss In The Dark.'
"Too Many Kisses" is also a rare Richard Dix comedy. He plays a rich businessman's son whose paramour exploits forces his father to send him on a long trip to the Basque region of France. There he falls in love with a local beauty (Frances Howard), who is also pursued by Julio (William Powell), a local soldier. Dix, previously appearing in a number of Westerns, applies a light-hearted touch in his rivalry with Powell. Actress Francis Howard, recently signed to a five-year contract with Paramount Pictures, married producer Samuel Goldwyn, 20 years her senior, on April 23, 1925, soon after completing "Too Many Kisses." She was able to cancel her contract to devote time to her new family.
"Too Many Kisses" also has the distinction of being one of the first movies to be part of a double bill. The film 'French Pastry' front-ended the Harpo movie. The idea of showing two movies back-to-back became especially popular during the Depression when theater owners were vying for customers by offering a two-for-one evening of entertainment.
