Horse Feathers (1932)

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

Director:

Norman Z. McLeod (as Norman McLeod)

Writers:

Bert Kalmar (by), Harry Ruby (by)

Stars:

Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx

2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
The Marx Brothers	...	(as The Four Marx Brothers)
Groucho Marx	...	Professor Quincy Adams Wagstaff
Harpo Marx	...	Pinky
Chico Marx	...	Baravelli
Zeppo Marx	...	Frank Wagstaff
Thelma Todd	...	Connie Bailey
David Landau	...	Jennings

Storyline

Professor Quincy Adams Wagstaff has just been installed as the new president of Huxley College. His cavalier attitude toward education is not reserved for his son Frank, who is seeing the college widow, Connie Bailey. Frank influences Wagstaff to recruit two football players who hang out in a speakeasy, in order to beat rival school Darwin. Unfortunately, Wagstaff mistakenly hires the misfits Baravelli and Pinky. Finding out that Darwin has beaten him to the "real" players, Wagstaff enlists Baravelli and Pinky to kidnap them, which leads to an anarchic football finale.

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Plot Keywords:

slot machine | femme fatale | professor | college | breaking the fourth wall | 

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Taglines:

A nightmare unbridled among the hors d'oeuvres...oh, the shame of it! (Print Ad- Daily Argus, ((Mount Vernon, NY)) 30 September 1932)

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance | Sport

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

Despite the fact that the commentary track on the 2016 DVD set states erroneously that the football game commentator is Walter Brennan that role is actually played by Phil Tead. Brennan does not appear in this movie.

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Goofs

Just before they board the garbage can chariot, Wagstaff, Baravelli, and Frank chase Pinky as he runs the wrong way down the football field (chasing a dog). It is clear in this shot that Baravelli is a stand-in. In the following shot, as they ride in the garbage can chariot, the stand-in hides behind the other actors.

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Quotes

Jennings: Baravelli, I've got a proposition for you.
Professor Wagstaff: Watch yourself, Baravelli. He's almost as crooked as you are.

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Connections

Featured in The Unknown Marx Brothers (1993)

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Soundtracks

Everyone Says I Love You
(1932) (uncredited)
Music by Harry Ruby
Lyrics by Bert Kalmar
Performed by Chico Marx, Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx and Zeppo Marx

User Reviews

The Marx Brothers in their prime

One of the better Marx Brothers movies. This one came right in the middle of their prime, between Monkey Business and Duck Soup (probably their two best films). While Horse Feathers isn't quite as funny as either of those, it still has plenty of laughs. The Marx Brothers were still young, but they knew what they were doing now. Again they take advantage of the film medium to do things they never could have done on stage, like the wild football finale. The involvement of the supporting cast is also kept to a minimum, which is always a good thing in Marx Bros. films. They do go back to relying on too many musical numbers. Groucho's opening song "Whatever it is, I'm Against it" seems awkwardly out of place, but it's interesting to see all four brothers do their own version of "Everyone Says I Love you." It's not their very best work, but it's not far from it either.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 August 1932 (USA)

Also Known As:

Horse Feathers

Filming Locations:

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

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