At the Circus

19391939
PassedPassed
1h 27min

Groucho Marx, Eve Arden, Chico Marx, and Harpo Marx in At the Circus (1939)

The Marx Brothers try to help the owner of a circus recover some stolen funds before he finds himself out of a job.

Play trailer3:14

The Marx Brothers try to help the owner of a circus recover some stolen funds before he finds himself out of a job.The Marx Brothers try to help the owner of a circus recover some stolen funds before he finds himself out of a job.The Marx Brothers try to help the owner of a circus recover some stolen funds before he finds himself out of a job.

Director
- Edward Buzzell
Writers
- Irving Brecher(screen play)
- Buster Keaton(uncredited)
- Laurence Stallings(uncredited)
Stars

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

Videos1

Official Trailer

Official Trailer

"At the Circus" Marx Brothers (Harpo, Groucho and Chico) 1939 MGM

Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, and Harpo Marx in At the Circus (1939)

Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, and Harpo Marx in At the Circus (1939)

Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, and Harpo Marx in At the Circus (1939)

Groucho Marx, Kenny Baker, and Florence Rice in At the Circus (1939)

Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, and Harpo Marx in At the Circus (1939)

Groucho Marx and Margaret Dumont in At the Circus (1939)

Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, and Harpo Marx in At the Circus (1939)

Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, and Harpo Marx in At the Circus (1939)

Groucho Marx, Margaret Dumont, Chico Marx, and Harpo Marx in At the Circus (1939)

Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, and Harpo Marx in At the Circus (1939)

Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, and Harpo Marx in At the Circus (1939)

Director
- Edward Buzzell
Writers
- Irving Brecher(screen play)
- Buster Keaton(uncredited)
- Laurence Stallings(uncredited)
All cast & crew
See more cast details at IMDbPro

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Jeff Wilson, the owner of a small circus, owes his partner Carter $10000. Before Jeff can pay, Carter lets his accomplices steal the money, so he can take over the circus. Antonio Pirelli and Punchy, who work at the circus, together with lawyer Loophole try to find the thief and get the money back. —Michael Zolk <mzolk@ix.urz.uni-heidelberg.de>

circus song circus midget deception damsel in distress 77 more

Taglines
- NOT SUITABLE FOR GENERAL EXHIBITION (Australian one-sheet poster)
Genres
- Comedy
- Musical
Certificate
- Passed
Parents guide

Trivia
For Groucho Marx' performance of "'Lydia, the Tattooed Lady", additional lyrics were written by lyricist E.Y. Harburg exclusively for screenings of the film for Allied servicemen in European war zones. The special lyrics included the line "When she stands the world grows littler; When she sits, she sits on Hitler.' The version of the song featuring the special lyrics was filmed, and included in prints of the film distributed in Great Britain and France. The version of the song containing the special lyrics was greeted with marked enthusiasm during screenings in those countries.

Goofs
During the "Swingali" number, three boys playing saxophones stand up and play "Auld Lang Syne," but the instruments heard on the soundtrack are clarinets.

Quotes
Peerless Pauline: I've waited so long to find someone like you.
J. Cheever Loophole: Oh, someone *like* me, I'm not good enough for you, eh?

Connections
Featured in From the Ends of the Earth (1939)

Soundtracks
Lydia, the Tattooed Lady
(1939) (uncredited)
Music by Harold Arlen
Lyrics by E.Y. Harburg
Sung by Groucho Marx and chorus, with Chico Marx at piano

Top review

Right square in the middle

Which is to say, neither the Marx Brothers' best nor their worst, but the end of their great period and the beginning of their decline. MGM was simply a studio that (with few exceptions) didn't understand comedy. After this GO WEST has its moments, but THE BIG STORE is nearly a complete waste of time (and when I say "nearly" I'm being charitable --- offhand I can't thing of a single good thing to say about it).

AT THE CIRCUS, on the other, hand, still has many things to recommend it, if you have the iron will it takes to sit through the incredibly schmaltzy and irritating "love" angle. Lots of funny one liners, Harpo riding around on an ostrich and bopping people with his horn, the problematic "Swingali" number (which offends many people but somehow only makes me reflect that Harpo transcends racial barriers), a guy in a gorilla suit, and last but very, very far from least, "Lydia the Tattooed Lady".

For that number alone you should see this movie. Of course if you're a Marx fan you've seen it anyway --- you've probably even seen LOVE HAPPY.

Ugh.

helpful•3

1

horrorfilmx
Jun 3, 2006

Release date
- October 20, 1939 (United States)
Country of origin
- United States
Language
- English
Also known as
- A Day at the Circus
Filming locations
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
Production company
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
See more company credits at IMDbPro

Runtime
- 1h 27min
Color
- Black and White
Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1

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