Go West (1940)

The Marx Brothers come to the rescue in the Wild West when a young man, trying to settle an old family feud so he can marry the girl he loves, runs afoul of crooks.

Director:

Edward Buzzell

Writer:

Irving Brecher (original screenplay)

Stars:

Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Groucho Marx	...	S. Quentin Quale
Chico Marx	...	Joe Panello
Harpo Marx	...	'Rusty' Panello
John Carroll	...	Terry Turner
Diana Lewis	...	Eve Wilson
Walter Woolf King	...	Beecher
Robert Barrat	...	'Red' Baxter
June MacCloy	...	Lulubelle
George Lessey	...	Railroad President

Storyline

Embezzler, shill, all around confidence man S. Quentin Quale is heading west to find his fortune; he meets the crafty but simple brothers Joseph and Rusty Panello in a train station, where they steal all his money. They're heading west, too, because they've heard you can just pick the gold off the ground. Once there, they befriend an old miner named Dan Wilson whose property, Dead Man's Gulch, has no gold. They loan him their last ten dollars so he can go start life anew, and for collateral, he gives them the deed to the Gulch. Unbeknownst to Wilson, the son of his longtime rival, Terry Turner (who's also in love with his daughter, Eva), has contacted the railroad to arrange for them to build through the land, making the old man rich and hopefully resolving the feud. But the evil Red Baxter, owner of a saloon, tricks the boys out of the deed, and it's up to them - as well as Quale, who naturally finds his way out west anyway - to save the day.

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Plot Keywords:

cowboy comedy | cowboy | stagecoach | two brothers | granddaughter | 

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Taglines:

The Looniest, Tuniest Musical Gag-And-Gal Show Since "A Night At The Opera"

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Western

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 December 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

Los hermanos Marx en el Oeste

Filming Locations:

Monument Valley, Arizona, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Groucho Marx performed the song "Go West, Young Man" several times during the remainder of his career, including in Copacabana (1947).

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Goofs

When Rusty is told to get water to put out the train's engine, he is seen filling up a bucket from a small tank marked "water" and partially covered by luggage. This tank, however, was part of the baggage car that had been uncoupled from the train in an earlier scene.

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Quotes

S. Quentin Quale: Didn't we meet at Monte Carlo the night you blew your brains out?

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Crazy Credits

Opening card: Foreword: In 1851, Horace Greeley uttered a phrase that did much to change the history of these United States. He said: Go West, young man, go west. This is the story of three men who made Horace Greeley sorry he said it.

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Connections

Referenced in The Way We Were (1973)

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Soundtracks

You Can't Argue with Love
(1940)
Music by Bronislau Kaper
Lyrics by Gus Kahn
Performed by June MacCloy (uncredited) and Groucho Marx (uncredited) in the saloon

User Reviews

Even though "lesser", I like it "more-er"

I have a real soft spot for "Go West". It's a little less frantic, has a

mellow vibe and it's obvious they enjoyed making it. I liked the

songs and many of the sequences, particularly the "outfitter" and

also the train sequence which is such a metaphor for modern life

(they are in such a hurry to "get there" that they totally destroy and

burn the entire contents and structure of the train so when they

arrive at their destination there is nothing left but skeletal

wreckage). This alone is worth any other disappointments the film

may hold for you. I would say, don't skip over this one. And, to get

to the required 10 lines, I will say it again: don't skip over this one.

LOL