Marx Brothers Circus

 

 (imdb)

AT THE CIRCUS-1939-Jeff Wilson (Kenny Baker),owns a circus where his girlfriend Julie (Florence Rice) does a musical number with a horse. He owes a guy named Carter (James Burke) 10 thousand dollars but he plans on paying off. His assistant/buddy Tony (Chico Marx) thinks Jeff's in trouble, so he sends for lawyer J. Cheever Loophole (Guess Who?). Carter conspires with trapeze artist Peerless Pauline (Eve Arden) to ruin Jeff. Carter sends strongman Goliath (Nat Pendelton; also in HORSE FEATHERS) and midget, the professor (Jerry Maren) to steal Jeff's money. Tony and the strongman's former assistant Punchy (Harpo Marx) investigate. Groucho sings “Lydia,The Tattooed Lady”. Loophole goes to Newport to romance the wealthy Mrs. Dukesbury (Margaret Dumont), Jeff's aunt. Later, Loophole plots to have Jeff's circus replace an orchestra lead by famous French conductor Jardinet (Fritz Feld).

 (imdb)

 

The wild finale includes an escaped gorilla (Charles Gemora), Dukesbury shot from a cannon and half the cast on a trapeze! Director Edward Buzzell does a fairly good job and would direct the brothers' next feature GO WEST.

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On Yer Marx

 

 (imdb)

A DAY AT THE RACES-1937-Judy (Maureen O'Sullivan) is having trouble running her sanitarium because it's in debt. Her chauffeur is Tony (Chico Marx). She gets really mad when her radio singer boyfriend Gil Stewart (Alan Jones) buys a racehorse. His jockey is Stuffy (Harpo Marx). Hypochondriac Mrs. Upjohn (Margaret Dumont) agrees to help out when she hears Dr. Hackenbush (Groucho Marx) is coming (he's actually a veterinarian). Mr. Morgan (Douglas Dumbrille; later in THE BIG STORE with the brothers) wants her place and has a corrupt business Mgr. Whitmore (Leonard Ceeley) try and get it. Later Hackenbush is pursued by floozy Flo (Esther Muir) who tries to get Hackenbush in trouble with Mrs. Upjohn but Tony & Stuffy save him with a hilarious wallpaper act. There's more outrageous comedy when Morgan brings in a specialist (Sig Ruman) to examine Upjohn. 

This seventh madcap Marx Brothers comedy was directed by Sam Wood who had already worked with the brothers on the classic A NIGHT AT THE OPERA in 1935 (which also featured Jones, Dumont and Ruman). He went on to direct many more films including GOODBYE MR. CHIPS (1939), KITTY FOYLE (1940) and THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES (1942). Executive producer (and Marx Brothers supporter) Irving Thalberg died during production. Groucho (who didn't care much for director Wood) later said that with Thalberg's death he lost interest in making movies. 

DAY is also the only Marx Bros. film to get an Oscar nomination (for choreography!). 37 years later Groucho received a honorary Oscar. Despite having a lot of music, several songs were cut including Groucho's “Dr. Hackenbush”!

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Zotz!

ZOTZ!-1962-This is fun black & white comedy from “gimmick director” William Castle (he made MR. SARDONICUS the year before).

A mild mannered professor (Tom Poston) comes in possession of an ancient coin that gives him special powers. When he says the word “zotz” things go in slow motion. When he points his finger at a person they feel intense pain. When he combines them they cause death! He makes most of his friends think he’s crazy and fails to make a US general (Fred Clark) believe him. He’s eventually captured by communists (a henchman is played by Mike Mazurki) but battles his way out and becomes a hero.

Jim Backus plays another professor and rival for the affections a female prof. (Julia Meade). The dean of the college where they teach is played by Cecil Kellaway and his wife is Margaret Dumont! (in her second to last film) 50’s-60’s TV comedian Louis Nye has a cameo. Poston was later in another Castle film, a remake of THE OLD DARK HOUSE.

When I was little kids used to go around pointing their index finger and saying “zotz” a lot. You were of course suppose to slow down when they did that but since I didn’t see this film till years later I was never really in on the joke! It’s based on a novel by a guy who wrote scripts for TV’s VICTORY AT SEA!

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