User reviews

A NIGHT AT THE OPERA (MGM, 1935) directed by Sam Wood, re-introduces the Marx Brothers to the screen following their five years at the Paramount studio (1929-1933) to MGM, this being the start of a new beginning and the end to their wild world of comedy. It also brings forth their most popular comic foil of all, Margaret Dumont, from their Broadway to Paramount days, and the return to a formula story and time out for musical interludes either by the brothers or the romantic lovers originally done in their initial films of THE COCOANUTS (1929) and ANIMAL CRACKERS (1930). Aside from now being The Three Marx Brothers (Zeppo who has since retired), their characters have been toned down a bit, which helps. However, at MGM, with this, their best film for the studio, Groucho and Harpo become victims instead of instigators, with such notable scenes as Harpo employed as a dresser for an abusive opera tenor (Walter Wolfe King) who slaps, hits and uses a whip on him (at one point off camera) whenever getting out of line with his buffoonery, and Groucho, who always wins out in every situation physically and verbally, getting kicked down four flights of stairs, which indicates they are not always indestructible, yet remain in character from the old days whenever possible. Chico retains his wiseacre Italian character, remaining notably the same from his previous efforts, however, things will start to change not for the better for him and his brothers in the movies to follow.

Plot summary: Introduction takes place in Milan, Italy, where Otis B. Driftwood (Groucho) agrees to represent dowager Mrs. Claypool (Margaret Dumont) into society by arranging for her to invest $200,000 to Herman Gottlieb (Sig Ruman), director of the opera company so that he can afford to bring opera singers Rudolpho Lassparri (Walter King) and Rosa Castaldi (Kitty Carlisle) to New York City. Rudolpho loves Rosa, but she is more interested in Ricardo Baroni (Allan Jones), an unknown singer working as a chorus-man, but with the help of Fiorelli (Chico), acting as his manager, and his partner, Tomasso (Harpo), the trio head for America by becoming stowaways on the S.S. Americus, hiding out in Driftwood's tiny stateroom in order for Ricardo to get his big chance as a singer. After Driftwood and his cronies arrive in at the Metropolitan Opera House, thanks to them in disrupting Rudolpho's performance that the art of opera will never be the same again.

The musical program: "Alone" (sung by Kitty Carlisle and Allan Jones) by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed; "Cosi-Cosa" (sung by Allan Jones) by Bronislau Kaper, Walter Jurmann and Ned Washington; "All I Do is Dream of You" (by Brown and Freed/piano solo by Chico Marx); "Alone" (harp solo by Harpo Marx); and selections from Il Trovatore by Guiseppi Verdi: "Di quella pira," "Miserere," "Anvil Chorus," "Stride la Vampa" "Strido lassu" and "Miserere." Allan Jones and Kitty Carlisle doing their duet, "Alone," him on the pear and she from the boat dock, Chico's fast finger piano playing, and Harpo's harp solo in a serious manner as he performs to a little old lady (facial shadow front only) who looks on approvingly, may not be highlights, but are truly memorable moments.

Highlights: Whenever anyone goes into discussion regarding A NIGHT AT THE OPERA, the first thing that comes immediately to mind is that famous state room scene involving Groucho, Chico and the sleeping Harpo, with various others involved, crammed together until the door opens, having them all falling out like dominoes. This hilarious bit is one that's remembered best with fondness and admiration. However, there are others worth noting: The opening where Dumont awaits for Groucho at a restaurant for an hour only to find him at the table behind her eating with another lady, is priceless; Groucho and Chico contract exchanges that becomes a "sanity clause"; arrested stowaway Harpo's attempt in escaping his detention cabin by crawling out of a porthole and hanging onto a rope outside only to be dumped into the ocean; Jones, Chico and Harpo in bearded disguises posing as celebrity aviators to give speeches on coast-to-coast radio, with the silent Harpo covering up his muteness by constantly drinking glasses of water; the disappearance of beds in Groucho's hotel room while the plainclothesman detective (Robert Emmett O'Connor) investigates; and of course, the climactic opera chaos by the Marxes, with one great bit with the orchestra playing the overture to "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" after coming to the page with the planted song sheets, with Groucho acting as a vendor yelling "Peanuts! Peanuts!" to the patrons. A classic with Callas.

The supporting players: Newcomer Allan Jones steps in for the role that might have been offered to Zeppo. He is a likable actor with a fine singing voice who performs well opposite Kitty Carlisle (another recruit from Paramount and rare screen appearance, being best known as the TV panelist in the long running quiz show, "To Tell the Truth").

Footnote: It is quite evident that prints that have been circulating since commercial television days isn't complete. Missing footage is quite evident during the opening minutes of the story where the movie originally began with a musical number prior to the restaurant scene involving Groucho and Dumont. At present, this, along with other cut footage, no longer exists. Timed at 96minutes, the 90 minute version is the one available on Turner Classic Movies, VHS and DVD formats. Maybe one of these years a completely restored print of A NIGHT AT THE OPERA will suffice, but for now, this will have to do.

In closing: Get out those opera glasses and have yourself a grand night at the opera. (***1/2)

Groucho Marx is in his element as slick, fast talking business manager Otis B. Driftwood, who spends his time playing up to arts patron Mrs. Claypool (classic Marx Bros. foil Margaret Dumont). When he sees that she's willing to pony up $1,000 a night to have pompous Lassparri (Walter Woolf King) sing, he wants a piece of the action. Circumstance soon throws him together with equally sly Fiorello (Chico) and goofy Tomasso (Harpo), as they become determined to help out young lovers & aspiring opera stars Rosa (Kitty Carlisle) and Ricardo (Allan Jones).

Even if one is not a fan of the opera, they shouldn't let that dissuade them from checking out the Marx Bros. in their glory. Some buffs consider this their best film, and it certainly shows off their talents to memorable effect. Musical interludes do go on a bit long, but the quality of the comedy when it occurs is top notch. There are some truly great bits in here, like the "party of the first part" contract, the overcrowded (to say the least) stateroom sequence, and the frantic, farcical efforts of Otis, Fiorello, Tomasso, and Ricardo to pull the wool over the eyes of a suspicious inspector (Robert Emmett O'Connor) by moving beds from one room to another.

Groucho is hilarious, as always. Very few entertainers in film history can fire off a one-liner as snappily as he does. Chico and Harpo have their wonderful moments, as well. (It's such a hoot when Harpo does a Spider-Man routine near the end.) Carlisle and Jones are extremely appealing, Dumont is once again a fine "straight woman", King is an appropriately snooty villain, Sig Ruman is superb as eternally frustrated Gottlieb, and O'Connor is likewise good as the antics of Otis and company take a toll on him.

The pace isn't always consistent, but there is some enjoyable action and first rate stunt work. Overall, this is a solid comedy / musical that will appeal to any lover of this era in cinema.

Eight out of 10.

I didn't fully appreciate this film until my second viewing. Now I think it's one of the better Marx Brothers film. The film - filled with funny lines - has all the familiar MB trappings: good slapstick, good and bad jokes and routines, wild scenes, several musical numbers and general overall chaos.

The only thing not appealing to me in the film were some of the songs - not all, just some. Otherwise, it was all fun as Groucho, Chico and Harpo all share humorous lines and/or sight gags. Kitty Carlisle doesn't offer much in the way of a young beauty but it was still interesting to see her at this age as I had only known her through her "To Tell The Truth" television days. Alan Jones, meanwhile, is a pleasing singer and a nice guy, as always.

This is the film with the famous scene involving a ton of people being stuffed into Groucho's small cabin room. It's more amazing than funny. My favorite scenes were when Groucho and Chico got into discussions and trade lines back-and- forth. I also laughed heartily at the finale with Harpo swinging like Tarzan at the opera house.

In all, a funny MB film, one of the boys' better efforts. I play it with the English subtitles so as not to miss any of the great lines of dialog in here.

Though some claim that either HORSE FEATHERS OR DUCK SOUP was the greatest Marx Brothers opus, A NIGHT AT THE OPERA has to be Marxdom's signature film. The witticisms and riotous madcap from playwright George Kaufman (THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER; YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU) is evident everywhere in the some of the team's finest composition of wit and physical comedy.

After taking over MGM studios in the 1930's, big-wig Irving Thallberg pulled the Marx Bros. aside and told them, "You know, you guys are missing only one thing in your pictures: you never help anybody." After OPERA, the Marx Brothers' scripts always revolved around either an attempt to get a romantic couple together or became an effort to save an institution from going under, i.e., THE BIG STORE; A DAY AT THE RACES; HORSE FEATHERS; THE BIG CIRCUS.

Margaret Dumont is established once and for all as Groucho's perfect romantic staple and a Marx Bros. movie just doesn't seem right without her. Sig Rumond appears to have been created in a Marx Brothers comedy factory and serves sensationally as the urbane Marx antagonist vying for Dumont's favors, though upended time and time again by Groucho. A young Kitty Carlisle and Allen Jones provide the romance and music--though many audiences never realize how fine an operatic voice Carlisle had in those days.

So many hilarious and classic routines fill A NIGHT AT THE OPERA that the movie offers itself as a study in Komedy 101: the unforgettable "contract" bit between Chico and Groucho (Chico can't read). As they try to sign an agreement about the rights to manage singer Allen Jones, they tear clause after clause off the paper until Chico finally asks: "What's this?" "Oh," replies Groucho, "that's just a sanity clause." Chico bursts out laughing. "Oh, you canna' fool me; there ain't' no sanity Klaus!..." The crowded state room scene where Groucho, Chico, and Hapro stow-away in a tiny cubicle and the shoebox crams with more and more people until Mrs. Claypool (Dumont) opens the door and everyone spills out...The hotel scene where Detective Henderson tries to nail the brothers for stowing-away and everyone races back and forth between suites, furniture is switched, and Henderson is left wondering if he's nuts...

But it is the film's finale during a live performance at the New York opera house that is perhaps the comedy team's grandest movie climax. The police, still after Harpo for stowing away, try to arrest him during a live performance. He breaks through the theater's backstage, swings over the proscenium like a trapeze artist, and, at one point, tears off the dress of one of the singers. "Well, now we're finally getting somewhere!" Groucho opines from the audience.

What a shame A NIGHT AT THE OPERA is not on television more often. Young people should be treated to comedy as it once was when laughter depended upon uproarious wit and a brand of physical comedy perfected by comedians through years of refining their craft in vaudeville.

A NIGHT AT THE OPERA is nothing less than an American comedy classic.

Trivia: Maragaret Dumont appeared with Groucho on THE Hollywood PALACE television show in 1965 and the couple did a brief repartee from GROUCHO's famous Captain Spaulding routine. The next day Dumont passed away...Her last film was in 1964 in the star-studded WHAT A WAY TO GO...Always playing a haughty spinstress with money, Dumont was, in fact, a millionairess in real life and commuted between Hollywood and London....Few realize what a fine operatic singer Kitty Carlisle was in the 1930's. In the 1950's and '60's she was a regular panelist on television quiz shows such as I'VE GOT A SECRET...She was also married to playwright Moss Hart who collaborated with George Kaufman on YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU, THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER, and many other plays. YOU CAN'T won the Pulitzer Prize...Allen Jones was the father of popular singer Jack Jones...Groucho said that it was while hanging out of an airplane in A NIGHT IN CASABLANCA (1946) that he finally realized the brothers had pretty much reached the end of the line in movies...The last picture in which all three brothers appeared was THE STORY OF MANKIND in 1957. Groucho played the part of Sir Isaac Newton...Groucho wrote many books: MEMOIRS OF A MANGY LOVER and LETTERS FROM GROUCHO...Harpo Marx also wrote his own autobiography: HARPO SPEAKS--a fine expose of the brothers' early years and the many stage shows they did perfecting their mayhem...When the stock market crashed in 1929, Groucho lost every dime he had: about $250,000...In the 1950's Groucho hosted his own television quiz show,YOU BET YOUR LIFE and both Harpo and Chico made surprise appearances...Chico was a lifetime gambler and would bet on anything...MINNIE'S BOYS, a stage play about the influence of Marx mother Minnie, was pretty much a flop in the 1970's...One of the all-time great quotations about the Marx Brothers came from playwright George Kaufman who, after watching the comedy team tear apart his script on stage in the early years, observed: "I could have sworn I just heard one of the original lines from the play."...Groucho was self-conscious about his lack of formal education and once had the chance to meet poet T.S. Eliot. He read many of Eliot's works and boned up on literature. When the two men did finally meet, all Eliot wanted to talk about was A NIGHT AT THE OPERA...One of Groucho's final performances just before he died was at Carnegie Hall in New York and it was a smashing success. He was accompanied by pianist Marvin Hamlisch...Film critic James Agee once said that the worst thing the Marx Brothers ever did was still better than everybody else...

Dennis Caracciolo

"A Night at the Opera" is one of those films you can see dozens of times and laugh just as hard as you did the first time. The brothers get mixed up with an opera company and a divo and diva in love - Allan Jones and Kitty Carlisle, and trying to get the two to perform together.

The one-liners come so fast - you keep thinking you'll remember them, but one is funnier than the next. I do remember what Groucho says when he sees the gypsy Azucena in the opera, however. "How would you like to feel how she looks?" The stateroom scene is, of course, a classic, and my favorite part is when Groucho tells the housekeeper, "I want two pillows on that bed" and Harpo sound asleep and being moved everywhere, including onto a tray of food.

But nothing beats the last half hour - the performance of "Il Trovatore" with Harpo using the stage ropes like Tarzan, and Chico playing baseball in the orchestra while Groucho sells peanuts. They have replaced part of the overture with "Take Me Out to the Ball Game."

Allan Jones plays the tenor Ricardo Baroni who is hoping for his break. Why they cast the blond Jones as a tenor named Baroni - well, there you go. He sings very well and is quite handsome. Kitty Carlisle is the diva waiting, petite and pretty and singing music out of her vocal type, with the exception of "Alone." "Stridono lassu" and Leonora in Trovatore were both much too heavy for her. She does sing well and what a woman - she's still alive and recently performed at a New York supper club recently at the age of 95.

The only problem with any Marx Brothers film is that when they aren't in front of the camera, suddenly their films become very slow. Because I was trained in opera and have some interest in it, this was less the case than with some of their other films. They were too magical, too energetic, and too darn funny to ever share a spotlight with anyone else. Thank goodness they did, though, as they left us with many treasures. This is one.

A Night At The Opera is very silly at times, but it is absolutely hilarious. A simply brilliant film, with so many memorable scenes, that is guaranteed to have you in tears of laughter. The Marx Brothers do a superlative job here with their zany antics, and their rough-around- the-edges humour was truly unique. The cinematography was fabulous, the pace was fast moving, the screenplay was inventive and phenomenally witty, and the plot is effective enough without being contrived.

The romance between the two songbirds Allan Jones and Kitty Carlisle was sweet, and while it has thought been thought to be of irrelevance to the story, it didn't detract too much for me to enjoy this film. The music is wonderful as well. As for my favourite scene I can't possibly choose as there were so many priceless scenes. The contract scene between Groucho and Chico was unforgettable, as was the ruination of Il Trovatore which happens to be one of the best comedy climaxes. But my favourite scene, if I had to choose, is the shenanigans inside Groucho's cabin on the transatlantic liner, it is quite simply one of the silliest scenes in comedy history. All in all, a true comedy classic. 10/10 Bethany Cox

I have never found so much to laugh at in a movie before. All of the gags in this film are totally ridiculous and over-the-top. The Marx Brothers are the funniest people who ever lived. Groucho comes up with the most hilarious and unpredictable things to say, as does Chico. I always worry I'll start to memorize too many of the lines and won't laugh as much next time, but there are always too many great quotes and I still enjoy the film with each viewing. Harpo is also hysterical in his pantomime act and manages to convey more in a few gestures than most people can say in many words. Although most people prefer "Duck Soup" to this film, "A Night at the Opera" is the funniest in my opinion. In this film the laughs built more and more until the climactic ending, providing to be the funniest in film history. Perhaps the funniest thing in this film is watching and listening to Groucho insult those in high society. I won't give away any of the film's humor, but see it for sure. Way better than any of the crude and annoying humor found in today's comedies. See it and truly laugh for the first time.

**** out of ****

Amusing and entertaining Marx picture , it has a lot of funny material and unfortunately intrusive songs . Groucho's wisecracks and the incomparable Chico and Harpo carry the movie . It deals with a sly business manager named Otis B. Driftwood (Groucho Marx) and two (Chico Marx as Fiorello and Harpo Marx as Tomasso) wacky friends of two (Kitty Carlisle as Rosa and Allan Jones as Ricardo) opera singers help them achieve success while humiliating their stuffy and snobbish enemies . Later on , Marx Brothers anarchize the opera , insulting and mocking the guests and players . Their actions include some on stage antics during the stage debut , as they arrange for the normal tenor to be absent so that the young lover named Ricardo can get his chance .

Classic Marx film with many funny sequences , this is the most sustained bit of insanity , full of crazy gags , antics and amusement , being now deemed a satiric masterpiece ,and one of the biggest hits . Although it suffers from staginess and musical comedy plotting but gives the zany threesome plenty of comic elaboration . Enough gags for give several movies , but our favorite is still the cabin scene . Despite the abundant songs and silly as well as sappy love story the movie maintains itself very well . This is a fun comedy as hilariously amusing as the films they made at Paramount with Zeppo . This is a M.G.M production lavishly financed by Irving Thalberg . Excellent Harpo Marx , as usual , he even did many of his own stunts , he later said it was a silly thing for a 47-year-old non-stuntman to have done . Groucho said that this was his favorite among his movies . The Marx Bros (minus Zeppo) are in peak form in this vintage musical comedy with co-star the legendary Margaret Dumont , including sparkling dialogs with Groucho . Furthermore , Sig Ruman makes his first of three appearances in The Marx Brothers films. However , this is the first Marx Brothers film made without brother Zeppo Marx, it started a new trend of The Marx Brothers movies featuring a Zeppo-like supporting character who carries the love story and sings the song . The motion picture was well directed by Sam Wood . Sam Wood, freshman The Marx Brothers director in this film, was a perfectionist , the scene in which Harpo Marx hangs from the rope was filmed so many times that Harpo Marx's hands became cut and swollen from the rope . Don't miss it , one of the funniest picture ever made by Marx Brothers

Other important films starred by Marx Brothers -many of them Broadway farce plays transfered by scenarists into vehicle for the Brothres- , they are the followings : ¨Animal crackers¨, ¨Duck soap¨ that was a flop when first released but today considered a masterpiece , ¨Horse Feathers¨, ¨At the circus¨, ¨Day at the races¨ , ¨Room service¨ , ¨Go West¨, ¨Love Happy¨ and ¨Night in Casablanca¨, though in 1946 the Marx formula was wearing thin . Any film with Groucho , Chico , Harpo and Zeppo is well worth seeing .

A Night At the Opera is the first film that three Marx Brothers did at MGM after leaving Paramount. Zeppo, who's contributions to the team are pretty negligible, decided not to make the trip.

Nothing was lost and a lot was gained because Allan Jones assumed a Zeppo like character with a lot more personality and a great singing voice. With the story set at an opera company you would hope that a great voice would be a minimal requirement. In fact we have a bunch of great voices, not only Allan Jones, but Kitty Carlisle, and even egotistical tenor Walter Woolf King.

The plot such as it is concerns the three brothers trying to get talented singer Allan Jones a break at the opera company. They're operating on many fronts here and that includes Groucho wooing the New York Opera Company's grande dame, Margaret Dumont. Harpo and Chico in the meantime become the bane of the existence for opera director Sig Ruman and Walter Woolf King.

I'm always amazed that Groucho, the king of one liners and innuendo, is constantly exasperated and occasionally defeated by Chico who baffles him with non sequiters and ignorance. Case in point their 'negotiation' over Allan Jones's contract and the fact that poor Groucho thinks he's signing star Walter Woolf King. Chico knows better than anyone there's no such thing as a sanity clause.

Allan Jones gets to sing two famous numbers identified with him, a duet with Kitty Carlisle in Alone and later a typical MGM extravaganza number in Cosi Cosa. Harpo does an Alone obbligato on the harp and Chico dazzles the crowd with his pistol fingered piano rendition of All I Do Is Dream Of You.

I'm not sure how Giuseppe Verdi would have taken the finale of A Night at the Opera in which the opening of Il Trovatore is mangled for the ages. All in the interest of seeing Allan Jones gets both a break and Kitty Carlisle. And they do make beautiful music.

And the Marx Brothers make some really funny comedy in one of their best films.

Otis B. Driftwood (Groucho Marx) is the business manager for wealthy Mrs. Claypool (Margaret Dumont) investing $200k with Herman Gottlieb (Sig Ruman) of the New York Opera Company. Chorus man Ricardo Baroni (Alan Jones) is love with Rosa Castaldi (Kitty Carlisle) who is pursued by the arrogant Rodolfo Lassparri (Walter Woolf King). Ricardo's illiterate friend Fiorello (Chico Marx) takes on the task of managing him. Tomasso (Harpo Marx) is Lassparri's abused silent whistling dresser. Gottlieb hires the great tenor Lassparri for $1000 a night. The opera company is traveling to NYC on a ship. Ricardo, Tomasso and Fiorello sneak on board as stowaways.

I'm not a fan of the song and dance routines. It doesn't help that I really dislike opera. It stops the movie for me every time. Chico playing the piano for the kids is kinda cute and Harpo too. However there is nothing like Groucho's rapid fire jokes and Harpo's silent charm. I love their slapstick and they don't get better than the crowded room scene. This is a comedy classic.

A Night at the Opera is comedy that still hits about as out of the park as imaginable as a true entertainment vehicle. There's comedy, there's music, there's musical numbers, there's action, there's drama, there's romance, there's even fake beards and "Take me out the Ballgame" performed in an opera house "by accident" of course. It also gives a showcase for its main three jovial anarchists (Groucho, Harpo and Chico) as smashing as its production; it's a million dollars well spent, and when you aren't laughing you're at least smiling or enjoying a melodic tune or some good opera melodies. Whether or not it hits so strongly that it might top the quintessential Marx flick, Duck Soup, can be arguable for as long as one can type keys or stretch vocal chords. There's good arguments on either side, and while I myself might be inclined to say that Duck Soup is the "best film" of the Marxs, Night at the Opera might be as, if not more, plain fun.

And it's so unforgettable, with scene after moment after continuous gag that goes so far along that it becomes funny just seeing how long these guys can keep going. There's a scene mid-way through A Night at the Opera that might be just about perfect: Groucho has his tiny room. At first the gag is simply that the room is almost too small to even fit the luggage case he has (also fitting inside Chico, Harpo and the conventional leading-man opera singer stowaway). Groucho orders breakfast- an amazing and wonderfully long gag involving an order of hard-boiled eggs- and then the maids come in, and then others come in, and then more come in, and lines like "You know I had a premonition you were going to show up. The engineers right there in the corner. You can chop your way right through." Harpo is still asleep, of course, trying to cure his insomnia by sleeping on top of everybody else shuffling around... it all builds so much that it's like its own piece of frantic, combustible music, and it's one of those pure scenes in movies that one can never really top, only try and imitate and get OK in their own right.

There are others that strike up such strong laughs, exchanges of dialog that go on like verbal assaults in the form of an argument over a contract between Groucho and Chico ("Sanity clause" "I don't believe in it!"), or just the continuous string of syncopated insults and throwaway lines from Groucho that cut right to the matter and even find some new twists one would never think of outside of his mind. But it's not all just raucous and crazy behavior from the stars; there's also the opera itself, that big long sequence where the "plan" is unfolded and "WAR" is unleashed upon the production (my favorite is the bit where the various set pieces on stage keep falling down behind the singer, at one point falling right in front him), and a kind of sweetness that pops up often that keeps it from being too, uh... insane, like say Duck Soup could arguably be called.

Insanity, of course, is what the Marx's excel at, an organized chaos of comedy that is so seamless because of how energized and random some of the things happen with- but there is logic, as warped as it can be, like the other classic number when the brothers and opera singer carry out the beds one by one around the window or through the door evading the totally perplexed eyes of the officer. There's such a kind of graceful choreography to this that is slipped under the veneer or complete WHAT! moments that keep these movies so fresh so very long after. And it's a sweet movie too; a movie may be criticized for taking an extended break from the story, however loose it may be, and Night at the Opera can have that against it. But the break it takes, with the big musical number and dance and Chico and Harpo's playing on the piano and latter on the harp, is so touching and fun and inventive. You'll be smiling and just wrapped up in the childlike awe of these moments as opposed to grumbling and wondering "where's the story?"

Story? Marx don't need no stinking story! Between the three brothers, and on occasion even the slightly weaker but still crucial "normal" plot line with the love between the talented amateur singer and the star played by Carlisle, there's enough material at times for two movies. The real joy of Night at the Opera, and it happens often, is seeing these three guys go to work at the best of what they do: Groucho's remarks and verbal intelligence (or just damn bravery), Chico's slightly dim but well-meaning immigrant type, and Harpo as... Harpo, damn it, he doesn't need to be explained (well, maybe the water bit is a little strange, but par for the course). It's joyful and hilarious cinema on parade, even better on a big screen, albeit the noticeable random jump cuts are annoying in any format.

Marx Brothers movies are hard to review, because you can't apply the same criteria to them as you can to other movies. The Marx Brothers created an entire method for delivering screen comedy; they created the rules and the logic, and you either accept that logic or you don't.

I have to base my opinion on "A Night at the Opera," therefore, on whether or not I laughed, and I didn't, much. I smiled and chuckled here and there, but I just didn't think this movie was that funny. I had a phalanx of film scholars on one of the DVD's special features telling me how funny certain classic bits in this movie are: the "sanity clause" routine, the stateroom scene, etc. But as actually played out, these scenes are moderately amusing but not much more. They have the feel of those Saturday Night Live skits that would be funnier if they were only about 5 minutes shorter. Supposedly, "A Night at the Opera" was the first of a new kind of Marx Brothers movie, more structured and with more dramatic conflict. The only other movie I've seen by them to compare this to is "Duck Soup," and I say give me the anarchic Brothers any day and dramatic structure be damned.

There is one sequence in this movie that I loved, and that's when Chico and Harpo step out of character and display their skill on the piano and harp, respectively. These musical interludes are a much-needed respite from the atrocious, warbly songs performed by the film's male and female love interests.

I would recommend any Marx Brothers movie for the same reason I would recommend Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton or Astaire/Rogers films. They're part of cinematic history, and they played a large role in defining the art form at a specific point in its development. But that's not to say you will necessarily enjoy them as much as audiences at the time did.

Grade: B-

The anarchic, destructive and crazy Marx Brothers become funny and sentimental protectors of an insufferable couple of opera singers (or what MGM considered opera singers, more like pretty faces with Broadway musical voices).

Without Arthur Sheekman's dialogues, without Kalmar and Ruby songs, under strict control of Irvin Thalberg, we can say the move to MGM was not a good one for the brothers, artistically speaking. Commercially speaking it's a completely different thing.

The film is one of the most famous and reputed of the Marx Brothers, something only justifiable by the fact that in the film there are two of the most famous numbers of the Marxes: the reading of the contract and the scene in the cabin (this one a very good scene).

Taking into account that the scene in the cabin was written by Al Boasberg, and the contract scene is due to main screenwriters Kaufman and Rsykind, and the almost complete lack of the subversive personality of the Brothers, who are now like sentimental fairy godmothers to the sweet young romantic couple, to call the Marx Brothers "main authors" of the film is more unfair than ever.

Apart from those two unforgettable scenes, there's very little else. Some funny scenes with Margaret Dumont (the only one who fortunately remains the same as always), some rude outburst from Groucho.

In the final scene, the three brothers bring chaos to a gruesome production of Il trovatore. There are brilliant moments, but I doubt that nowadays it can really be particularly funny.

As a movie it's not worth much, a bland love story is intended to spin together a few Marx routines. Again Chico plays the piano and Harpo the harp, but the sequences are not memorable. Add a couple of awful songs from the lead couple.

Not especially recommended in its entirely. Just look for the cabin and the contract scenes.

No doubt that "A Night at the Opera" is right up there with "Duck Soup" as the best Marx Brothers movie. Some Marx-purists complain "ANatO" is when the brothers started to grow soft and their quality started to decline. For one thing, instead of ridiculing romantic couples (the love story subplot plays a big part), they support them. Also, it's not as surreal or satirical as their past films. To those purists, I say: Lighten up! "ANatO" is just as funny as anything the Marx Bros did in the past (heck, I think it's funnier than "Monkey Business"), and it's withstood the test of time perfectly. In fact, "ANatO" is said to be Groucho's favorite; he even called his previous films "duds"! The film is filled with jabs at the upper class and double entendres courtesy of Groucho. Sample:

Mrs. Claypool: Do you have everything, Otis?

Otis: I haven't had any complaints yet!

The love story subplot isn't as nauseating as 1937's "A Day at the Races". Allan Jones may be a bit too mushy, but Kitty Carlisle, the love interest, is cool and calm enough to help it go down easily (that's really her singing, by the way). Chico and Harpo have some inspired moments, such as their gleeful butchering of "Il Travotore" (sp?). The hapless villains are the funniest Marx foils ever, and the finale is just uproarious. "ANatO" is a wonderfully silly romp, and it's rather harmless, so kids can probably watch and enjoy it. The famous stateroom scene is nothing short of brilliant, and you'll find yourself humming along to "Cosi Cosa" (I just wish the ballad "Alone" had been left, well, alone). Don't miss this hilarious masterpiece. And now, on with the opera!!

Even thought he funniest Marx Bros. movie was Duck Soup, A Night at the Opera was the best made of the movies. Many people consider this to be the 2nd greatest, but I say this was the best. The story was good, but the comedy was hilarious. The music is pretty good too. The brothers were all very funny. The story involves opera stars making their debut in America. Is that all? No. When the Marxes are involved, there is more to it than that. The comedy scenes were hilarious but the best scenes were the states room and the clause scene. Anyway, Groucho plays a woman's financial adviser(Dumont) and she donates money to the opera manager (Ruman)Then you have two young lovers(Carlise and Jones) but cannot be together because she is being sent to America. Harpo and Chico are partners as usual, and the story goes on from there.

Up there with the greatest 1930s Slapstick comedies, primarily because it carries its capacity to humour into contemporary times, unlike so many of that day that fail to travel ahead of themselves, including several Marx Brothers films.

A stream of consciousness, anything goes, Marx Brothers rampage. It is filled with jokes and sight gags. Harpo always has that leg up in the air, like an amorous cocker spaniel. The scene in the state room on the ship. The story of how they got to America: "We got three fourths of the way across, ran out of gas, and had to go back." It is imaginative and crass. They were certainly the masters of insensitivity; mid twentieth century bullies; who find nothing sacred. I heard once that Margaret DuMont, who was Groucho's constant foil, never really got the jokes or even knew they were jokes. Because opera is frequented by members of wealthy society, these people become the perfect targets because of their pomposity. The Marx Brothers knew that their audience of the time was perfectly willing to see the upper classes brought to their knees. If I have a favorite Brothers movie, it would be "Animal Crackers," but for me, this is second on the list.

Alright, the Marx Brothers were hardly zippo without Zeppo. He was the straight guy, and not in the same clever way Bud Abbott was. "A Night At The Opera" is plenty entertaining without him, with one of the most justly famous comedy routines ever filmed, the famous "Stateroom" scene. "Night At The Opera" is a solid comedy, just not the classic people claim, and I wonder whether a little light left the brothers when Zeppo decided to retire before this film was made.

Professional leach Otis B. Driftwood (Groucho) is fooled into signing unknown opera singer Ricardo Baroni (Allan Jones) by Baroni's pal and manager Fiorello (Chico). When Driftwood takes a cruise back to America, Baroni and Fiorello stow away inside Driftwood's steamer trunk, along with Fiorello's mute buddy Tomasso (Harpo).

"A Night At The Opera" was the first Marx Brothers movie made at MGM, and adheres to that studio's grander style of movie-making, however uncomfortably matched with the Brothers' kitchen-sink anarchy. A peek at the cruise ship's steerage section is full of music-making and brilliant costumes out of Ziegfeld. On deck, Baroni and his lady-love Rosa (Kitty Carlisle) burst into fully-orchestrated song, while Chico and Harpo perform extended solos on piano and harp, respectively.

It's fun watching these scenes for the things you aren't supposed to notice, like how the hammy little boy in the background pushes the smaller boy out of the shot during Chico's number. But the comedy is key. I love the scene where Harpo clocks his former employer, the nasty tenor Lassparri, with his trusty mallet, then runs over to give him smelling salts while Groucho looks on.

"You're sorry for what you did?" Groucho asks. "That shows a nice spirit." Then Lassparri wakes up, and Harpo hits him again before the singer can get a word out. Watch especially how Harpo uses his mallet to softly lower Lassparri's head to the ground so it won't land too hard, this of course after he's brained him twice.

The stateroom scene is especially fabulous, because as the room fills up with people, you can see funny things going on in every corner of the frame. Groucho trying to get a manicure, a maid trying to mop the floor, Harpo sleeping on a bedmaker and then on a procession of plates. Groucho's running commentary is perfect as he cheerfully welcomes newcomers inside. Groucho's one-liners in this film are among his very best: "When I invite a woman to dinner I expect her to look at my face. That's the price she has to pay."

One of the key reasons this film was a hit in its time, and "Duck Soup" wasn't, was because the latter was more madcap, in a way audiences of the day weren't used to. Today, "Duck Soup" is a template for film comedy, while "Opera's" pretense at high culture comes off forced, and its romantic storyline quickly grows tiresome, however charming Carlisle and Jones are.

It's not just the non-Marx moments that grate. The famous contract scene with Groucho and Chico seems weaker to me than its reputation warrants, while another scene where the Brothers pull the wool over a city detective's eyes by moving some furniture comes off as labored and lame, unworthy of the Marx reputation. Even Harpo's acrobatics at the end seem excessive, a circus act with pretensions of slapstick.

The fact is "Night At The Opera" has a very high reputation, and the fault may be mine for coming to it with grander expectations. It's a pleasing comedy with some great moments. But it's an odd thing how so many call this the high point for the Brothers, then readily agree everything they made after was fair to poor.

I like "Night At Casablanca" and "Day At The Races" well enough for what they are. I like this, too. MGM was a great studio, with more stars than the heavens, as was often said, only they didn't know what to do with these three. "Night At The Opera" shows why the Marx Brothers are so loved, but it also shows the beginnings of an ill fit that would chafe more as time went on.

I must admit that I am very light in personal knowledge of MArx Brothers films,and aside from the general information,imagery and quotes(the majority of which came from the irrepressible Groucho)that have been used and attributed in Western culture over the last seventy or eighty odd years,I have a very scant referential knowledge of their legendary body of film work.

With that in mind,when I saw the public library had a copy of this film in its stacks,it was a no-brainer for me. And it was a largely pleasing film experience as well.

The storyline seems to be somewhat insignificant: Brothers MArx are scattered about the goings on at a Venetian Opera company as it moves from Europe to New York City. They conspire to break a humble but talented tenor into the main role of the traveling show,as he is mooning over the young ingénue(Kitty Carlisle Hart,WELL before becoming the grand dame of TV Panel game shows!). But aside from the fair amount of music(hey,this IS,after all set in an Opera,so it goes to reason),this is mostly a physical comedy,laced with plenty of Groucho's standard one-liners. From watching his dealings with various straight people,from old stand-by MArgaret Dumont as his society-climbing wife,to the various lugs who signify authority(Theater directors,producers,society bigwigs,ship crew,policemen,local magistrates,etc.),Groucho is not only able to keep the humor legendarily fast and loose but also keeps the tempo of the dialog from bogging(I even noticed a sort of inspiration the creators at WArner Brothers got for Bugs Bunny from Groucho's witticisms!).

Maybe not the best of the Marxes films--though I still don't have a real gauge of opinion on this yet--but it's a fantastic starter film to build familiarity.

In this, the first Marx brothers picture to feature only Groucho, Chico and Harpo, the trio helps (?) two young lovers to flourish in love and in the opera world, preferably in a different order. Actually, preferably one without the other. Groucho, playing, Otis B. Driftwood, is hired by a forlorn upper-class aspirer to help her break into aristocratic society, but he favors to charm and insult her off and on. At the last opera performance of the season in Italy, of Pagliacci, Groucho meets Chico, who is the best friend and manager of an opera singer who yearns for his big break and who is in love with peer opera singer Kitty Carlisle. However, his dreams are overtaken by the star of the opera, Lassparri, a vainglorious bore who wants notoriety and Kitty Carlisle both for himself. Groucho signs the longing young singer to a contract, thinking he is signing Lassparri, who in the meantime is signed for the New York opera by a pompous entrepreneur. It could might be the best bit in the movie: Chico says in his embellished Italian accent, "Hey, wait, wait. What does this say here, this thing here?" Groucho: "Oh, that? Oh, that's the usual clause, that's in every contract. That just says, uh, if any of the parties participating in this contract are not in their right mind, the entire agreement is automatically nullified." "Well, I don't know..." "It's all right. That's, in every contract. That's what they call a sanity clause." "Ha! You can't fool me. There ain't no Sanity Clause!"

Although Chico and his client are not allowed to follow the ensemble to New York, they stow away on the ship, along with Harpo, a dresser fired by Lassparri. Once in New York, the stowaways are chased by the police as illegal aliens, and it all leads to a climactic comeuppance for all the stuffed shirts when the Marx brothers wreck the opening night performance of Il Trovatore by hurtling it into complete anarchy and making a last-chance shot for both of the idealistic young lovers to be the new hits of the opera world.

Yes, the picture is indeed fun, but allow me to slaughter a sacred cow here and say that it's deeply weakened by all that schmaltzy Metro-Goldwyn-Mayerism. The Marx brothers were ultimately an anti-authoritarian presence that let off a lot of steam with shock value, warrantless aggravation, mean-spiritedness and pranks. Early studio-era MGM never did seem to understand that spectacle, romance and song-and-dance are indeed a curse to some films. Forgive me. I know how many purist toes I might've just stomped, but I have to be honest here, or there's no point in me writing this. Am I really the only one who fast- forwards over the maudlin interruptions to essentially pare it down simply to the hard-boiled eggs, the stateroom scene, Sanity Clause and the actual sabotaging of the opera? Duck Soup, on the other hand, is hilarious from beginning to end.

Wise-cracking con-man Groucho Marx (as Otis B. Driftwood) wants matronly Margaret Dumont (as Mrs. Claypool) to invest a fortune in the opera. Already involved in musical theater are Italian manager Chico Marx (as Fiorello) and mute dresser Harpo Marx (as Tomasso). They team up to represent handsome opera singer Allan Jones (as Riccardo Baroni). As usual, the plot is secondary to the Marx Brothers' antics. In this case, the story compliments the comedy team very well. Moving to upscale MGM, the brothers and producer Irving Thalberg wisely hired Marx regulars George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind to sweeten, then write the screenplay. They were the gold standard Marx Brothers writers and this film contains some of the team's most memorable scenes and routines...

"A Night at the Opera" begins a more polished, less crazed, Marx era. More dependent on wit and one-liners, Groucho's shtick made the transition better than his brothers. Still, everything essential to the formula is preserved, including unfairly criticized non-comic brother Zeppo, who left the group after their previous "Duck Soup". Zeppo's shoes are nicely filled by Mr. Jones. Likewise maligned, the musical interludes serve to break up the comedy and pace the skits in a feature film. It's great to see "To Tell the Truth" game panelist Kitty Carlisle as the young ingénue. Walter Woolf King is a splendid villain. Regulars Sig Ruman and Ms. Dumont round out perfect support. In this case, listening to opera music with the Marx Brothers is the most fun you're ever going to have at the opera.

********** A Night at the Opera (11/8/35) Sam Wood ~ Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, Allan Jones

The Marx Bros. are an acquired taste and to say that this film is a laugh riot from start to finish would be stretching the truth. There are some very funny moments indeed and they mostly belong to the motormouth Groucho. It's hard to remember what his best line in this movie is because there are so many great ones. The two other brothers are as they have always been in nearly every of their previous endeavors and the new addition Allan Jones is sappy but weren't all the straight men that way. The fourth Marx brother, Zeppo said that he was ten times as funny as Groucho but he wasn't allowed to show it off and that is probably the reason he bowed out after Paramount dropped them.

MGM or rather Irving Thalberg saw that there was still life in their act but he made them into more heroic figures than Paramount. Still, there is enough irreverence in them to drive a cop mad (the bed switching routine) and to make a mockery of a very public event honoring three Russian aviators and almost causing an international incident in the progress.

As there is a sappy straight man there must be a sappy straight woman and the two of them sing a sappy love song that takes up way too much screen time. There aren't enough of Groucho's favorite foil Margaret Dumont either but seeing Sig Rumann as the target of Groucho's one-liners is almost as much fun. Too bad the other villain, Walter King is such a slimy bowl of puss that you almost wished that he died from that blow to the head he receives from Harpo.

The opera scene is of course one of the great moments in film history and had perfect timing from all concerned and the film ends happily as most of the MGM films did. So maybe the Marxes weren't their typical low-life selves but they could still make mischief like no other comedy team and we should appreciate Thalberg for giving them an opportunity like this, otherwise they could have been easily forgotten today.

Somehow the comedy dies out and the dialogue dies out. Groucho Marx shows a slight brilliance.