A Day at the Races

Classic Marx Bros. comedy with the boys trying to help lovely Maureen O'Sullivan keep her sanitarium open while evil Douglas Dumbrille tries to turn it into a casino. Groucho plays Dr. Hugo Hackenbush, a veterinarian posing as a human doctor to bilk wealthy hypochondriac Margaret Dumont. Their scenes together are priceless, as they always were. Maureen O'Sullivan is perfection in everything and here she brings out a kinder, gentler side of the Marx Bros. Leonard Ceeley is great as Dumbrille's co-conspirator who runs afoul of the Marxes and lives to regret it. Esther Muir is a riot as a blonde floozy who gets more than she bargained for while trying to seduce Groucho. A terrific Marx Bros. film with many memorable lines and scenes, including 'Tutsi Frutsi Ice Cream.' It's a little long but never dull. The musical numbers were never my favorite parts of the Marx films unless they were comedy songs that were part of the story, as in Animal Crackers or Duck Soup. Here, though, there is a great number called "All God's Chillun Got Rhythm." I'm sure it will be controversial to sensitive types today but it's a lively, upbeat number that always puts a smile on my face. It's one of the best musical numbers from any of the Marx films and just one of the many reasons I recommend you see this one.