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Actors: Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, Margaret Dumont, Louis Calhern
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Duck Soup |
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In the small European country of Freedonia, the government is in dire straits. The treasury is almost completely exhausted and the people threaten to riot if taxes are raised again. Realizing that a quick infusion of cash is all that stands between them and revolution, the government's leaders call upon their old benefactor, multimillionaire widow Mrs. Gloria Teasdale (Margaret Dumont).
Although Mrs. Teasdale does, indeed, have the $20 million that Freedonia needs, she insists, for reasons never really explained, that she will only donate the cash if a truly bizarre individual named Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho Marx) is appointed the country's new leader.
Wacky, strange, and clearly quite mad, Firefly rules Freedonia with his own inimitable version of an iron fist, but diverts much of his energy to seducing Mrs. Teasdale so as to gain her fortune.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Trentino (Louis Calhern) of the neighboring country of Sylvia plots to overthrow Firefly and seize control for himself. To that end he sends a pair of wacky, bungling spies named Pinky (Harpo Marx) and Chicolini (Chico Marx) to dig up dirt on Firefly and assigns a femme fatale (Raquel Torres) to seduce him away from Mrs. Teasdale while Trentino makes his own romantic overtures.
Firefly treats the whole thing as a joke and enlists the aid of his secretary (Zeppo Marx) in thwarting Trentino's machinations, until the ambassador makes the mistake of calling Firefly an "upstart." Blowing his top, Firefly declares war on Sylvia and invades.
--James Craver, Resident Scholar
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The small Balkan nation of Freedonia is on the verge of bankruptcy due to mismanagement and corruption. Wealthy dowager Mrs. Gloria Teasdale (Dumont) agrees to lend her struggling country $20 million, but only if it appoints Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho) president. Firefly, a crazy, cynical anarchist, runs the country like a dictator. Neighboring Sylvania has designs on Freedonia, and its Ambassador Trentino (Calhern) competes with Firefly in wooing Teasdale while two bumbling spies from Sylvania, Pinky and Chicolini (Harpo and Chico), attempt to uncover state secrets. This wild film, perhaps the Marx Brothers' best, satirizes politics, diplomacy, statecraft, and war.
--David Loftus, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of Duck Soup |
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Comedy, primarily
Yes
Time/era of movie:
- 1930's-1950's
Kind of comedy
- political satire
How much humor v. drama
- Nearly all humor
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- dictator
- politician/elected ruler
Age:
- 20's-30's
- 40's-50's
Eccentric:
Yes
- eccentric
- deluded
- emotionally unstable
- wild
Hair color?
- brunette (Black)
Hair type
- (man) short/standard curly
Body type
- (man) average
Events of movie makes character more...
- irritated
- happy
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Eastern European
- General European
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor?
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- brunette (Brown)
- brunette (Black)
Hair style
- (woman) medium/shoulderlgn curly
Body type
- (woman) fat
How much in movie?
- 60%
- 80%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Eastern European
- General European
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- diplomat
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 40%
Hair color
- brunette (Black)
Hair type
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- (man) skinny
- (man) average
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Eastern European
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- Eastern Europe
City?
Yes
City:
- dangerous
- wealthy
- rude people
Misc setting
- castle
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
Movie makes you feel...
- full of laughter
Sex/nudity in movie?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- vague references only
- kissing
Check here if B&W
Yes
Any profanity?
- None
If lots of song/dance...
- lot of singing and dancing
If soundtrack VERY NOTICEABLE...
- Broadway musical
Is this movie based on a
- play
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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