A Night at the Opera (1935)
Grade: 71
"A Night at the Opera" was the sixth movie starring the Marx Brothers, and the first without straight man Zeppo Marx. Groucho delivers many hilarious one-liners, and the Marx Brothers create great chaos, but the film is hampered somewhat by a love interest subplot and unnecessary musical numbers.
Groucho is the agent of wealthy socialite and comic foil Margaret Dumont. Dumont becomes a patron of an opera house managed by pompous Herman Gottlieb (Sig Rumon). Gottlieb is eager to have famed tenor Lassparri (Walter Woolf King) perform at his opera house. Meanwhile, the conceited Lassparri chases soprano Kitty Carlisle, who is love with obscure tenor Baroni (Allan Jones). The Marx Brothers prove willing to sabotage Lassparri's opening night performance to promote Baroni's career and romance.
Like other Marx Brothers movies, "A Night at the Opera" is inconsistent, with some comic scenes working much better than others. Certainly the best (and most famous) skit has the Marx Brothers and numerous strangers crowding in a small room. The skit combines the two best components of their comedy, Groucho's clever and sarcastic one-liners, and the Marx Brothers propensity for causing chaos. Nearly as good is a scene with determined Detective Henderson (Robert Emmett O'Connor) chasing the Marx Brothers and their beds from room to room.
Groucho is the major talent of the Marx Brothers. Harpo is a good mime, with a gift for facial expressions. Chico is competent, but has-a fake-a accent. Both Harpo and Chico can play the piano, but that doesn't mean they're funny at the same time. Harpo should never have learned to play the harp.
Kitty Carlisle and Allan Jones make a nice couple and they can sing. Still, they're not funny, and can be detracting, such as their farewell as the ship is departing. They provide a motive for the Marx Brother's madness, but perhaps a better (and more funny) plot device could have been found.
kollers@mpsi.net http://members.tripod.com/~Brian_Koller/movies.html
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