Duck Soup 1933

type: Movie

language: English

duration: 68 min

genre: comedy

theme: musical comedy

director: Leo McCarey

Score: 7 / 10

Duck Soup is a 1933 Marx Brothers comedy film written by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, with additional dialogue by Arthur Sheekman and Nat Perrin, directed by Leo McCarey. Released theatrically by Paramount Pictures on November 17, 1933, it starred the "Four Marx Brothers" (Groucho, Harpo, Chico, and Zeppo) and also featured Margaret Dumont, Louis Calhern, Raquel Torres and Edgar Kennedy. It was the last Marx Brothers film to feature Zeppo and the last of five Marx Brothers movies released by Paramount Pictures. Groucho plays the new president of a small country, and Zeppo is his assistant, while Harpo and Chico are spies for a rival country's ambassador. Relations between the two countries deteriorate during the film, and they go to war at the conclusion.

Plot

The wealthy Mrs. Teasdale (Margaret Dumont) insists that Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho) be appointed leader of the small, bankrupt country of Freedonia before she will continue to provide much-needed financial aid. Meanwhile, neighboring Sylvania is attempting to annex the country. Sylvanian ambassador Trentino (Louis Calhern) tries to foment a revolution and to woo Mrs. Teasdale, and he tries to dig up dirt on Firefly by sending in spies Chicolini (Chico) and Pinky (Harpo).

Awards

National Film Registry

Cast

More details

author	Bert Kalmar Harry Ruby
award	National Film Registry
contentLocation	Europe
director	Leo McCarey
editor	LeRoy Stone
genre	comedy political satire
keywords	ambassador break court end freedonia national anthem sing song and dance steal the international
musicBy	John Leipold
producer	Herman J. Mankiewicz
publisher	Paramount Pictures
theme	musical comedy satirical