Duck Soup 1933

type: Movie

language: English

duration: 68 min

genre: comedy

theme: black comedy

director: Leo McCarey

Score: 7 / 10

Duck Soup is a 1933 American pre-Code musical black 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 Marx Brothers (Groucho, Harpo, Chico, and Zeppo in his final Marx Brothers’ movie) and also featured Margaret Dumont, Louis Calhern, Raquel Torres and Edgar Kennedy. It was the last of five Marx Brothers movies released by Paramount Pictures. In the film, Groucho portrays the newly installed president of the mythical country of Freedonia. Zeppo is his secretary, while Chico and Harpo are spies for the neighboring country of Sylvania. Relations between Groucho and the Sylvanian ambassador deteriorate during the film, and they go to war at the conclusion.

Plot

The wealthy Mrs. Teasdale insists that Rufus T. Firefly be appointed leader of the small, financially struggling nation of Freedonia before she will continue to provide much-needed financial aid. Meanwhile, the neighboring country of Sylvania is scheming to annex Freedonia. Sylvanian ambassador Trentino tries to foment a revolution and court Mrs. Teasdale as he tries to dig up dirt on Firefly by sending in spies Chicolini and Pinky.

Cast

More details

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