Customer Reviews

Unknown Marx Brothers [VHS]

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

As a biography of the Marx Brothers, the documentary does a competent if not excellent job. There are numerous interviews with their few surviving friends and various Marx offspring. But if you're looking for an in-depth, detailed portrait of how they lived their lives, then I would recommend reading one of the numerous books that have been published on the subject (Harpo's autobiography HARPO SPEAKS! is particularly worthy, especially on their childhood and pre-movie period).

That said, where this program shines is when it displays various pieces of scratchy old footage. Whether it was seeing Harpo's first role in a recently discovered silent movie, or an elderly Groucho trading barbs with Bill Cosby, the clips here are gems. Included here is material shot for the aborted Marx Brothers 50's TV series which (if not for Chico's deteriorating health) would have featured Groucho, Harpo, and Chico as guardian angels (the theological implications of this are astounding). There are also a few of the commercials that Harpo did for Labatt's Beer. As his son points out in one of the interviews, they're the most surreal advertisements you're likely to see. The bulk of this footage (and the documentary itself) consists of their public and television appearances after their movie careers had ended.

The DVD also contains a few outtakes from Groucho's YOU BET YOUR LIFE television show. Relatively tame by today's standards (a sample, which was too raunchy for those early days of television: "You met your wife in the dark-room? Was she well developed?"), but funny all the same. Groucho's quick wit gets him into trouble with the overbearing censors of the era, and as a disapproving contestant on You Bet Your Life tells him, "That's going to be censored, Groucho." The despondent reply: "I know."

This isn't the place to go if you want to spend a couple of hours convulsed with laughter. But it is a wonderful, if light, look at the career of the Marx Brothers. The production of the documentary has a slightly cheap feel to it, and Leslie Neilson's narration is a little flat. But while it can't compete with the volumes of books written on the subject, it does do one thing that the prose can't -- show us the Brothers in action. And with material that you're not likely to have seen anywhere else, this is invaluable for any fan of the Marx Brothers.

What is wonderful about this video program is that it reveals a great deal number of interesting, attractive episodes on Marx Brothers; and their rare home movies, clips of TV appearance or photos. This video sure has more than what a number of books on Marx Brothers have covered so far. If you have seen any of Brothers on TV of film, found them incredibly funny and felt thirsty for more about this incredible comedy team, this is the thing you should really check out! END

This is a great documentary, but the DVD has severly edited the documentary that was show on PBS. I have the whole documentary on tape and this is not it. The DVD leaves out the WWI years and a lot of the later films. Why? I don't know, but be warned, if you have seen the documentary before, this DVD is an edited version.

One expects the DVD version of a documentary to be complete. This is not.

The package states that the running time is approximately 2:06, which is the length of the original program. This DVD runs for only 1:26, meaning that almost exactly one-third of the material was omitted! It's a shame, because in its full version this is a wonderful documentary on the brothers Marx. (I would be giving it 5 stars if it were complete.)

One other cautionary note: this is not the PBS documentary on the Marxes cited in other reviews (that one is "The Marx Brothers in a Nutshell" and is well worth purchasing). This program originally aired (in two parts) on The Disney Channel.

I loved this DVD because it holds so much unseen stuff. Home movies of Harpo and footage from Groucho's television show and loads of other interesting bits. This DVD is a big fat slab of Marx history. It's the very darts. If you liked the Louvish Marx biog or the Kanfer Groucho biog, you're pretty much likely to enjoy this DVD.

This is a great DVD with tons of interviews by the people still alive that were closest to the Marx Brothers. Goes in-depth about the Marx brothers before they were actors on the silver screen and what they did after including TV. Has a plethora of material that has never been seen including outtakes from You Bet Your Life with Groucho Marx, and many, many tv appearances by all three of the core ( Groucho, Harpo, and Chico ) inluding Harpo on The Milton Berle Show, and Groucho on The Bill Cosby Show. Narrated by Leslie Nealson, this DVD has many specials that a worth a look, especially the You Bet Your Life outtakes.

To all fans of the Marx Brothers, I don't see why you shouldn't watch this DVD. However, this is not the meaty biography you may be expecting. If you really want to learn about the Marx brothers, I recommend reading the books Harpo Speaks and Groucho and Me. What this DVD does give you, however, is a look at some of their work which never made it far. That is, rare and exclusive clips. The DVD seems to focus too much on Groucho, though, which can be good or bad. But overall, it was fun to watch. I learned little more than what I already know, but every bit of new Marx brothers material I can get my hands on is worth watching at least once.

For longtime fans this is absolutely essential, especially for those of us who enjoy researching those missing pieces of the puzzle - the "unknown" stuff. There are many segments here which will leave the most determined sleuth slack-jawed. We've read about many of these late career MB TV appearances and we are treated to lengthy excerpts - so many documentaries offer "slide show" bits and pieces.
I was unaware of most of these kinescopes and am delighted to be able to view even a few seconds of them. The Groucho guest shot on The Jack Benny Show is in very good quality; the writing and performance is excellent. Both comedy legends get to do their thing in a classy setting. A long clip features Milton Berle and Harpo and similarly we get two for the price of one. Harpo is so good soloing and clowning in front of Uncle Miltie's orchestra, that Mr. Television himself has a hard time not laughing during the piece.
I was fascinated to learn more about Groucho's struggle to keep a radio show in the '30s/'40s; and the origins and development of "You Bet Your Life". And to have George Fenneman on hand to reminisce is a great plus.
As an Amazon reviewer points out, the documentary would have benefitted by including more of Zeppo and Gummo, and by offering criticism of the movies. They made many movies but unfortunately perhaps only four can be considered classics. Considering the level of talent on this team, it's really astonishing that Hollywood seemed to make a conscious decision at one point force them to work with second-rate material and directors not really suited to them.
This offer is not as sophisticated as "In A Nutshell", in fact, Leslie Nielson's narration is curiously low-key, but this quiet, respectful program has enduring qualities. The children of Groucho, Chico, and Harpo, speak warmly of their parents. It's a nice touch that Harpo's son wrote original music for this package.

I love The Marx Brothers, so it's hard for me to not give this 5 stars. Between the rare clips, the interviews, etc - I think it's a very good documentary.

Sure, like others have said here, there are some things which should have been included here that weren't. However, that's almost always the case with documentaries about entertainers.

What I like most about this production is that it was obviously made with a lot of love and respect for the brothers.

If you're a Marx Brothers fan, chances are very good that you'll enjoy this.

This recaps the lives of the "5" Marx Brothers...and let us know there was actually a 6th but he died prior to the birth of Chico. It is a very telling story of their lives Groucho, Chico, Harpo, Zeppo & Gummo. Unfortunately you never do get to hear Harpo speak in this, I was hoping this video would have at least an excerpt. Also the only bad part I thought was that I thought there was a little too much attention paid to the tv series "You Bet Your Life" and they jumped from the sixties back to the 40's...it would've been nice if they could've just told the story from beginning to end. The first half of the video did just that and was excellent in painting the picture of the lives of the Marx Brothers. Anyone who is a fan of these comedy legends should get this video...I was never aware that the act began around 1915...which was 14 years before their first motion picture. Well, this video has a lot of rare clips and could teach even an avid Marx fan a thing or 2.