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Producer Irving Thalberg was having a meeting with the Marx Brothers, a meeting to decide whether or not to sign them to a contract with MGM. Although still a young man, Thalberg was already being hailed as a genius. He never put his name on any picture he made. As he once said, "If it's good, they'll know who made it. If it's bad, no one cares."
But it seemed to Groucho that this day Thalberg was spending most of his time the criticizing the Paramounts, and Groucho was not amused. "I'm not going to sit here while you insult our films." What about "Duck Soup?" You've got to admit that was funny. Thalberg replied that all the Paramounts were funny, but "they weren't about anything." MGM can give you singing, dancing, a solid story line, as well as plenty of space to perform your best routines.
The idea that Groucho would consider walking is amazing to me. The Brothers made no picture in 1934, and unless they did some radio or stage work, were in fact unemployed. Luckily, Groucho was persuaded to stay, and the result was the best picture the Brothers ever made, "A Night At The Opera." (As a matter of fact, it made twice as much money as "Duck Soup.")
Our story begins in Italy. Groucho plays Otis B Driftwood, an employee of the New York Opera Company. The rich Mrs. Claypool (Margaret Dumont) is paying Groucho to get her into society, but so far "all you've done is draw a very handsome salary." But Groucho does have a plan. He introduces her to Herman Gottlieb (Sig Ruman) head of the company. As usual, Maggie is confused. "Don't you understand? You'll be a patron of the opera. You'll get into society. Then you can marry me and they'll kick you out of society."
The star tenor of the opera is Rudolpho Lassparri (played by the always-obnoxious Walter Woolf King). He's in love with Rosa Castaldi (Kitty Carlisle), his leading lady. But she only has eyes for Riccardo Barone (Alan Jones), whose manager is Fiorello (Chico). Riccardo can't get a break because he has no "reputation," even though he's a better singer than Lassparri. Tomasso (Harpo) is supposed to assist Lassparri with his costumes, but causes him so much grief that he fires him.
The entire opera company now boards a ship, bound for New York. When Groucho opens his trunk, who should he find but Harpo, Chico, and Allan Jones.
Groucho: I don't remember packing you boys. Where's my other suit?
Chico: It took up too much room so we sold it.
Groucho: Oh, really? How much did you get?
Chico: A dollar forty.
Groucho: That's my suit, all right.
Gottlieb has given Groucho a room about the size of a large telephone booth (if they still had telephone booths, which they don't.) Everybody talks about the "stateroom scene," where about two dozen people pile into this tiny room. It's fun to watch, but I think it's more silly than funny.
Personally, I like the "contract" scene better. Chico wants Groucho to sign Riccardo to a contract (during the entire scene, they are standing on Lassparri, whom Harpo has hit over the head with a mallet!). The contract begins just like every standard contract: "The party of the first part shall be known in this contract as the party of the first part." The boys don't like it, so they take it out. As they read more, they find more things they don't care for, so they take them out too, until each is holding a tiny sliver of paper. Finally, there's the "Sanity Clause": "If any of the parties to this contract is found not to be in his right mind, the contract is null and void." Chico isn't so sure about that, either.
Groucho: That's in every contract, that's the "Sanity Clause."
Chico: Oh, no, you can't fool me, there ain't no Sanity Clause!
GROUCHO ON CHICO: Groucho thought Chico was the worst piano player he ever heard. Among other things, his left hand was weak, and you can clearly see this as he plays. Chico also didn't care about anything except gambling and women. Many times, the director couldn't shoot because Chico was nowhere to be found. Groucho worked hard at being a comedian; Chico didn't seem to care. He would show up on the set, utter a few words of fake Italian, and all would be forgiven. Like most gamblers, Chico usually needed money. "Had it been up to Chico," Groucho once wrote, "we'd have made 12 more pictures."
Groucho once wrote that people were always asking him how the Marxes could be brothers. One is Italian, one doesn't talk, and the third talks too much. Groucho replied that he didn't know how Chico got to be Italian. "God knows my father wasn't Italian. But I will say this: he was probably the worst tailor in the history of New York."
GROUCHO ON HARPO: Groucho wasn't exactly thrilled with Harpo's harp, either. He once wrote that, as a kid, Harpo found an old abandoned harp in the attic and started fooling around with it. The problem was that it had no pedals for the sharps and flats, but that didn't deter Harpo. "Soon he could play any song he heard, as long as it didn't have sharps or flats."
GROUCHO ON MARGARET DUMONT: "She never understood the jokes." During the scene when Groucho and Maggie are getting off the boat, we have the following dialogue:
Maggie: Otis, have you got everything?
Otis: I've never had any complaints yet.
After the take, Dumont turned to Groucho and asked, "Groucho, what does that mean?"
Apparently, the Hays Office didn't understand it either, for it stayed in the picture. When Groucho learns that Lassparri gets a thousand dollars a night to sing, he says the following: "You can get a phonograph record of 'Minnie The Moocher' for 35 cents. For a buck and a quarter you can get Minnie."
In those days, every film have to be submitted to the censors before it could be released. Sometimes a director would include a scene that he knew would be rejected. When the film was returned, he would then put in the scene he really wanted in the picture! Maybe that's how Minnie the Moocher made it into a Marx brothers picture!
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‘A Night at the Opera’ (1935) is the funniest film the Three Marx Brothers made at MGM.It’s almost as funny as the five films (1929-1933) the Four Marx Brothers made at Paramount.The earlier films were Pre-Code comedies.The later films (1935-1949) were produced under a handicap: The Hollywood Production Code.This put a bit of a damper on the Marx Brothers’ high spirits.But still five stars, at least for the first couple of films at MGM.The Marx Brothers appeared in a total of 13 feature films between 1929 and 1949.All are on DVD.With the re-release of ‘A Night at the Opera’, 8 of 13 are now on Blu-Ray.1929 -1933: GROUCHO, HARPO, CHICO AND ZEPPOStart here, if you are new to the Marx Brothers.Every civilized person should own “The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection” (see photo), a three-disc Blu-Ray boxed set from Universal with all the early movies + extensive commentaries and bonus features + English subtitles (avoid the DVD version).1929 Cocoanuts (Paramount)1930 Animal Crackers (Paramount)1931 Monkey Business (Paramount)1932 Horse Feathers (Paramount)1933 Duck Soup (Paramount)1935 -1949: GROUCHO, HARPO, CHICOArranged chronologically (and also in descending order of quality)1935 A Night at the Opera (MGM) – available on BLU-RAY, reviewed on this page.1937 A Day at the Races (MGM)1938 Room Service (RKO)1939 At the Circus (MGM1940 Go West (MGM1941 The Big Store (MGM)1946 A Night in Casablanca (United Artists) – available on BLU-RAY1949 Love Happy (United Artists) – available on BLU-RAY(I’m not counting 1957’s ‘Story of Mankind’ with separate, token appearances by Groucho, Chico and Harpo. Truly awful.)I was hoping that Warner would reissue all the late films in a deluxe Blu-Ray box, like Universal did for the early films (Warner did release a DVD box in 2004), but they chose to release ‘A Night at the Opera’ as a stand-alone Blu-Ray.The picture is better, but it’s not dramatically better.All the old DVD bonus features are carried over to Blu-Ray:--- Audio commentary with Leonard Maltin.--- Documentary (35 minutes) on the Marx Brother’s Hollywood period.--- 1950’s TV interview with Groucho (5 minutes)--- 1930’s short “How to Sleep” with Robert Benchley (11 minutes))--- 1930’s tour of the Trocadero nightclub hosted by Wheeler and Wolsey (20 minutes). The only celebrity most viewers will recognize is Groucho Marx (@ 8:42 to 8:54).--- Movie trailer--- Optional English SDH subtitles (in beautiful urine yellow).The Blu-Ray has one new bonus feature: a 1930’s travelogue of Los Angeles in technicolor (8 minutes).I was hoping for more in the way of packaging and presentation.Of course, the film itself still deserves five stars.Actually, I would give 5 stars to the first seven Marx Brothers films, from ‘Cocoanuts’ through ‘A Day at the Races’.The later films deserve 4 to 4½ stars.Also - The Marx Brother’s final two efforts are now on Blu-Ray, released by small independent companies:-- ‘A Night in Casablanca’ (1946) is available on Blu-Ray from Classicflix (with bonus features and English subtitles).-- ‘Love Happy’ (1949) is available on Blu-Ray from Olive Films (no extras or subtitles).
Images in this review
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 31, 2019
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 1, 2021
‘A Night at the Opera’ (1935) is the funniest film the Three Marx Brothers made at MGM.
It’s almost as funny as the five films (1929-1933) the Four Marx Brothers made at Paramount.
The earlier films were Pre-Code comedies.
The later films (1935-1949) were produced under a handicap: The Hollywood Production Code.
This put a bit of a damper on the Marx Brothers’ high spirits.
But still five stars, at least for the first couple of films at MGM.
The Marx Brothers appeared in a total of 13 feature films between 1929 and 1949.
All are on DVD.
With the re-release of ‘A Night at the Opera’, 8 of 13 are now on Blu-Ray.
1929 -1933: GROUCHO, HARPO, CHICO AND ZEPPO
Start here, if you are new to the Marx Brothers.
Every civilized person should own “The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection” (see photo), a three-disc Blu-Ray boxed set from Universal with all the early movies + extensive commentaries and bonus features + English subtitles (avoid the DVD version).
1929 Cocoanuts (Paramount)
1930 Animal Crackers (Paramount)
1931 Monkey Business (Paramount)
1932 Horse Feathers (Paramount)
1933 Duck Soup (Paramount)
1935 -1949: GROUCHO, HARPO, CHICO
Arranged chronologically (and also in descending order of quality)
1935 A Night at the Opera (MGM) – available on BLU-RAY, reviewed on this page.
1937 A Day at the Races (MGM)
1938 Room Service (RKO)
1939 At the Circus (MGM
1940 Go West (MGM
1941 The Big Store (MGM)
1946 A Night in Casablanca (United Artists) – available on BLU-RAY
1949 Love Happy (United Artists) – available on BLU-RAY
(I’m not counting 1957’s ‘Story of Mankind’ with separate, token appearances by Groucho, Chico and Harpo. Truly awful.)
I was hoping that Warner would reissue all the late films in a deluxe Blu-Ray box, like Universal did for the early films (Warner did release a DVD box in 2004), but they chose to release ‘A Night at the Opera’ as a stand-alone Blu-Ray.
The picture is better, but it’s not dramatically better.
All the old DVD bonus features are carried over to Blu-Ray:
--- Audio commentary with Leonard Maltin.
--- Documentary (35 minutes) on the Marx Brother’s Hollywood period.
--- 1950’s TV interview with Groucho (5 minutes)
--- 1930’s short “How to Sleep” with Robert Benchley (11 minutes))
--- 1930’s tour of the Trocadero nightclub hosted by Wheeler and Wolsey (20 minutes). The only celebrity most viewers will recognize is Groucho Marx (@ 8:42 to 8:54).
--- Movie trailer
--- Optional English SDH subtitles (in beautiful urine yellow).
The Blu-Ray has one new bonus feature: a 1930’s travelogue of Los Angeles in technicolor (8 minutes).
I was hoping for more in the way of packaging and presentation.
Of course, the film itself still deserves five stars.
Actually, I would give 5 stars to the first seven Marx Brothers films, from ‘Cocoanuts’ through ‘A Day at the Races’.
The later films deserve 4 to 4½ stars.
Also - The Marx Brother’s final two efforts are now on Blu-Ray, released by small independent companies:
-- ‘A Night in Casablanca’ (1946) is available on Blu-Ray from Classicflix (with bonus features and English subtitles).
-- ‘Love Happy’ (1949) is available on Blu-Ray from Olive Films (no extras or subtitles).
It’s almost as funny as the five films (1929-1933) the Four Marx Brothers made at Paramount.
The earlier films were Pre-Code comedies.
The later films (1935-1949) were produced under a handicap: The Hollywood Production Code.
This put a bit of a damper on the Marx Brothers’ high spirits.
But still five stars, at least for the first couple of films at MGM.
The Marx Brothers appeared in a total of 13 feature films between 1929 and 1949.
All are on DVD.
With the re-release of ‘A Night at the Opera’, 8 of 13 are now on Blu-Ray.
1929 -1933: GROUCHO, HARPO, CHICO AND ZEPPO
Start here, if you are new to the Marx Brothers.
Every civilized person should own “The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection” (see photo), a three-disc Blu-Ray boxed set from Universal with all the early movies + extensive commentaries and bonus features + English subtitles (avoid the DVD version).
1929 Cocoanuts (Paramount)
1930 Animal Crackers (Paramount)
1931 Monkey Business (Paramount)
1932 Horse Feathers (Paramount)
1933 Duck Soup (Paramount)
1935 -1949: GROUCHO, HARPO, CHICO
Arranged chronologically (and also in descending order of quality)
1935 A Night at the Opera (MGM) – available on BLU-RAY, reviewed on this page.
1937 A Day at the Races (MGM)
1938 Room Service (RKO)
1939 At the Circus (MGM
1940 Go West (MGM
1941 The Big Store (MGM)
1946 A Night in Casablanca (United Artists) – available on BLU-RAY
1949 Love Happy (United Artists) – available on BLU-RAY
(I’m not counting 1957’s ‘Story of Mankind’ with separate, token appearances by Groucho, Chico and Harpo. Truly awful.)
I was hoping that Warner would reissue all the late films in a deluxe Blu-Ray box, like Universal did for the early films (Warner did release a DVD box in 2004), but they chose to release ‘A Night at the Opera’ as a stand-alone Blu-Ray.
The picture is better, but it’s not dramatically better.
All the old DVD bonus features are carried over to Blu-Ray:
--- Audio commentary with Leonard Maltin.
--- Documentary (35 minutes) on the Marx Brother’s Hollywood period.
--- 1950’s TV interview with Groucho (5 minutes)
--- 1930’s short “How to Sleep” with Robert Benchley (11 minutes))
--- 1930’s tour of the Trocadero nightclub hosted by Wheeler and Wolsey (20 minutes). The only celebrity most viewers will recognize is Groucho Marx (@ 8:42 to 8:54).
--- Movie trailer
--- Optional English SDH subtitles (in beautiful urine yellow).
The Blu-Ray has one new bonus feature: a 1930’s travelogue of Los Angeles in technicolor (8 minutes).
I was hoping for more in the way of packaging and presentation.
Of course, the film itself still deserves five stars.
Actually, I would give 5 stars to the first seven Marx Brothers films, from ‘Cocoanuts’ through ‘A Day at the Races’.
The later films deserve 4 to 4½ stars.
Also - The Marx Brother’s final two efforts are now on Blu-Ray, released by small independent companies:
-- ‘A Night in Casablanca’ (1946) is available on Blu-Ray from Classicflix (with bonus features and English subtitles).
-- ‘Love Happy’ (1949) is available on Blu-Ray from Olive Films (no extras or subtitles).
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 19, 2022
Top reviews from other countries
Molesworth
A commercial success and still a Marx Brothers film!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on March 8, 2022operetta
Hilarious in spite of it's age!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 20, 2022Frankie Fontaine
The best of the big budget Marx films
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on June 22, 2014
