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A Day at the Races

GroovyMovieGuy — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:11:28 +0000

Hackenbush! Hackenbush!
Calling Dr. Hackenbush, aka Groucho Marx, and his brothers Chico and Harpo who led the wild hijinks in this comedy classic set in both a sanatorium and at a horse racing track. Highlights include Groucho entertaining a young lady at a table with a centerpiece so big he has to stand on his chair to see her; Chico playing a classical piece on the piano with finger work that includes him shooting the keys with his index finger; and Chico destroying the same piano and playing it like a harp.
The Marx Brothers inspired British rock group Queen in naming two of their albums. “A Day at the Races” featured Queen’s hit song “Tie Your Mother Down.” It was the followup album to “A Night at the Opera,” which included the hit song “Bohemian Rhapsody” heard in “Wayne’s World.” (111 min.)

Unrated - 1937

Starring:
Groucho Marx
Chico Marx
Harpo Marx
Maureen O’Sullivan
Allan Jones
Margaret Dumont
Sig Ruman
Esther Muir
Dorothy Dandridge
Douglass Dumbrille

Director:
Sam Wood

Writers:
Robert Pirosh
George Seaton
George Oppenheimer

A Day at the Races

movieMoll — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:21:34 +0000

This Marx Brothers’ follow-up to “A Night at the Opera,” completes the double feature of what most critics — and fans — consider to be the comedy team’s two best films. When Dr. Hugo Hackenbush (Groucho) comes on staff at Standish Sanitarium, owner Judy Standish (Maureen O’Sullivan) hopes he can save the business from bankruptcy. Insanity ensues as Judy’s friends (including Harpo and Chico) try to keep secret the fact that Hackenbush is really a veterinarian. His medical qualifications hardly matter since his real job is to make wealthy hypochondriac Emily Upjohn (Margaret Dumont) happy enough to lend her financial support to the sanitarium. Judy’s boyfriend Gil (Allan Jones) saves the day with a long-shot race horse, with Harpo as jockey. “All God’s Chillun Got Rhythm,” featuring black cast members is painfully stereotypical today, but was progressive for the time and provided an early showcase for Dorothy Dandridge. The plot, of course, is entirely secondary to the brothers’ antics, which include Groucho choreographing some fancy footwork with two women on the dance floor at the same time, Harpo deconstructing a piano and plucking a harp from the rubble, and Chico conning Groucho while hawking his “Tootsie Fruitsie” ice cream. (111 min.)

Unrated - 1937

Starring:
Groucho Marx
Chico Marx
Harpo Marx
Maureen O’Sullivan
Allan Jones
Margaret Dumont
Sig Ruman
Esther Muir
Dorothy Dandridge
Douglass Dumbrille

Director:
Sam Wood

Writers:
Robert Pirosh
George Seaton
George Oppenheimer

At the Circus

GroovyMovieGuy — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 05:06:02 +0000

The Marx Brothers and a circus, it seems almost redundant. However, while “At the Circus” features a kinder, gentler version of the Marx Brothers there’s still plenty of fun to go around. Although this isn’t one of the trio’s — sometimes quartet’s — wildest extravaganzas, it’s still better than a significant percentage of movies at the theater or on television today.
Unfortunately, the story line includes a lot of screen time by the co-stars when it’s the Marx brothers who make it a Marx Brothers’ movie. Musical numbers include Groucho singing about a tattooed lady, Harpo playing the harp and Chico playing the piano with his unique flair — always a favorite of mine.
If you’ve never seen a Marx Brothers film you might be surprised by the plot. If you have seen one, you know you’re not watching for the plot. Highlights include Groucho trying to retrieve a wallet stashed in Eve Arden’s bosom and Margaret Dumont as the wealthy matron wooed by Groucho’s character. Watch it. (87 min.)

Not rated - 1939

Starring:
Groucho Marx
Chico Marx
Harpo Marx
Kenny Baker
Florence Rice
Eve Arden
Margaret Dumont
Nat Pendleton

Director:
Edward Buzzell

Writer:
Irving Brecher

At the Circus

movieMoll — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 05:08:51 +0000

Not on par with the Marx Brothers best efforts, still “At the Circus” has some laugh-out-loud moments. A usual lame plot finds Groucho, Chico and Harpo trying to help a circus owner recover a stolen $10,000 before he loses everything. This film is a testament to how much Margaret Dumont brought to the table for the Marx Brothers. She doesn’t appear for the first hour of the movie, which drags for the most part. The final half-hour of the movie, in which Dumont as Mrs. Dukesbury figures prominently, flies by like a daring quintet on a flying trapeze. Classic dialogue includes Dumont explaining the dinner seating arrangements: “The judge shall sit on my left hand and you (pointing to Groucho) shall sit on my right hand.” Groucho replies: “How will you eat? Through a tube?” (87 min.)

Not rated - 1939

Starring:
Groucho Marx
Chico Marx
Harpo Marx
Kenny Baker
Florence Rice
Eve Arden
Margaret Dumont
Nat Pendleton

Director:
Edward Buzzell

Writer:
Irving Brecher

Carefree

GroovyMovieGuy — Sun, 17 May 2009 05:10:10 +0000

Boy meets girl. Boy falls for girl. She’s taken. There’s complications. It’s Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in “Carefree.”
Astaire plays a psychiatrist who tries to do the right thing for his patient portrayed by Rogers. Guess what it leads to? Yep, dancing and romance.
One of the best dance numbers is a solo by Astaire dancing and driving — driving golf balls. Not the usual fancy footwork found on the links.
While this isn’t the best of the Astaire-Rogers movies, it’s certainly worth watching and great late-night fare. (83 min.)

Not rated - 1938

Director:
Mark Sandrich

Starring:
Fred Astaire
Ginger Rogers
Ralph Bellamy
Luella Gear
Jack Carson
Clarence Kolb

Writers:
Marian Ainslee (story)
Guy Endore (story)
Dudley Nichols (story)
Ernest Pagano (writer)
Allan Scott (writer)
Hagar Wilde (story)

Carefree

movieMoll — Sun, 17 May 2009 05:15:18 +0000

This movie would be worth seeing for the slow motion dream sequence dance number alone. Fortunately, there’s plenty more to recommend “Carefree,” Astaire and Rogers eighth film pairing. Fred Astaire plays psychiatrist Tony Flagg, who takes on Amanda Cooper (Ginger Rogers) as a patient at the request of her fiancé, played by Ralph Bellamy. It seems the bride-to-be keeps getting cold feet when it comes to walking down the aisle. Rogers gets to flex her comedic muscles more than usual in this film, particularly while her character is under the influence of pharmaceuticals and hypnosis. There are also a few nice dance numbers. In addition to the dream sequence, Astaire does some impressive steps on the golf course and he and Ginger do some fancy footwork on “The Yam,” where he literally sweeps her off her feet with a series of dance lifts. “Carefree” is missing the memorable, sing-along tunes featured in many of the pair’s other movies, causing this fun film to be perhaps the most underrated Astaire-Rogers pic. (83 min.)

Not rated - 1938

Director:
Mark Sandrich

Starring:
Fred Astaire
Ginger Rogers
Ralph Bellamy
Luella Gear
Jack Carson
Clarence Kolb

Writers:
Marian Ainslee (story)
Guy Endore (story)
Dudley Nichols (story)
Ernest Pagano (writer)
Allan Scott (writer)
Hagar Wilde (story)

Flying Down to Rio

GroovyMovieGuy — Thu, 07 May 2009 07:51:47 +0000

The first pairing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers on the silver screen had them in supporting roles, but their screen chemistry put them in the lead for numerous movies to come.
“Flying Down to Rio” stars Delores del Rio, Gene Raymond and Paul Roulien. The plot: boy meets girl who already has a boy. Astaire and Rogers provide the light entertainment with a little singing and dancing.
Playing out the aviation theme, this movie features a wing-walking dance segment that shouldn’t be missed (and really can’t be since it’s in the middle of the film). I remember watching this as a kid and being scared they would fall from the planes.
Eric Blore as Mr. Butterbass, assistant hotel manager, was also featured in a number of later Astaire-Rogers movies. He added comic relief as uptight characters, like such as managers, butlers and such.
While not the best of the Astaire-Rogers films, “Flying Down to Rio” is definitely worth watching. (89 min.)

1933 - Not rated

Director:
Thornton Freeland

Starring:
Delores del Rio
Gene Raymond
Paul Roulien
Ginger Rogers
Fred Astaire
Blanche Friderici
Walter Walker
Etta Moten
Roy D’Arch
Maurice Black
Armand Kaliz
Paul Porcasi
Reginald Barlow
Eric Blore

Writers:
Lou Brock (story)
Anne Caldwell (play)
Erwin S. Gelsey (writer)
H.W. Hanemann (writer)
Cyril Hume (writer)

Flying Down to Rio

movieMoll — Thu, 07 May 2009 07:55:36 +0000

Although they were not the lead actors in this film, “Flying Down to Rio” was the first pairing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Their screen chemistry was more sparkling than the romantic leads (Delores Del Rio and Gene Raymond), and leaving audiences wanting to see more of them led to several starring roles pairing Fred and Ginger in later movies. On the romance front, I didn’t particularly care if Del Rio ended up with Raymond or with her fiancé (Raul Roulien). However, this is a very stylish musical, with Astaire and Rogers dancing on a revolving stage surrounded by pianos, a Latin-flavored and passionate big production of “The Carioca,” and scantily clad dancing girls performing “in-flight” on airplane wings! It’s pure entertainment. (89 min.)

Unrated - 1933

Director:
Thornton Freeland

Starring:
Delores Del Rio
Gene Raymond
Raul Roulien
Ginger Rogers
Fred Astaire
Blanche Friderici
Eric Blore
Franklin Pangborn

Writers:
Lou Brock (story)
Anne Caldwell (play)
Erwin Gelsey
H.W. Hanemann
Cyril Hume

Follow the Fleet

movieMoll — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:12:34 +0000

Most critics won’t agree, but I’m an Astaire-Rogers fan and “Follow the Fleet” is my favorite Fred and Ginger film. The storyline is better than their usual mistaken identity plots. The subplot romance of Connie Martin (Harriet Hilliard) and Bilge Smith (Randolph Scott) is pleasing. Fred and Ginger have two really cute dance numbers together — in the dance competition and at the show rehearsal, as well as an elegant and mesmerizing performance of “Let’s Face the Music and Dance.” Fred and Ginger each have nice solo numbers — Fred looks great in his sailor uniform. I never get tired of hearing “I’m Putting All My Eggs in One Basket.” And Lucille Ball and Betty Grable shine in a small roles. What more could you want? (110 min.)

Unrated - 1936

Starring:
Fred Astaire
Ginger Rogers
Randolph Scott
Harriet Hilliard
Astrid Allwyn

Director:
Mark Sandrich

Writers:
Hubert Osborne (play)
Allan Scott (screenplay)

Love In Bloom

GroovyMovieGuy — Wed, 27 May 2009 17:49:07 +0000

There wasn’t much of George Burns and Gracie Allen in “Love in Bloom,” even though they received top billing. That’s unfortunate. Their signature banter is what makes a Burns and Allen movie entertaining.
Most of the film is spent with two lovebirds struggling to make it in New York. He’s a songwriter from the hinterlands who sings for his gal and the movie audience as well. She’s worldly girl who grew up in the carnival life. We’re the audience wishing George and Gracie were written into their own movie. (75 min.)

Not rated - 1935

Director:
Elliott Nugent

Starring:
George Burns
Gracie Allen
Joe Morrison
Dixie Lee
Lee Kohlmar
J.C. Nugent
Richard Carle

Writers:
Frank R. Adams (story)
J.P. McEvoy (writer)
John P. Medbury (writer)
Keene Thompson (writer)