Animal Crackers (1930), the second of many classic Marx Brothers films (their first film was The Cocoanuts (1929), also for Paramount Studios), was the last to be taken from one of their stage successes and the last to be filmed on the East Coast on Astoria sound stages before they transferred to Hollywood. The comic madness of the Marx Brothers in this early talkies-era film is typical of all their films - an intrusive and silly plot - an excuse for numerous verbal ad-libs and elliptical dislocations, criticism of sophisticated and affected high-society life, expository dialogues and battles (notably between Groucho and Chico), and downright funny sequences. In this very talkative, lengthy film directed by Victor Heerman, Groucho established himself with the character of "Captain Spaulding." This farce was loosely based on George S. Kaufman's hit musical play, and developed from a screenplay by Morrie Ryskind. It contains two memorable scenes among many: Groucho's African safari
flixster89posted 664 days ago
