Charles Middleton, Chico Marx, Edgar Kennedy

For those who love the Marx Brothers (Animal Crackers, A Night at the Opera), that this movie is side-slappingly funny is a given. For those new to the Marx Brothers, this is the perfect...( read more  read more... ) introduction to Groucho, Chico, and Harpo (and even Zeppo), three of the funniest men to ever grace the screen. Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho) is the dictator of the small nation Freedonia. The country is a disaster, in financial disrepair, and the wealthy Mrs. Teasdale (Margaret Dumont) is its benefactor and the object of Firefly's shrewd affection. When the leader of the neighboring Sylvania decides he's in love with Mrs. Teasdale, Firefly declares war. The movie, from 1933, is tremendously satirical, a play on politics and war. (As Firefly says to a hapless young solider, "You're a brave man. Go and break through the lines. And remember, while you're out there risking your life and limb through shot and shell, we'll be in be in here thinking what a sucker you are.") Full of witty lines, great sight gags, and even some snazzy song numbers ("Freedonia's Going to War" is the hilarious declaration of battle), this is surely one of the best--if not the best--the Marx Brothers have to offer. --Jenny Brown

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30,429 ratings

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94% liked it

35 critics

Unrated, 68 min.

Directed by: Leo McCarey

Release Date: November 17, 1933

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DVD Release Date: October 10, 2000

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Flixster Reviews (1,874)


  • November 10, 2009
    I wouldn't sat Duck Soup is the funniest Marx brothers film but it does have some of their best moments, such as the Mirror scene and the final battle. Groucho is at his best but Harpo, my second favourite, is better in some of their other, earlier work. Still, very funny film!
  • March 6, 2009
    Best Marx bros film, both a political satire and a non-stop marathon of slapstick and verbal humour. Rufus T Firefly's lines are hillarious and very quotable.
  • December 24, 2008
    You wanna see a hilarious movie, then watch this. Yes, its old. And yes, its pretty confusing to understand what its about, but it is thee FUNIEST movie ever! I dont think any comedy in the world could top this movie.
  • August 10, 2008
    Rufus T. Firefly: You're a brave man. Go and break through the lines. And remember, while you're out there risking your life and limb through shot and shell, we'll be in be in here thinking what a sucker you are.

    Another wonderfully funny Marx Brothers movie.

    Featuring all fou...( read more)r brothers, this time Groucho becomes leader of a country only to provoke another leader into going into war against him.

    Mrs. Teasdale: As chairman of the reception committee, I welcome you with open arms.
    Rufus T. Firefly: Is that so? How late do you stay open?

    Chico and Harpo are also around as spies against Groucho, while Zeppo serves as an assistant to Groucho.

    The plot of course, does not really matter, because its all setup for hilarity coming from Groucho's zingers, the plays on words from Chico, and the physical comedy from Harpo.

    The movie is very funny, with a couple of key sequences that are absolutely hilarious.

    Rufus T. Firefly: Now, what is it that has four pairs of pants, lives in Philadelphia, and it never rains but it pours?
    Chicolini: Atsa good one. I give you three guesses.
    Rufus T. Firefly: Now let me see. Has four pair of pants, lives in Philadelphia... Is it male or female?
    Chicolini: No, I no think so.
    Rufus T. Firefly: Is he dead?
    Chicolini: Who?
    Rufus T. Firefly: I don't know. I give up.
    Chicolini: I give up, too.
  • April 22, 2008
    "I got a good mind to join a club and beat you over the head with it."

    The Marx Brothers have been fondly remembered for several of their timeless comedy productions. Similar to Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, their classic films are overflowing with terrific gags th...( read more)at are still hilarious even during the 21st Century.

    On the topic of the best Marx Brothers picture many will agree that Duck Soup generally comes out on top. I strongly agree. Duck Soup was a massive failure at the box office when first released; despite this, I found the film to be excellent entertainment and one of the best classic comedies in cinematic history.

    Be warned, though, that some might not find 30s humour to their liking. I absolutely adored the gags, but there will be some who disagree.

    The country of Freedonia is in a financial mess. To save the country from bankruptcy a wealthy woman (Dumont) agrees to donate a large sum of money. But in return she requests that Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho) takes charge of Freedonia. But mayhem erupts when Firefly takes charge; he is a stubborn, sadistic leader who refuses to play politics by the book.

    To make matters worse, the country doesn't have a strong relationship with their neighbouring country Sylvania. The government of Sylvania decide to send agents in to recover top secret information (i.e. the country's war plans). When relationships worsen between Freedonia and Sylvania, Rufus declares war just for the hell of it.

    Duck Soup is a film filled with plenty of wonderful set pieces. The laughs just never get old. Said laughs are a combination of witty dialogue and wonderful physical humour. My favourite gag of the film will always be the mirror sequence. I died with laughter when I was watching that scene.

    There are several other physical gags that I will always love but don't do much for advancing the plot. Not that I'm complaining, though. What makes this classic a whole lot better than recent comedies by modern comedians is that there was focus and attention on actually developing a discernable plot rather than focusing on the laughs. The Marx Brothers found the perfect balance of developing a good plot as well as a heavy concentration on the great humour. The plot isn't groundbreaking, but at least it's actually present.

    I liked the energetic performances from everyone in the cast. The four Marx Brothers present in the film give it 100% (the final film that featured all four brothers). It's obvious that some of the more complicated gags had to be thoroughly rehearsed. This just goes to show how focused they were in the days preceding a heavy reliance on special effects or cutting corners.

    Groucho was the real stand out for me in the movie. Don't get me wrong - they are all tremendously good - but my favourite was definitely Groucho. He was just so sharp and funny! As a confused politician, he nails it. The gags are staged very well thanks to both the cast and the great directing as well.

    Overall, Duck Soup is a classic and a fantastic movie. It's funny and very entertaining. Proof that 1930's humour is still funny after all these years.
  • November 18, 2009
    The Marx Brothers... need I say more?
  • November 14, 2009
    Classic Marx brothers. A must see.
  • November 12, 2009
    best marx brothers film

    marx brothers at their best love it
  • October 12, 2009
    lmao, a tad slow in the beginning but as soon as Harpo and Chico appeared I never stopped laughing. Great flick.
  • October 4, 2009
    An absolutely hilarious classic. The Marx Brothers' best film, and my all-time favorite comedy. I never get tired of watching it. Everybody is at their rapid fire best.

Critic Reviews


January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The Marx Brothers created a body of work in which individual films are like slices from the whole, but Duck Soup (1933) is probably the best. full review

View more Duck Soup reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • alal1989uddin
    July 20, 2007
    Line after line is a classic.

  • ggfgffg
    January 11, 2007
    The Marx brothers are absolutely hilarious! This is my favourite movie of theirs by far! It is SO funny!

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Duck Soup Trivia


  • Which comic did a lot of hat-changing towards the end of the classic comedy "Duck Soup"?  Answer »
  • The Marx Brothers were reportedly thrilled when they heard Benito Mussolini banned this film in Italy because he felt it was making fun of him.  Answer »
  • At 10 o'Clock in "Duck Soup" how many times did the clock chime?  Answer »
  • The film DUCK SOUP came out?  Answer »

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