The Cocoanuts (1929)

95% of critics liked it
(19 reviews)
71% of users liked it
(5,550 ratings)

While The Four Marx Brothers (Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Zeppo) were appearing nightly on Broadway in Animal Crackers in the spring of 1929, they spent their days shooting their first film, The Cocoanuts, at Paramount's Astoria Studios in Long Island. Based on their 1925 stage hit, The Cocoanuts is… More While The Four Marx Brothers (Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Zeppo) were appearing nightly on Broadway in Animal Crackers in the spring of 1929, they spent their days shooting their first film, The Cocoanuts, at Paramount's Astoria Studios in Long Island. Based on their 1925 stage hit, The Cocoanuts is set in Miami, where hotel manager Mr. Hammer (Groucho Marx) struggles to keep his establishment from going under. Hammer's only paying guest is Mrs. Potter (Margaret Dumont), whose daughter Polly (Mary Eaton) is in love with aspiring architect Bob (Oscar Shaw). Mrs. Potter would prefer that Polly marry the respectable Harvey Yates (Cyril Ring); what she doesn't know is that Yates is a jewel thief, in cahoots with the slinky Penelope (Kay Francis). The script was written by George S. Kaufman, and the music by Irving Berlin. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 36 min.
Directed By: Robert Florey, Joseph Santley
Written By: George S. Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind
Genres: Musical & Performing Arts, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1929 Wide
On DVD: Oct 10, 2000
Studio: MCA Universal Home Video

Critic Reviews

Mordaunt Hall, New York Times
Fun puts melody in the shade in the audible pictorial transcription of the musical comedy The Cocoanuts.
Don Druker, Chicago Reader
An eminently watchable antique.
Dan Schneider, culturevulture.net
Chock with some classic gags and lines...
, Time Out
The Brothers' energy and madness is never in question: when the laughs come, they come loud and long.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Watchable for some hilarious routines, but valued now mostly as a relic.
Daniel Eagan, Film Journal International
First Marx Brothers film is creaky, but has marvelous scenes
Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan
Creaky production is the Marx Brothers' first...and has its hilarious moments.
Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central
There's a true benefit of starting at the beginning.
Matt Bailey, Not Coming to a Theater Near You
The daft anarchy of the Marx Brothers is often akin to watching the id personified and unleashed.
, Film4
It shows its age, but it also captures the verve of the Marx Brothers at the start of their movies careers.
Beth Accomando, KPBS.org
Not the best Marx Brothers film but close. It features the classic 'Why a duck' routine between Groucho and Chico.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Stagey, but with lots of great Marx routines and some Irving Berlin songs.

Read all 12 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

moon r

The first of the Marx Bros. movies and, while stagey, most certainly a delight. Margaret Dumont, as ever, is a fortress of femininity against the leering onslaught of Groucho's questionable machinations and grandly so, while Chico and Harpo are the best worthless con men ever.… More
The first of the Marx Bros. movies and, while stagey, most certainly a delight. Margaret Dumont, as ever, is a fortress of femininity against the leering onslaught of Groucho's questionable machinations and grandly so, while Chico and Harpo are the best worthless con men ever. One of the very reasons for film.
AJ V

You can tell that this is their first movie, it isn't as slick and structured as their other movies. Still, they use the routines which are staples of their later movies, and they are just as funny, but the rest of the actors are all over the place trying to take attention away… More
You can tell that this is their first movie, it isn't as slick and structured as their other movies. Still, they use the routines which are staples of their later movies, and they are just as funny, but the rest of the actors are all over the place trying to take attention away from the Marx Brothers. Plus, I didn't like the ending.
Matthew Y

"Over here by the viaduct", "why-a-duck?", "What do you mean viaduct", "I mean why not a chickens? why not a cows? Why-a-duck?" The Cocoanuts is the first Marx brothers film and one of the earliest talkies...and boy does it show. The pacing is… More
"Over here by the viaduct", "why-a-duck?", "What do you mean viaduct", "I mean why not a chickens? why not a cows? Why-a-duck?" The Cocoanuts is the first Marx brothers film and one of the earliest talkies...and boy does it show. The pacing is not there yet and the film looks and feels amateurish, the sheer hilarity of the Marx Brothers is the saving grace of this film and the infamous viaduct scene ensures it's place in Marx Brothers lore.
Marion R

Pretty slow in the beginning, but it picks up. Not my favorite Marx Bros, film, but it's still great fun.