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Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, Zeppo Marx, Margaret Dumont ... see more see more... , Raquel Torres , Louis Calhern , Verna Hillie , Leonid Kinskey , Edmund Breese , Edwin Maxwell , Edgar Kennedy , E.H. Calvert , Davison Clark , George MacQuarrie , Marx Brothers , Eric Mayne , Charles B. Middleton , Frederick Sullivan , William Worthington

In this 1933 Marx Brothers film, the mythical country of Freedonia is broke and on the verge of revolution. Mrs. Teasdale (Margaret Dumont), Freedonia's principal benefactress, will lend the country 2... read more read more...0 million dollars if the president withdraws and places the government in the hands of the "fearless, progressive" Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho Marx). At his inauguration, Firefly shows up late, insults everyone in sight, and sings a song about how he intends to abuse his power. Naturally, the crowd cheers wildly. Meanwhile, Ambassador Trentino (Louis Calhern) of neighboring Sylvania schemes to oust Firefly and take over Freedonia himself. To gather enough evidence to discredit Firefly, he sends his most trusted spies, Chicolini (Chico Marx) and Pinky (Harpo Marx). Five minutes after they show up in Freedonia, both spies become important members of Firefly's cabinet, though Chicolini keeps his day job as a peanut vendor. Firefly eventually declares war on Sylvania, an absurd farrago with Firefly changing uniforms from scene to scene, Chicolini going to the other side because the food is better, and Pinky parading around the battlefield with a sandwich board reading "Join the army and see the navy." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Flixster Users

90% liked it

34,443 ratings

Critics

94% liked it

36 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 9 min.

Directed by: Leo McCarey

Release Date: November 17, 1933

Keywords: white, funniest

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DVD Release Date: October 10, 2000

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Stats: 2,227 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (2,227)

  • 366weirdmovies
    April 9, 2012
    366weirdmovies
    Rufus T. Firefly is announced as the new leader of bankrupt Freedonia, but will his penchant for insulting everyone he meets ignite a war? Anarchic, consistently funny (almost every single line Groucho utters is an instant classic), lightlky satirical, and it features the famous ... read moremirror sequence; probably the greatest of all the Marx Brothers movies.
  • DragonEyeMorrison
    August 6, 2011
    DragonEyeMorrison
    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.
  • fb100001581602053
    May 30, 2011
    fb100001581602053
    The final 20 minutes are astonishingly hilarious, with the majority of this 70 minute slapstick satire spewing a never-ending stream of clever wordplay and inventive physical comedy. It's fun to watch, but the enjoyment factor in this modern age totally relies on either having a... read more respect for the art of comedy or thinking that old movies are really cute.
  • BEACHBUNNI
    October 24, 2010
    BEACHBUNNI
    well i am going to gush over this one, and yes despite the fact that this film is over 70 years old, it is still absolutely hilarious, in my opinion..
  • ajv2688
    September 12, 2010
    ajv2688
    Oh, this is such a great spoof of war and governments at the time. Can you imagine Groucho Marx being in charge of a country? It's really funny. The only thing I didn't like was the songs, they were a bit annoying. Overall a fun movie.
  • aliceinpunderland
    April 24, 2010
    aliceinpunderland
    My first Marx Brothers movie and I can't say I'm completely sold. Either every Groucho Marx impression I've ever heard is overexaggerated, or I hear at different frequencies or something. I assumed Groucho would sound twangy and nasal like the Vlasic Pickle stork, but he's actu... read moreally quite flat. I suppose he's more known as a comic and not an actor, but if I were to rate him as an actor, I'd say he delivers the cheeky one-liners without motivation.

    Chico and Harpo are charming though. The mirror scene is excellent.
  • FilmFanatik
    March 31, 2010
    FilmFanatik
    Much much funnier than the previous Marx Bros. flicks I've seen so far.
  • garyX
    February 26, 2010
    garyX
    A wealthy widow blackmails the government of Freedonia into appointing wise cracking shyster Rufus T. Firefly as president and the country is almost immediately at war. Duck Soup is probably the ultimate example of the Marx brothers' brand of knockabout comedy. It's still virtual... read morely plotless, but the ideas gel together much more fluently than most, there is a perfect balance between slapstick and one liners and they managed to keep Harpo and Chico away from musical instruments meaning it keeps its momentum right til the end. Zeppo still sucks but thankfully he is hardly in it, the songs are kept to a minimum but have a large scale spectacle and funny lines and Louis Calhern as the bad guy gives it some thespian weight missing from most of the others. Highlights include Harpo's running battle with a lemonade seller that's straight out of Laurel and Hardy, Groucho's usual exasperation with Chico and the worst-spies-ever scene when they all dress up as Groucho (including the original mirror sketch). Hailed by many as the best Marx brothers film, and I can't find any major reason to argue.
  • SirPant
    November 10, 2009
    SirPant
    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!
  • FireStormStudios
    February 2, 2009
    FireStormStudios
    It took me a while to get into this one but by the end I was laughing out loud. Very funy, in any era.

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Critic Reviews

Joe Bigelow
June 27, 2007
Joe Bigelow, Variety

Duck Soup should make practically everybody laugh. Full Review

Dave Kehr
June 27, 2007
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

The Marx Brothers' best movie... Full Review

Mordaunt Hall
May 20, 2003
Mordaunt Hall, New York Times

This production is, for the most part, extremely noisy without being nearly as mirthful as [the Marx brothers'] other films.

Roger Ebert
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

Emanuel Levy
April 17, 2011
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

One of the funniest movies of the Marx brothers--and of the Depression era. Full Review

Charles Cassady
December 14, 2010
Charles Cassady, Common Sense Media

Nonstop classic Marx Bros. mayhem kids will love. Full Review

Cole Smithey
May 27, 2009
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com

Watch for the famous "mirror scene" in which Harpo--dressed as Groucho--matches Groucho's every movement in a non-existent mirror--pure comic genius. Full Review

Pablo Villaca
March 16, 2009
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena

Melhor longa da carreira dos irmãos Marx, o filme é uma verdadeira metralhadora giratória, disparando diálogos precisamente construídos e gags físicas inesquecíveis com uma rapidez invejável ainda nos...

Beth Accomando
April 18, 2008
Beth Accomando, KPBS.org

Comic anarchy at its very best. This one just keeps getting better.

Thomas Delapa
June 9, 2006
Thomas Delapa, Boulder Weekly

This Marxist masterpiece is also one of greatest military satires ever made. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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    • Rufus T. Firefly: Clear? Huh! Why a four-year-old child could understand this report. Run out and find me a four-year-old child. I can't make head or tail out of it.
    • Prosecutor: What about the taxes?
    • Chicolini: Texas I got an uncle lives in Texas.
    • Prosecutor: No Taxes. Dollars.
    • Chicolini: Ya, that's where he lives -- Dallas, Texas.
    • Rufus T. Firefly: I suggest that we give him ten years in Levenworth, or eleven years in Twelveworth.
    • Chicolini: I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll take five and ten in Woolworth.
    • Rufus T. Firefly: I could dance with you 'til the cows come home. On second thought, I'd rather dance with the cows 'til you came home.
    • Rufus T. Firefly: Remember, you're fighting for this woman's honor, which is probably more than she ever did.
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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 Marx brothers film 'Duck Soup' is said to be a comedy and a commentary on...  Answer »
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