Animal Crackers (1930) Reviews

Animal Crackers (1930)
Member Rating:  
Animal Crackers, like The Cocoanuts before is an all-but-literal translation to film of a smash-hit Marx Brothers Broadway musical. The aristocratic Mrs. Rittenhouse (Margaret Dumont) holds a weekend party at her Long Island Estate. Her guest of honor is famed (but likely fraudulent) African explorer Geoffrey T. Spaulding (Groucho Marx). Also showing up are renegade musician Signor Emmanuel Ravelli (Chico Marx), the mute, girl-chasing "Professor" (Harpo Marx) and Spaulding's faithful secretary Horatio Jamison (Zeppo Marx). The film, revolving around a stolen painting, finds Groucho lecturing on his most recent safari ("One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I don't know"), Harpo and Chico unabashedly cheating at bridge, Groucho dictating a wildly nonsequitur letter to the firm of Hungerdunger, Hungerdunger, Hungerdunger and McCormick, and Groucho and Chico drawing up plans to build a house. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Starring:
Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, (more)
Director(s):
Victor Heerman
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
G
Format(s):
DVD
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Average Ratings

(8 member reviews)  

Member Reviews

James F.

Hard to review something I never rec'd..but you tell me I returned it...interesting

Yes   |   No


Katy W.

Definitely in my top 5 favorite Marx Bros...must watch more than once to catch all the laughs

Yes   |   No


Daniel R.

This movie is not one of their best, I would rate it as one of their worst. It is slow moving, the story premise is thin and not much to laugh at. Even their musical numbers are similar to other movies of theirs, especially the harp portions.

Yes   |   No


Evan C.

Movie is great. It's a mix of everything that they are best at.

Yes   |   No


Gary G.

This movie introduces "Hooray for Captain Spaulding" (I must be going...), and any movie that can slip in that "shot an elephant in my pajamas" joke has to be good. For some reason, the movie insists on trying to tell a mediocre story, and some of the actors just aren't very good. But, classic, rapid fire Marx Brothers.

Yes   |   No


Greg W.

This was their second release and like their first ("Cocoanuts"), it was based on a Broadway theatrical production. It's a step up from "Cocoanuts," but "Animal Crackers" is still very uneven. The Marx Brothers appear in two-thirds of the picture, and it's often hilarious stuff. But the rest of the picture is dedicated to a boring, distracting 'mystery' plot about a stolen painting. Without it, the picture would have no narrative, but good comedies don't necessarily need a narrative, much less a bad one. There's also one dated, sappy musical number (the one without the Marx Brothers), but otherwise this is still a fairly good picture. I'd see "Duck Soup" or "A Day At The Races" first.

Yes   |   No


David M.

The beauty of the Marx Brothers isn't in their acting, but in their combined wit. Listen carefully to the dialog and you'll find yourself rolling with laughter. Two thumbs up to this brilliant threesome who through the years have made generations of us laugh.

Yes   |   No


Casey P.

Classic Marx Brothers at its best. Very entertaining and refreshingly clean.

Yes   |   No


 
 
 

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    Member Reviews
    Read all (8)
     
    James F.

    Hard to review something I never rec'd..but you tell me I returned it...interesting

    Yes   |   No

     
    Katy W.

    Definitely in my top 5 favorite Marx Bros...must watch more than once to catch all the laughs

    Yes   |   No

     
    Daniel R.

    This movie is not one of their best, I would rate it as one of their worst. It is slow moving, the story premise is thin and not much to laugh at. Even their musical numbers are similar to other movies of theirs, especially the harp portions.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Read All 8 Reviews
       

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