A NIGHT AT THE OPERA (1935, USA) *****
Comedy, Music, Musical
dist. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM); pr co. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM); d. Sam Wood; w. George S. Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind (based on a story by James Kevin McGuinness); pr. Irving Thalberg (uncredited); ph. Merritt B. Gerstad (B&W. 35mm. Spherical. 1.37:1); m. Herbert Stothart; ed. William LeVanway; ad. Cedric Gibbons; rel. 1 November 1935 (USA), 13 December 1935 (UK); BBFC cert: U; r/t. 96m.
cast: Groucho Marx (Otis B. Driftwood), Chico Marx (Fiorello), Harpo Marx (Tomasso), Kitty Carlisle (Rosa Castaldi), Allan Jones (Riccardo Barone), Walter Woolf King (Rudolfo Lassparri), Sig Ruman (Herman Gottlieb), Margaret Dumont (Mrs. Claypool), Edward Keane (Ship’s Captain), Robert Emmett O’Connor (Police Sergeant Henderson).
Hilarious and top-notch Marxian lunacy, their first film for MGM following their glory years with Paramount. It was also their first as a trio, with Zeppo dropping out. Here, the Marxes run amuck in the world of opera when Otis B. Driftwood (Groucho) meets aspiring singer Ricardo (Jones), who is determined to win the love of fellow performer Rosa (Carlisle). Aided by Fiorello (Chico) and Tomasso (Harpo), Otis attempts to unite the young couple but faces opposition from the preening star Lassparri (King), who also has his sights on Rosa. Travelling from Italy to New York, Otis and friends rally to try and win the day. Containing some of the brothers’ very best routines – the contract and stateroom scenes – and Groucho’s wittiest one-liners, this ranks with the team’s best films. MGM head Irving Thalberg ensured high production values, musical interludes, and a romantic sub-plot to give audiences room to breathe between the laughs. The formula works perfectly here.
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