Duck Soup

Anarchy. It is the only word to describe the Marx Brothers. You either love them or hate them. Just like with all things uncontrolled, there is no middle ground. Personally, I appreciate anarchy. Ever since I was a kid I enjoyed the unstructured life. And I deeply appreciate the Marx Brothers. The constant sarcasm and in-your-face one-liners are fantastic. If you are looking for a coherent plot or linear storytelling, skip this movie. It is 68 minutes of sarcasm, jokes and anarchy.

Duck Soup has the thinnest of plots. Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho) is appointed Head of State of Freedonia. He decides that war with the neighboring country of Sylvania is needed. Chico and Harpo play spies that constantly switch sides. Zeppo, the "fourth" Marx Brother, portrays Firefly's aide. This is the last of the films in which Zeppo appears on screen. The point of the film is to provide each brother their opportunity to wreak havoc upon the audience. No moment is too precious to escape the jokes, insults and/or sarcasm. Politics, romance, movie musicals, government and war itself are all insulted and ridiculed at one point or another. Looking back, many critics reference Duck Soup for its anti-establishment humor. The Marx Brothers used this film to satirize European Dictatorships, Western governmental policies and all forms of authoritarian regimes. They were so effective that Mussolini banned this film in Italy. Groucho is later quoted as saying he just wanted to make a funny movie and that they had no plan to make some grand statement. I think both attitudes are true. The Marx Brothers did seem to want to make "just a funny movie", but they did so by poking fun at so many of the troubles of the 1930s.


One other bit of information that I find intriguing. Duck Soup was released in 1933 to critical disdain and was a bomb at the box office. Now, almost 80 years later, it is listed in most of the greatest film lists. It is hailed as "satiric masterpiece" and "quintessential Marx Brothers". The brothers just wanted to make a funny movie and, initially, were most disappointed with the public reaction. This film was, at first, a total flop. But by now I am sure that they would be proud of the movie and how the audience has connected with the message and humor of Duck Soup.


There are a few scenes in this film that have been copied many times. The most famous of which is the "mirror" scene. In this scene, Harpo has broken a mirror and attempts to mirror the image of Groucho move-for-move. Harpo later recreated this scene on 'I Love Lucy', but with the roles reversed. On the tv show, Lucy attempts to mirror Harpo. Also, classic jokes that have been repeated millions of times find their fame in this film. Lines like "any four year-old could understand this report. Go out and find me a four year-old because I can't make heads or tails of it." That joke has been used, in one form or another, in movies, tv and on stage ever since.

Filmed in 1933, directed by Leo McCarey, written by about a dozen people, starring the Marx Brothers.

The Producers

This article refers to the wonderful 1968 comedy and not the horrific 2005 movie based on the musical.


Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks teamed-up to make the greatest comedy team of a generation. This was their first collaboration. They followed this comic masterpiece with 'Blazing Saddles' and 'Young Frankenstein'. All 3 came out within a few short years. I challenge anyone to find a comic pairing with 3 better films in a row.

The Producers follows a down-on-his-luck Broadway producer, portrayed with absolute comic genius by Zero Mostel, who makes his living by bilking elderly woman out of their fortunes. Max Bialystock (Mostel) produces plays that are awful and which quickly close. He keeps most of the production money and no one wonders what happens to their investment. After all, the play bombed. Of course we all lost our money. Into his world comes accountant Leo Bloom. Bloom, admirably played by Gene Wilder, is to audit the accounts of Bialystock. Bialystock knows he is doomed. He has cheated his investors and is about to be caught. It is time for one last, desperate gamble.

What if the accountant and producer work together? With Bloom auditing the books the investors will never know of the cheating. And if Bialystock can find the worst play ever written, a sure bomb, they can sell thousands of investors ownership in the production. So what if they each get 50%, 75% or even 100% ownership. The play is going to fail, miserably. Great fortunes are for the taking! Bloom can't resist the idea, especially with Bialystock's cajoling, and the two are off. Off in search of the worst play ever.


From there the film follows the story of finding, casting, producing and the opening night of this worst play. This is madcap, zany antics. The cast is horrible, the director terrible, and the script is even worse. We meet many characters along the way. Kenneth Mars, as the script's author Franz Leibkind, and Christopher Hewett, as the show's director Roger de Bris, excel. This kind of setting allows actors to go way over-the-top. And both of these veteran character actors take full advantage of the opportunity. Also, look for supporting appearances by Lee Meredith and Dick Shawn.

But it is the comic genius of actors Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder, along with writer Mel Brooks that propel The Producers from zany comedy to cinema masterpiece. I find the film fun and funny every time I watch it. And that has been about 20 times. I still enjoy the jokes after all these viewings. I am sure you will too!

Filmed in 1968, directed and written by Mel Brooks, starring Zero Mostel, Gene Wilder, Dick Shawn, Lee Meredith, Kenneth Mars and Christoper Hewett.

The story is that, after finishing the film, the studio would not release The Producers. At the time it was called 'Springtime for Hitler' and the title and film were found to be offensive not funny. Peter Sellers saw the film at a private screening and twisted the arms of the studio executives. He felt the film needed to be seen. But it was only after the title change that the studio would eventually, reluctantly allow the film to be seen by the public. They were lucky to have been convinced to change their minds. The film was a financial success and the studio made millions.

Charlie Varrick

This is a great guy movie. Charley Varrick (Walter Matthau) and his friends decide to rob a small town bank. After the robbery they discover that instead of splitting small proceeds the bank was full of cash. His partners are thrilled with the big score, but Varrick knows that it must be Mob money. And he doesn't want the mob after him. Soon both the Mob and the Cops are busy trying to locate Varrick and his partners. The Cops want them in prison and the Mob wants them dead. Varrick has to try to find a way out of the mess.

I love the build-up to the big-climax ending. Extremely satisfying as pressure builds. You don't know how, or if, Varrick and friends can extracate themselves from this mess. Matthau is fantastic as a classic anti-hero. I never thought of Walter Matthau as a guy's leading man, but his everyman quality really brings the tension home. Joe Don Baker, as the mob hitman sent to find him, does the acting of his career. Creepy and relentless he provides the pathos for Charley Varrick.

Director Don Siegel moves this film along crisply. That is a trait that I appreciate in directors. He provides an excellent pace and quite the finish. Howard Rodman's script from the John Reese novel is tight. Again, just the way I like it. I root for the "bad guys" all the while wondering how on earth they can make it. That is the essence of an anti-hero movie. Charley Varrick fits the bill.

Important Warning: The DVD of this film is a "cropped version". You only get about 70% of the picture. The company that released it cut off the sides to make it fit a tv screen. They should have letterboxed it, but did not.

Filmed in 1973, directed by Don Siegel, written by Howard Rodman, starring Walter Matthau, Joe Don Baker, John Vernon and Felicia Farr. One note:Character Maynard Boyle's line, "They're gonna strip you naked and go to work on you with a pair of pliers and a blowtorch," is paraphrased in Pulp Fiction (1994) by character Marsalus Wallace.

The Ox-Bow Incident

This film is powerful. If you have not seen it, rent it or netflix it or buy it. But don't read this blog entry until after you have seen the movie.


The Ox-Bow Incident is one of the greatest commentaries on social justice I have seen. The story is strong, the acting top-notch and the film making perfect. It is crisp with no secondary stories, no Hollywood endings nor any romance "for the ladies". Just a moving script that should make every viewer question their own actions and morals. There is a saying "all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing". Edmund Burke was never shown to be so accurate as here. Viewing this movie always leaves me with questions. Questions of my own actions, questions of society's morals and questions about our collective future. Do "good men" do enough to assuage evil? Usually, eventually, yes. But, sometimes, I doubt it.

Director William Wellman had to shop The Ox-Bow Incident to every studio in Hollywood. He had been turned down by everyone except Fox. A few years earlier he had a fist fight with Mr. Zanuck, the then head of Fox. Wellman had sworn to never speak with Zanuck again. But his interest in telling this poignant story forced him to overcome that reluctance, swallow his pride and go pitch the film to Fox. Zanuck, like all the other studio execs, felt that this would be a big money loser. It was made in 1943 in the midst of World War Two. No one wanted to make a movie in which innocent people were hanged. So Zanuck required Wellman, a very profitable director, to make two other films for Fox to get the money necessary for this film. Wellman instantly agreed. And my personal thanks, as well as those of countless movie lovers, go out to both of them.


Henry Fonda and Harry Morgan play two roving cattleman who wander into town. After they arrive news is received that a very popular local rancher has been murdered. The townspeople quickly form a vigilante posse to "go after the murderers and string them up!". A local businessman attempts to talk them out of the lynching, but the group can not be stopped. They chase after the people they believe are responsible for the rustling and murder. The mob soon catches up with 3 men. Dana Andrews gives one of the performances of his career as the leader of these men. The mob is certain that these are the criminals and that they should be hanged. Immediately. A few men, lead by Harry Davenport as the shopkeeper, attempt to stop them. But to no avail. The three are eventually hanged.

Again, if you haven't seen the film, don't read further. With their blood lust satisfied, the lynch mob rides for home. They are met by the sheriff who want to know what has happened. The posse explains their "bringing to justice" the three hanged men. The sheriff explains that the local rancher was not murdered and that the men who attacked him are in jail. The people who the mob just killed weren't criminals, but innocents. As they had said all along. The posse is left to question their own actions with the threat of imminent arrest, prison or death sentences awaiting. The leader of the 3 innocent men had written a letter to his wife before his death. The reading of this letter, by Henry Fonda, is one of the more touching moments in cinema. It takes an everyman actor, like Fonda, to represent all of us on screen. Fonda's character did not want to hang the men, but he felt there was nothing he could do. He stood by. Could he have done more to save innocent lives? That question is left to the viewer. Rightfully so.

Filmed in 1943, directed by William A. Wellman, written by Lamar Trotti based upon the novel by William Van Tilburg Clark, starring Henry Fonda, Harry Morgan, Jane Darwell, Harry Davenport, Dana Andrews, Anthony Quinn and Mary Beth Hughes.

One final note. The studios were right. This film was an immense failure at the box office. No one wanted to see it. But it was a critical success and lives on now almost 70 years later. At a screening Orson Welles told Harry Morgan that the audience had no idea what they had just witnessed. It was too powerful to be taken-in quickly.

Joan Rivers A Piece of Work

This film is currently in theatres. Go see this terrific documentary before it disappears.


Wonderful documentary about a year in the life of Joan Rivers. Ms. Rivers is best known today for her jewelry lines on QVC and her red-carpet work. But for over 40 years she has been a ground-breaking comedienne. She is very talented, hard-working and freakin' funny. I am old enough to remember her from 'The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson'. As a youngster I was much more interested in her hosting the show than Carson.

This film follows Rivers for a year. We see some of her triumphs and setbacks with what seems like unlimited access. The documentary makes two points that resonate with me. One, she works hard! She is always looking for gigs. Her assistant points out that Rivers is depressed if she has a day with only one event. She likes to have 3 or 4 jobs every day. Two, Rivers is under appreciated for all the work she has done. She was one of the first women who made their mark in the world of stand-up comedy. Kathy Griffin explains this very point in the film.

The movie shows her doing her comic work and her personal/business life. Both are interesting. Go see this terrific documentary. On a personal note:I was, by far, the youngest person in the theatre. Hopefully some younger viewers will take in this film.

Filmed in 2009, directed by Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg, staring Joan Rivers and featuring Melissa Rivers, Don Rickles, Kathy Griffin and Emily Kosloski.

Chinatown

The most important thing that I can say about this movie: I was thinking about the events, how and why they happened, as if I was the lead character. Chinatown pulls you in and makes you feel like a part of the story. Writer Robert Towne, who won an Academy Award for his script, does a superb job of involving the viewer. Throughout the movie I was wondering what each clue might mean, what would be the next step and how could everything be linked. To me, that is the sign of a fantastic script. Towne has done terrific scripts like 'The Parallax View' (see my blog), 'Bonnie and Clyde' and 'Tequila Sunrise', but this is his best work. The script would make Raymond Chandler or Dashiell Hammett proud.

Chinatown tells the story of Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson). He is a private detective in 1930's Los Angeles. He is hired by a wife to investigate the activities of her husband. She is suspicious of infidelity. He finds what he believes to be proof of the cheating. But he has been used and lied to and everything blows up in his face. This is insulting to our lead detective and he is off on a chase for "the truth". The search for evidence leads him to the halls of power within LA. He becomes involved with what he believes to be a vast conspiracy. But, as we all know, when you mess with those in power they mess back. Things don't always work out for Jake. But, in true film noir tradition, nothing will stop our lead from pursuing the facts. No matter where they lead and no matter the consequences.


The most famous scene is when Jake gets his nose sliced. The man with the knife is played by director Roman Polanski. This is the first film Polanski made in the U.S. after the terrible tragedy of Sharon Tate. Producer Robert Evans wanted a European to direct this film. He wanted the look and feel to be that of someone who did not grow up in America. Polanski did a fantastic job and received an Oscar nomination. The film is gritty and very intriguing. I especially liked the few moments of introspection that Polanski allows detective Jake Gittes. Those small pauses give us, the viewers, the chance to contemplate events while the lead does as well. It is an excellent touch. Sometimes directors are in such a hurry for the next "exciting effect" that they don't give us time to enjoy what is going on. Thankfully Polanski does not fall into that trap.

This film is a slight twist on classic film noir. It is set in the 30's, but has some modern twists to traditional noir. It is more in the modern style and provided the springboard for the resurgence of noir. This movie provided much of the basis for films like 'L.A. Confidential', 'Memento' and 'The Grifters'. Faye Dunaway, portraying Evelyn Mulwray, is a fantastic Femme Fatale. She entices Nicholson into moving over to the "dark side". The viewers can never be sure when she is honest and manipulative or dishonest and manipulative. But like all noir femmes she is manipulative. Both Dunaway and Nicholson received well-deserved Oscar nominations for their work. I believe that this is the film that established Jack Nicholson as a leading man. He had been a character actor, but his fine work here propelled him to super stardom.



Chinatown has an unexpected ending and shockers of details along the way. It is intelligent, well-acted, directed and written and is most entertaining. Be sure to netflix, download, rent or buy this great movie!

Filmed in 1974, directed by Roman Polanski, written by Robert Towne, starring Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston and John Hillerman. For further ruminations upon film noir see my blog about 'Double Indemnity'. This is the last film that Polanski shot in the United States. He chose to flee to avoid jail time.

The September Issue

Fascinating documentary about the creation and publishing of the most important fashion magazine in the world, the September issue of Vogue. Director R.J. Cutler was allowed amazing access into the world of fashion publicity. He provides us with insight into the production of the industry's leader and the people who produce the magazine. Depth of character, interesting details and, perhaps, a new found respect for the fashion industry are all contained in The September Issue.

The documentary focuses most upon two individuals. Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief, and Grace Coddington, the creative director, of American Vogue. Ms. Wintour comes across as a cold, business-first executive and Ms. Coddington shows her creative side and much more concern for the people involved. Each are very different, but they have put together the industry's dominant force. Those differences are highlighted within this documentary. If Wintour sounds like the Meryl Streep character in 'The Devil Wears Prada' it is because Streep's character was modeled on Ms. Wintour. Streep's Miranda Priestly shows much of the same character traits as Wintour. But in this documentary Wintour shows some of her personal/vulnerable side. Not much, but enough to make her real.


This is a terrific documentary about fashion, the publishing business and drive. Both of the film's focus have dedicated their lives to an industry that they love. And I loved this film.

Filmed in 2009, directed by R.J. Cutler, featuring the staff of Vogue.