Groucho, Chico, Harpo!!!

A Night at the Opera was my first Marx Brothers film and I could not have been more impressed!!!  Not only do each of the brothers have an undoubtable charisma onscreen but the writing was nothing short of brilliant.  This script was by far the most clever I had ever experienced with a level of wit that no other film could possibly challenge.  George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind were true geniuses.

The Marx Brothers each brought something very specific and wonderful to the film:  Groucho is clearly the screwball comic, incorporating slapstick bits and effortlessly pulling off ongoing contradictions and comedic double-takes in his lines.  Chico puts on a miraculously realistic faux New York-Italian attitude and is one hell of a pianist.  Harpo is an absolute sweetheart, he draws his comedy from mimes with genuine goofy bits and can play harp unlike anyone I've ever seen.

This film, even though made in 1935, is one of the best examples of brilliant filmmaking in the history of the art form.  According to my own personal rating system this movie broke into my Top 5 films and definitely deserves to be there.  Everyone should see this movie.  I am so excited for Duck Soup (#60 on the list).

RATING:

Visual - 5
Acting - 10
Script/Plot - 10
Attention - 9
Emotion - 7

TOTAL = 41/50