Three names in comedy that say it all: Groucho, Harpo, & Chico. Geniuses one and all. I have seen most of the 100 top films of all time, according to the American Film Institute, but for whatever reason, A Night At the Opera eluded me. Man was I missing something. I thought the jokes and comedy would be dated, was I wrong. The timing and one-liners are right on the mark, I just kept laughing. Out loud. A lot. The story, as it is, revolves around an arrogant Italian opera singer's attempts to get both the girl and the starring role in New York, and the journey there. The Marx Brothers are the con men trying to get their "clients" to New york as well. This has every type of comedy available: physical pratfalls, quick talk, puns, sight gags, the whole kit and caboodle. I don't remember the last time I really laughed this hard during a movie. It's amazing to me how talented the Marx Brothers were. Chico on the piano and Harpo on the, well, harp were amazing pieces of physical comedy
The main drawback, for me, were the number of songs. yes, i get it, it's called A Night At the Opera, but most of them seemed superfluous. Opera at the opera, ok, spontaneous opera on a steamer at sea, not so much. A minor gripe.
If you have never seen the Marx brothers in action there are two that you must see: Duck Soup, and this. One of the most brilliant ongoing gags in film history is here, as the boys try to find out exactly how many people can fit into a third class cabin. It just keeps getting funnier. This movie is a genuine classic of American cinema, and should be on your movie bucket list. It's just that fantastic. 9.25/10.
See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
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