The Cocoanuts (1929)

Directors:

Robert Florey
Joseph Santley

Writers:

George S. Kaufman (play)
Morrie Ryskind (adaptation)

Release Date:

3 August 1929 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

Paramount's All Talking-Singing Musical Comedy Hit!

Plot:

During the Florida land boom, the Marx brothers run a hotel, auction off some land, thwart a jewel robbery, and generally act like themselves.

Plot Keywords:

Hotel | Florida | Marx Brothers | Auction | Irreverence

Cast

Zeppo Marx	...	Jamison
Groucho Marx	...	Hammer
Harpo Marx	...	Harpo
Chico Marx	...	Chico
Oscar Shaw	...	Bob Adams
Mary Eaton	...	Polly Potter
Cyril Ring	...	Harvey Yates
Kay Francis	...	Penelope
Margaret Dumont	...	Mrs. Potter
Basil Ruysdael	...	Detective Hennessy
Gamby-Hale Ballet Girls	...	Themselves (as Gamby-Hale Girls)
Allan K. Foster Girls	...	Themselves

Runtime:

96 min | USA:140 min (preview)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (certificate not issued at release) | UK:U | Finland:K-8 | USA:Passed

Filming Locations:

Kaufman Astoria Studios - 3412 36th Street, Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Co-writer Morrie Ryskind claims he was told that movie audiences would not accept the musical convention of having an orchestral background appear from nowhere at the start of a song. For an entire day, an orchestra was hired to be filmed as playing the background to the movie's love songs, but the movie's crew forgot to film them. The movie went out without the orchestra shots, and, "No one cared, of course," said Ryskind.

Quotes:

Hammer: Get away from that tree before it dies.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Unknown Marx Brothers (1993) (TV)

Soundtrack:

FLORIDA BY THE SEA

Kay Francis vs the Marx Brothers !

A brilliant film debut by the Marx Brothers in this 1929 musical comedy (from Broadway) about land speculation in Florida, jewel thieves, and well the Marx Brothers. In their first film, all the familiar schtick and word play are already in place with Groucho, Chico, and Harpo all excellent.

As usual there is also a romantic young couple--Mary Eaton and Oscar Shaw--and bad guys--Kay Francis and Cyril Ring. Also making her film debut at age 40 is the wonderful and imperious Margaret Dumont. Basil Ruysdael plays the house detective. Zeppo Marx plays the desk clerk.

A blah ballad is sung to death, but The Monkey Doodle-Doo song is terrific and well sung and danced by Eaton (a Broadway star) and chorus. Oddly staged productions number with chorus in monkey suits and tourists milling about in the background. But Eaton is quite good, considering the early sound equipment. And she has great legs.

Francis is fun in her second film (she made five in 1929) but teamed with the unappealing Ring. Shaw is OK but seems too old to be playing the juvenile lead.

But while Dumont, Francis, and Eaton are fun, it's the 3 brothers who dominate the film. Several classic bits, including the viaduct gag, Chico's great piano solo, Harpo getting to steal a few scenes, and of course Groucho riding roughshod over everyone. What a treat! While Kay Francis went on to major stardom in the 30s, Mary Eaton made one disastrous film after this hit, Flo Ziegfeld's Glorifying the American Girl. That ended her starring career in Hollywood.

The more I watch the Marx Brothers the more I appreciate Chico, who was always my least favorite of the 3. Now I notice his perfect comic timing and I just love his piano solos.