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IMDb > Monkey Business (1931)
Monkey Business
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Monkey Business (1931) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.6/10   4,268 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 8% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
S.J. Perelman (screenplay) and
Will B. Johnstone (screenplay) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Monkey Business on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
19 September 1931 (USA) more
Genre:
Plot:
On a transatlantic crossing, the Marx brothers get up to their usual antics and manage to annoy just about everyone on board the ship. full summary | add synopsis
NewsDesk:
User Reviews:
Some slow spots, but enough great jokes to kill a man! more (50 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Groucho Marx ... Groucho

Harpo Marx ... Harpo

Chico Marx ... Chico
Zeppo Marx ... Zeppo
Rockliffe Fellowes ... J.J. 'Big Joe' Helton
Harry Woods ... Alky Briggs
Thelma Todd ... Lucille Briggs
Ruth Hall ... Mary Helton
Tom Kennedy ... First Mate Gibson
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eddie Baker ... Ship's Officer (uncredited)

Bobby Barber ... Barber's hoarse customer (uncredited)
Billy Bletcher ... Man in Deck Chair (uncredited)
Eddie Borden ... Joe--Photographer (uncredited)
James Bradbury Jr. ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Maxine Castle ... Opera Singer at Party (uncredited)

Maurice Chevalier ... Singing Voice (voice) (uncredited)
Davison Clark ... Passport Official (uncredited)
Cecil Cunningham ... Madame Swempski (uncredited)
Bobby Dunn ... Gangster (uncredited)
Al Flosso ... Punch and Judy puppeteer (uncredited)
Bess Flowers ... Indian's Wife at Party (uncredited)
Otto Fries ... Ship's Second Officer (uncredited)
Sherry Hall ... Reporter (uncredited)
Pat Harmon ... Indian at Party (uncredited)
Ethan Laidlaw ... Cab Driver at Barn (uncredited)
Sam Marx ... Passenger on Boat / Man at quayside upon arrival (uncredited)
Charlotte Mineau ... Emily (woman caught in illicit affair on balcony at party) (uncredited)
Harold Minjir ... Emily's Lover (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien ... Waiter (uncredited)
Evelyn Pierce ... Manicurist (uncredited)
Cyril Ring ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Constantine Romanoff ... Butch--Gangster (uncredited)
Rolfe Sedan ... Barber #2 (uncredited)
Frederick Sullivan ... Pickpocket Victim #1 (uncredited)
Ben Taggart ... Capt. Corcoran (uncredited)
Leo White ... Barber #1 (uncredited)
Leo Willis ... Gangster (uncredited)
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Directed by
Norman Z. McLeod  (as Norman McLeod)
 
Writing credits
S.J. Perelman (screenplay) and
Will B. Johnstone (screenplay)

Arthur Sheekman (additional dialogue)

Ben Hecht  story (uncredited)
Roland Pertwee  story (uncredited)

Produced by
Herman J. Mankiewicz .... producer (uncredited)
 
Original Music by
John Leipold (uncredited)
Ralph Rainger (uncredited)
 
Cinematography by
Arthur L. Todd 
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles Barton .... first assistant director (uncredited)
 
Art Department
Harry Caplan .... props (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Al Flosso .... puppeteer: "Punch" and "Judy" (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Runtime:
77 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.20 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)
Certification:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Cameo: [Sam Marx]The Marx Brothers' father is sitting on the crates behind them after they're carried off the ship. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Groucho and Chico hide under the table in the chart room (before their encounter with the Captain) Chico has a cigarette in his right hand. He didn't have it before diving under the table. more
Quotes:
Lucille: But from the time he got the marriage license, I've led a dog's life.
Groucho: Are you sure he didn't get a dog's license?
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in 100 Years of Comedy (1997) (V) more
Soundtrack:
You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
7 out of 9 people found the following review useful.
Some slow spots, but enough great jokes to kill a man!, 29 December 2001
9/10
Author: zetes from Saint Paul, MN

Monkey Business contains three or four of the Marx Brothers' best sketches. Possibly the funniest Marx Brothers scene, too, where all four of the brothers take turns impersonating Maurice Chevalier, whose passport they've stolen. If you're a Zeppo fan - and, hey, who isn't - this is his biggest part (although I haven't seen Horse Feathers yet). He ends up being the leading man, if you can believe that! Well, he's still not very funny, even if he did elicit two laughs from me. That's two more than he'd ever gotten before! 9/10.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Monkey Business (1931)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Groucho's eerie prediction? majestikmoose9
Puppet Show song Devho
Location! brendangcarroll
'this fine French piece of bric-a-brac' porterbhall
Three or Four singers?? The Monkey Business chorus Mystery lds3359
Waltz Music BlondeVixen
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