Horse Feathers (1932)

Director:

Norman Z. McLeod

Writers:

Bert Kalmar (screenplay) and
Harry Ruby (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

19 August 1932 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

The Maddest Comics of the Screen!

Plot:

Quincy Adams Wagstaff, the new president of Huxley U, hires bumblers Baravelli and Pinky to help his school win the big football game against rival Darwin U.

Plot Keywords:

College | Speakeasy | Professor | Widow | Education

Cast

Groucho Marx	...	Prof. Quincy Adams Wagstaff
Harpo Marx	...	Pinky
Chico Marx	...	Baravelli
Zeppo Marx	...	Frank Wagstaff
Thelma Todd	...	Connie Bailey
David Landau	...	Jennings

Runtime:

68 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

Spain:T | Portugal:M/6 | South Korea:All | USA:Approved (PCA reissue certificate no. 1713-R) | Australia:G | Finland:S | Germany:o.Al. | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Occidental College -1600 Campus Road, Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Before she became famous, Shirley Temple walked by the set with her parents at one point during filming. Harpo Marx reportedly approached her parents with an offer to adopt the child on the spot for $50,000.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Just before the brothers board the garbage can chariot, Groucho, Chico, and Zeppo chase Harpo as he runs the wrong way down the football field (chasing a dog). It is clear in this shot that Chico is a stand in. In the following shot, as they ride in the garbage can chariot, the Chico stand-in hides behind the other brothers.

Quotes:

Professor Wagstaff: In case I never see you again, which would add ten years to my life, what would you fellas want to play football?
Baravelli: Well, first we want a football.
Professor Wagstaff: Well, I don't know if we've got a football, but if I can find one, would you be interested? I don't want a hasty answer, just sleep on it.
Baravelli: I no think I can sleep on a football.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police: The Thing That Wouldn't Stop It (#1.1)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

Wedding March

The Marx Brothers in their prime

One of the better Marx Brothers movies. This one came right in the middle of their prime, between Monkey Business and Duck Soup (probably their two best films). While Horse Feathers isn't quite as funny as either of those, it still has plenty of laughs. The Marx Brothers were still young, but they knew what they were doing now. Again they take advantage of the film medium to do things they never could have done on stage, like the wild football finale. The involvement of the supporting cast is also kept to a minimum, which is always a good thing in Marx Bros. films. They do go back to relying on too many musical numbers. Groucho's opening song "Whatever it is, I'm Against it" seems awkwardly out of place, but it's interesting to see all four brothers do their own version of "Everyone Says I Love you." It's not their very best work, but it's not far from it either.