Duck Soup (1933)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

Leo McCarey

Writers:

Bert Kalmar (story) and
Harry Ruby (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

17 November 1933 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Plot:

Rufus T. Firefly is named president/dictator of bankrupt Freedonia and declares war on neighboring Sylvania over the love of wealthy Mrs. Teasdale.

Plot Keywords:

Widow | Dictator | Ambassador | Dowager | Spy

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Groucho Marx	...	Rufus T. Firefly
Harpo Marx	...	Pinky
Chico Marx	...	Chicolini
Zeppo Marx	...	Lt. Bob Roland
Margaret Dumont	...	Mrs. Gloria Teasdale
Raquel Torres	...	Vera Marcal
Louis Calhern	...	Ambassador Trentino of Sylvania
Edmund Breese	...	Zander
Leonid Kinskey	...	Sylvanian Agitator (as Leonid Kinsky)
Charles Middleton	...	Prosecutor (as Charles B. Middleton)
Edgar Kennedy	...	Lemonade Vendor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Edward Arnold	...	Politician (uncredited)
Wade Boteler	...	Officer at Battle Headquarters (uncredited)
Sidney Bracey	...	Mrs. Teasdale's Butler (uncredited)
E.H. Calvert	...	Officer in battle sequence (uncredited)
Davison Clark	...	Minister of Finance #2 (uncredited)
Louise Closser Hale	...	Reception Guest (uncredited)
Carrie Daumery	...	Reception Guest (uncredited)
Mario Dominici	...	Minister (uncredited)
Maude Turner Gordon	...	Reception Guest (uncredited)
Verna Hillie	...	Trentino's Secretary (uncredited)
Edward LeSaint	...	Secretary of Labor (uncredited)
George MacQuarrie	...	First Judge (uncredited)
Edwin Maxwell	...	Freedonia's Secretary of War (uncredited)
Eric Mayne	...	Third Judge (uncredited)
Edmund Mortimer	...	Minister (uncredited)
Dennis O'Keefe	...	Bridegroom at Firefly's Reception (uncredited)
Leo Sulky	...	Agitator (uncredited)
Frederick Sullivan	...	Second Judge (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	...	A Palace Guard (uncredited)
Florence Wix	...	Reception Guest (uncredited)
William Worthington	...	First Minister of Finance (uncredited)

Directed by
Leo McCarey

Writing credits
Bert Kalmar		(story) and
Harry Ruby		(story)
Arthur Sheekman		(additional dialogue) and
Nat Perrin		(additional dialogue)

Produced by
Herman J. Mankiewicz	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
John Leipold		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Henry Sharp

Film Editing by
LeRoy Stone		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Hans Dreier		(uncredited)
Wiard Ihnen		(uncredited)

Art Department
Harry Caplan	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Harry Lindgren	....	sound mixer (uncredited)

Stunts
Dale Van Sickel	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Cliff Shirpser	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Edward Dmytryk	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Arthur Johnston	....	music advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1933) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MCA/Universal Pictures (1958) (USA) (TV)
• Asociace Ceských Filmových Klubu (ACFK) (????) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Cinéma La Pagode (1965) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Image Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Video (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2005) (UK) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Emka Ltd.  current copyright proprietor

Also Known As:

Cracked Ice (USA) (working title)
Firecrackers (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

68 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

France:U | Ireland:G | UK:U | South Korea:All | Australia:G | Germany:6 | Sweden:Btl | USA:Passed

Filming Locations:

Arbor Mansion, Pasadena, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

One of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by Universal ever since.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Firefly is done singing "These are the Laws of My Administration" his morning coat changes from an all black coat to a lighter coat with stripes on the sleeves and lapel.

Quotes:

Rufus T. Firefly: Dig trenches, with our men being killed off like flies? There isn't time to dig trenches. We'll have to buy them ready made. Here, run out and get some trenches. Wait a minute, get 'em this high
[gestures to his chin]
Rufus T. Firefly: and our soldiers won't need any pants. Wait a minute, get 'em this high
[gestures over his head]
Rufus T. Firefly: and we won't need any soldiers.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Red Dwarf: Duct Soup (#7.4)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

The Sailor's Hornpipe

I Wouldn't Join Any Country that Would Have Me.

I'm shocked, shocked at all the negative comments covering this comedy classic. The puns, the insults, are all now comedy classics. The Lemonade Stand & the Mirror Scenes also memorable. I hadn't seen the movie in around 15 years but bought the DVD so my 15 year old son could experience the Marxes. He loved it too.

What I noticed for the first time was the satire of society, manners, government, the military, the bureaucracy (including Roberts Rules of Order). I can't recall any other comedy I've seen that satirizes on such a grand scale.

For Marx Brothers fans this is a must see. It's the boys with no love story or musical interludes in the way.

One word for those who disagree- "Upstart". :-)