Go West (1940)

Director:

Edward Buzzell

Writer:

Irving Brecher (original screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

6 December 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Western

Tagline:

JUMP INTO YOUR BOOTS AND SADDLES...IT'S ROUND-UP TIME IN THE WILD AND WOOLY WEST!

Plot:

The Marx Brothers come to the rescue in the Wild West when a young man, trying to settle an old family feud so he can marry the girl he loves, runs afoul of crooks.

Plot Keywords:

Gold | Deed | Train | Marx Brothers | Self Referential

Cast

Groucho Marx	...	S. Quentin Quale
Chico Marx	...	Joe Panello
Harpo Marx	...	'Rusty' Panello
John Carroll	...	Terry Turner
Diana Lewis	...	Eve Wilson
Walter Woolf King	...	Beecher
Robert Barrat	...	'Red' Baxter
June MacCloy	...	Lulubelle
George Lessey	...	Railroad President
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Iris Adrian	...	Mary Lou (uncredited)
Barbara Bedford	...	Baby's Mother on Stagecoach (uncredited)
Clem Bevans	...	Railroad Official (uncredited)
Frederick Burton	...	Johnson (uncredited)
Edgar Dearing	...	Bill - Train Engineer (uncredited)
James Dime	...	Extra as Barfly (uncredited)
Al Duvall	...	The Porter (uncredited)
Edward Gargan	...	Railroad Ticket Seller (uncredited)
Mary Gordon	...	Extra as Train Passenger (uncredited)
Lew Harvey	...	Card Player (uncredited)
Edward Hearn	...	Man at Saloon Door (uncredited)
Arthur Housman	...	Drunk in Saloon (uncredited)
Mitchell Lewis	...	Indian Pete - Halfbreed (uncredited)
Jack Low	...	Extra as Barfly (uncredited)
Slim Lucas	...	Stage Coach Driver (uncredited)
Tully Marshall	...	Dan Wilson (uncredited)
Baby Quintanilla	...	Baby on Stagecoach (uncredited)
Henry Sylvester	...	Conductor (uncredited)
Harry Tyler	...	Telegrapher (uncredited)
Fred Warren	...	Pianist at Crystal Palace Saloon (uncredited)
Billy Wayne	...	Train Fireman (uncredited)
Harry Wilson	...	Extra as Barfly / Train Passenger (uncredited)
Joan Woodbury	...	Melody (uncredited)
Joe Yule	...	Joe - Bartender (uncredited)

Directed by
Edward Buzzell

Writing credits
Irving Brecher		(original screenplay)
Buster Keaton		uncredited

Produced by
Jack Cummings	....	produced by

Original Music by
George Bassman		(uncredited)
George Stoll		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Leonard Smith		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Blanche Sewell		(film editor)

Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons

Set Decoration by
Edwin B. Willis		(set decorations)

Costume Design by
Gile Steele		(costumes: men's)
Dolly Tree		(costumes: women's)

Production Management
Charles Levin	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Art Department
Stan Rogers	....	associate art director

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording director

Music Department
George Bassman	....	orchestration
George Stoll	....	musical director (as Georgie Stoll)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (presents)
• Loew's (as Loew's Incorporated)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1940) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1962) (USA) (theatrical) (reissue)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Continental Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Marx Brothers Go West (UK)

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved | Portugal:M/6 | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Australia:G | Finland:S | Germany:6 | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Red Rock Canyon State Park - Highway 14, Cantil, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The elaborate chase climax was going to be deleted before filming because MGM execs thought it was too expensive.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: After Terry rides in to see Eve, we see his horse's rein tighten as an offscreen crew member starts to lead it away.

Quotes:

[as Quale destroys Rusty's first hat]
Joseph Panello: Hey whataya do with that hat; that hat cost a lotta money.
S. Quentin Quale: How much did it cost him?
Joseph Panello: I dunno; he stole it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Copacabana (1947)

Soundtrack:

As If I Didn't Know

Going' West with the craziest brothers ever...

The movies from the Marx Bros. are just like my old Bowie's vinyls, or my Oscar Wilde's books: they're always there, and always will be. They're just like those old friends that will never let you down.

"Go West" has each and everyone of the essential ingredients of the movies from Groucho and co. : hilarious dialogs, crazy situations, Harpo's hooliganism, the music... everything goes as quick as a flash. So, if some youngster thinks that this movie hasn't anything to offer because it was made 65 years ago, thats belongs to the Pleistocenic... OK, I won't waste my time explaining why the Marx Brothers are bigger than life. I'd rather watch "Duck Soup" or "A Night At The Opera" one more time, and let the party begin once again...

*My rate: 8/10