"One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I don't know."
The Marx Brothers really are operating on all cylinders in this film! It's in this, their second movie, where everything comes together and they start to really become themselves. ANIMAL CRACKERS is very zany and all over the place, with little sense to be found in what passes for the "plot" - but that's much of its charm. Probably the first "exceptional" Marx film, full of funny lines and outrageous situations. The wordplay between Captain Spaulding (Groucho) and Mr. Chandler (aka the "Fish Man") is a high point, as are the exchanges with Spaulding and the hopelessly naive Margaret Dumont character.
There are antiquated musical breaks to contend with and the action still feels kind of stagy at various points, but it doesn't make any difference while we're chuckling along with the consistent antics of Groucho, Harpo and Chico (ummm.. oh, and yeah, that Zeppo guy's in there too someplace). Not flawless, but good.
The Marx Brothers really are operating on all cylinders in this film! It's in this, their second movie, where everything comes together and they start to really become themselves. ANIMAL CRACKERS is very zany and all over the place, with little sense to be found in what passes for the "plot" - but that's much of its charm. Probably the first "exceptional" Marx film, full of funny lines and outrageous situations. The wordplay between Captain Spaulding (Groucho) and Mr. Chandler (aka the "Fish Man") is a high point, as are the exchanges with Spaulding and the hopelessly naive Margaret Dumont character.
There are antiquated musical breaks to contend with and the action still feels kind of stagy at various points, but it doesn't make any difference while we're chuckling along with the consistent antics of Groucho, Harpo and Chico (ummm.. oh, and yeah, that Zeppo guy's in there too someplace). Not flawless, but good.