Review of At the Circus

Imagine. Bad songs written by the "Wizard of Oz" songwriters. Too much music! Very cliché, even for The Marx. Bros! Lowlights: mostly the music. Chico's piano solo and a very "racist" swing number, easily "deleted" even with Harpo's harp! Curiously, about 10 minutes of actual "circus", or so it seems. Worst makeup ever on the midget and strongman (fake mustaches and wigs). Contrived plot involving stolen money, and of course the circus will fold if it isn't found. The usual "highjinks" with Margaret Dumont and Groucho. Best scenes involve the boys and the whole thing "stinks" when they are not around. Several "highlights" make it watchable: Eve Arden as gorgeous "Peerless Pauline" walks on the ceiling with Groucho. The famous "Lydia the Tattooed Lady" song. Lion, monkey and gorilla jokes. Chico and Groucho look for the stolen $10,000 and destroy the strongman's sleeping room on the train. The last 10 minutes is sheer madness. "Goliath" the gorilla chasing the crook and everybody else up the flying trapezes and Margarent Dumont shot out of a cannon! The gorilla (played by Charles Gemora) is fantastic. He counts the money at the end like a bank teller. Look for Friz Feld as the snooty French conductor. He is best known for playing "the French waiter" in countless films, over the years!