A Night at the Opera (1935)

3

A Night at the Opera

A sly business manager and two wacky friends of two opera singers help them achieve success while humiliating their stuffy and snobbish enemies.



Director: Sam Wood, Edmund Goulding

Writer: George S. Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind

Stars: Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx

Studio: MGM

Genre: Comedy

"Twice the box office with half the laughs"

Their first picture at MGM since leaving Paramount, the Marx Brothers are able to refine their comedy into a much more stomachable piece. Rather than a constant barrage of insanity, the beginning semblance of a narrative comes to fruition. The Brothers are much more grounded than their previous foray, Duck Soup (1933), and are easier to engage with this time around. This is echoed by the public, which vaulted A Night at the Opera to become one of the most commercially successful films of the Marxs' career.

Things are still a little too Musical for my taste, but overall I appreciate the change in direction.Its nice to have an idea of whats going on with these characters rather than piecing together a bunch of unrelated gags. The film is still funny, but not nearly as much. And yet, I almost miss the unrelenting Marx style. While A Night at the Opera is probably a more competent film than Duck Soup, if I had to choose between one or the other, I would choose the breakneck speed of Duck Soup.

Opera may be more accessible, but Duck Soup would be more enjoyable.