SVS: “Duck Soup”

RUFUS T. FIREFLY: Not that I care, but where is your husband?

MRS. TEASDALE: Why, he’s dead.

RUFUS T. FIREFLY: I bet he’s just using that as an excuse.

MRS. TEASDALE: I was with him to the very end.

RUFUS T. FIREFLY: No wonder he passed away.

MRS. TEASDALE: I held him in my arms and kissed him.

RUFUS T. FIREFLY: Oh, I see, then it was murder. Will you marry me? Did he leave you any money? Answer the second question first.

Today’s film, the legendary Marx Brothers’ legendary Duck Soup, is currently streaming on NETFLIX and AMAZON($) and YOUTUBE($) and needs no introduction. Which is good, because I’m still full-on Thanksgivinging and nowhere near ready for any sort of thoughtful analysis. (Nothing like Ebert’s remark that “The brothers broke the classical structure of movie comedy and glued it back again haphazardly, and nothing was ever the same,” for example. “It’s funny; darn funny! And nuts, basically!” is about as much as I can muster. Which is a true, at least. If not particularly eloquent. Or thoughtful.)

The Marx Brothers are at their sidesplitting best in this raucous political satire, in which Groucho’s Rufus T. Firefly is named president/dictator of bankrupt Freedonia and declares war on neighboring Sylvania over the love of wealthy Mrs. Teasdale. Chico, Harpo and Zeppo co-star as spies and counterspies.

Hail Freedonia!

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