Movies - Animal Crackers

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	Movies - Animal Crackers

Animal Crackers is a 1930 comedy film, and one of the Marx Brothers' most beloved and oft-quoted movies.

Stars and direction

The film stars the four brothers, Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, and Zeppo Marx, as well as Lillian Roth and Margaret Dumont. It was directed by Victor Heerman and adapted from a successful 1928 Broadway play by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind, also starring the Marx Brothers and Margaret Dumont. The part of Hives the butler was played by Robert Greig, a character actor who appeared in over 100 films (many in the role of a butler). He also appeared with the Marx Brothers in Horse Feathers
.

Plot

The plot concerns Groucho, as explorer Jeffrey T. Spaulding, attending a party in his honor at the house of society lady Mrs. Rittenhouse, and investigating the theft of a valuable painting during the party.

Songs

It contains Groucho's signature songs, "Hello, I Must Be Going" and "Hooray for Captain Spaulding"

Jokes

Two of Groucho's best known quips: : Last night I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got into my pajamas I dunno.

: We took some pictures of the native girls, but they weren't developed. But we're going back again in a couple of weeks.

They got away with that joke, but the censors cut a line from "Hooray for Captain Spaulding" in which Spaulding sang, in an aside about Mrs. Rittenhouse, "I think I'll try and make her", as in "seduce her".

It also has the Chico-Harpo scene in which Chico wants a flashlight ("flash") and Harpo produces from his bottomless trenchcoat and baggy pants a "fish," a "flask," etc.

Re-release

Forty-four years after its original release, in 1974, Animal Crackers was once again released in theaters, having been tied up in a copyright dispute for decades. This was somewhat big news at the time since the Marx Brothers were enjoying a resurgence in popularity among younger audiences. At the New York City rerelease premiere, which Groucho attended, a riot broke out and he required police escort.

Animal Crackers Animal Crackers

Musical numbers

You Must Do Your Best Tonight
I represent
Hello, I must be Going
Hooray For Captain Spaulding
Gypsy-chorus
Why am I so romantic?
I'm Daffy Over You
Silver Threads Among the Gold
My Old Kentucky Home

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