A Night at the Opera (1935)

Recommended

USA

Feature Film

Director: Sam Wood

Writers: George S. Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind, James Kevin McGuinness

Cinematographer: Merritt B. Gerstad

Composer: Herbert Stothart

Cast: Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, Kitty Carlisle, Allan Jones, Walter King, Siegfried Rumann, Margaret Dumont, Edward Keane, Robert Emmett O'Connor

Although probably the best of their post-Paramount work, and an hilarious film by itself, this entertaining yet overlong movie, in which Grouch, Chico, and Harpo cause havoc on an ocean liner and at the titular theatrical event, proves to be, never the less, merely diluted Marxian madness – if only we could cull all the non-Marx musical numbers and romantic nonsense that get in the way of the good stuff. Iain.Stott