Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Overlooked Films: The Cocoanuts (1929)


It had been WAY too long since I’d seen a Marx Brothers movie, so when I spotted a box set of their first six talkies at the library, I snatched it up.

The Cocoanuts (1929), was almost their first film. That honor went to a 1921 silent flick called Humor Risk, which is now believed lost (and may have been purposely destroyed). So The Cocoanuts is as close as we can get to the early, undiluted madness of the Marx boys.

It ain’t their best movie, not by a long shot, but it’s a great appetizer for the better and crazier films to come.

On the downside, there are several insipid songs by the insipid romantic leads (including one called, I kid you not, “Monkey-doodle-do”) and way too many Marx-free dance numbers. But tucked between the dreck, the Marx Brothers do their stuff and do it well.

My favorite scenes are the ones where Harpo eats everything in sight (including a telephone) and picks not only pockets, but steals the false teeth out of Groucho’s mouth and the underwear out of his pants. AND the first of many love/insult scenes between Groucho and the long-suffering Margaret Dumont. A couple of samples that had me laughing out loud . . .

GROUCHO: I'll meet you tonight under the moon. Oh, I can see you now---you and the moon. You wear a neck-tie so I'll know you.

And . . .

GROUCHO:  Did anyone ever tell you that you look like the Prince of Wales? I don't mean the present Prince of Wales; one of the old whales, and believe me when I say whales, I mean whales. I know a whale when I see one

The Brothers had been performing this show for a year and half before it became a hit on Broadway, and had refined their gags to perfection by the time it was filmed. Still, rumor has it when they saw the final cut of the movie, they were so disappointed they tried to buy up all copies and stop the release. I’m damn glad they didn’t. Next up is Animal Crackers.

More (and mostly less wacky) Overlooked Films at Sweet Freedom.

8 comments:

Deka Black said...

I'm not sure. But i think i saw this years ago in TV. Is the one with the guy being framed for a robbery?

Yvette said...

Great post. Love this movie, Evan. It is so incoherrent, but in a good Marx Brothers way. Not great, but still very funny. And the

The 'dance' numbers are a hoot.

The movie poster ain't half bad either. :)

Todd Mason said...

I think the silent was actually called HUMORESQUE.

Boy, they hated making this film, particularly on a non-a/c soundstage...noisy equipment, and all...

Todd Mason said...

"Known as HUMORISK, HUMOR RISK and HUMORESQUE"...silent Groucho must've been frustrating for him...

pattinase (abbott) said...

I am wondering if they have fans in this generation or if their appeal is lost on them.

Evan Lewis said...

Yeah, Deka. The "young" romantic male lead (who looks older than all of the Brothers) is framed for stealing a necklace.

I suspect some young folks have a hard time relating to ANYTHING filmed in black and white.

Todd Mason said...

Hell, my father has difficulty with B&W films if he can see a color one instead. And him a photographer from way back.

Reel Popcorn Junkie said...

There's some great lines in The Coconauts, but what's with so many dancers? They just fill the screen at times.