| PRODUCT DETAILS | | The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection |  | |
The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection
Celebrate the 75th anniversary of the greatest comedy act in history with The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection. This essential DVD set features the legendary four Marx Brothers in five of their most acclaimed and best loved films - Duck Soup, Horse Feathers, Monkey Business, Animal Crackers and The Cocoanuts - the only five movies ever made with all four brothers together: Groucho, Chico, Harpo and Zeppo!
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
Price Range: $27.49 - $59.98
 The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection
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| User Reviews |  | Collection of Comedy Classics
rating: 5
The history of the Marx Brothers is divided into two periods: the early films that included Zeppo and the later ones without him. While this later period offered a couple classics (A Night at the Opera and A Day at the Races), it is the earlier movies that are generally recognized as the Brothers at their peak. The Silver Screen Collection collects all five of these movies.
Of the four brothers, two are more-or-less the stars: Groucho stands out the most as the master of verbal comedy, while the mute Harpo is skilled at physical comedy. Chico is somewhere in the middle, typically acting as a partner-in-crime with Harpo, while Groucho usually assumes a leadership position, but he represents more anarchy than real authority. Zeppo is, let's face it, the boring one, reasonably talented, but he is the straight man and his few solo scenes are not the highlights of the films. And, of course, there is the "fifth Marx Brother": not Gummo but Margaret Dumont, who played the society dame who is Groucho's constant foil; Dumont is in three of the five movies (and would appear in later movies too).
The Cocoanuts is their first film and the weakest in this set. Made in 1929, it suffers from the technical difficulties of the early talkies and also has a certain staginess (which makes sense, since it is an adaptation of a play). As with most Marx Brothers movies, there is little in the way of real plot, just enough to tie the comedy (and musical) bits together. What story there is follows Groucho as he tries to keep his hotel from failing. Despite the flaws, this is still an entertaining movie, brightened by the wonderful comedy of Groucho, Chico and Harpo.
Chronologically next is Animal Crackers which has Groucho as a big game hunter returning from safari and being feted at a weekend party. There are some shenanigans regarding a stolen painting and two forgeries. Following this is Monkey Business, which has the brothers stowing away on a cruise ship and getting tangled up with gangsters and a kidnapping.
Horse Feathers has Groucho running a college; to keep the school going means winning the big football game. This being a Marx Brothers movie, you know the game is going to have more antics than legitimate plays. Finally, Duck Soup - regarded by many as their best movie, though it was initially a commercial and critical failure - has Groucho running the European(?) nation of Freedonia, and Harpo and Chico as a pair of spies from a rival country. Despite (or because of) Groucho's best efforts, things will descend into war, but in the Marx Brothers's world, things are never quiet on the Western (or any other) front.
This is all four-or-five star material. For the fan who just wants to watch the movies, this is great stuff, but if you want any substantial extras, you won't find them. While a sixth disc does offer some archival Today show footage, this totals less than half an hour. But even if the cake has little icing, it is still delicious and even three-quarters of a century later, hasn't gotten the least bit stale.
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comedy at its best
rating: 5
What can you say about this best comedy series ever made.
I recommend it to anyone who wants to see Classic Movies
that involve a great script, great actors and superb direction.
I own every one of their movies, and it doesn't get better than this.
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Great Collection
rating: 4
If you love the Marx Brothers this is a great collection for you. Not only does it have some of the best of their movies it also has a booklet with interesting information. This is also good for people who don't really know the genius of the Marx Brothers...it has a great sample of their movies to hook anyone.
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Just what I wanted
rating: 5
I bought this as a gift for my dad, he was extremely pleased and has watched all or most of the videos. great purchase.
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Should be in every cinema junky's collection...
rating: 5
It takes a lot to go back and see how 'funny' was done before CGI ghosts, Gopher Puppets, 'Poopie humor' and bare breasts accompanied by a timpani going 'BOOOINNNNGGGG' on the soundtrack became the norm.
In the 1920's, The Marx Brothers ruled the Vaudeville circuit and sold out houses from coast to coast with their shows. They became a household name, and after paying their dues on the East Side of Manhattan and schlepping across the country on the show circuit, they made a move into film with anarchic style and joy. They earned it, and they pay it back to the audience with zeal.
The five movies that the boys did as The Marx Brothers for Paramount Pictures in the 1930's showcases a talent that has seldom been improved upon. Start off with The Cocoanuts, a vaudevillian dream-show that unreels as if you are sitting in an opera house and watching a live performance, without a trace of movie-tricks or special effects. The mania continues up to the jewel in the crown of the foursomes' oeuvre, the incomparable Duck Soup- a movie so wild, crazy, and nonsensical that any description short of simply calling it 'perfect' is unjust.
The Marx Brothers are hysterical. Groucho is the anchor that fires off one-liners and acts as lovably despicable as possible. Chico is a faux-Italian know-it-all with a love for wordplay and a sharp mind for cons and schemes. Harpo (this reviewers' personal favorite) is a brilliant musician and even more brilliant pantomimist. See if you can watch his joyful, superbly insane expression as he casually hangs his leg on the arm of anyone he stands next to without breaking into laughter yourself. He does it at least once in ever film, and every time he pulls it off it's funnier than the last. Rounding out the group was Zeppo, a straight man who plays off of the three monkeys and holds the plot together. He's The Glue, long before greats like Phil Hartman and Alan Arkin started doing their own work in the genre.
This collection is extraordinary. The pictures are as crisp and clean as one can ask for, considering the age of the source material. There is a natural bias against movies that are this old and weathered; "If it's in black and white and is older than my grandfather, it must not be worth it". In response, I defy you to watch Duck Soup and ever be able to chuckle at Dumb & Dumber again.
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The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection
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