Remarks on Marx: A Night at the Opera

For any fan of the Marx brothers' films in general and A Night at the Opera in particular, Remarks on Marx is an entertaining documentary, in which writers, actors and other Marx enthusiasts from the film industry talk about different aspects of the films. Divided into several topics, it covers the creation of the brothers' personas and their career (from the early films with Paramount to the subsequent success at MGM, their vaudeville tours and their relationship with Irving Thalberg), as well as some classic sketches such as the stateroom and contract (i.e. sanity clause) scene.

However, while there are some amusing anecdotes that might not be available elsewhere, anyone looking for a nuanced or particularly incisive film about the works of Marx has come to the wrong place, as most of its entertainment derives from hearing film enthusiasts talk about why they love the franchise. But while it will probably not add to my enjoyment of the films, it will not take away anything either, as might have been the case if the documentary had gone too far down the route of explaining why we are laughing.

Just saw this short doc on the A Night at the Opera DVD. It has various people discussing the impact The Marx Brothers have on comedy and the way it was shaped but it's mostly about the behind the scenes of their first M-G-M movie and their relationship with head of production Irving Thalberg. Among the interviewees are co-star Kitty Carlisle and writer Irving Brecher. There are also nice insights from comedian Dom DeLuise, actor/writer Carl Reiner, and "SNL" writer Anne Beatts. While each brother gets a nice discussion, the most seems to concern Groucho mostly due to his wit. All in all, Remarks on Marx: A Night at the Opera is a worthy extra on the DVD I just mentioned.