Os Irmãos Marx no Circo

Not one of the best Marx Bros. Movies (i.e., Duck Soup, A Day at the Races, and A Night at the Opera) but also not one of the worst either. So, solidly mid-pack. The romantic subplot involving Florence Rice's character is a total waste of time because her suitor, the singer Kenny Baker (no, not Star Wars' Kenny Baker; this movie is from 1939!), is a terrible non-actor. Harpo's musical number, surrounded by black dancers, singers, and musicians, is way above average. And the best part of this one is the supporting role played by Eve Arden as a female "daredevil" circus acrobat who is also a pickpocket and scammer. As was so often the case with any movies featuring her "2nd banana" characters, she's the best thing about any scene she is in, and that's hard to pull off when Groucho Marx is your scene partner!

This was my third time watching AT THE CIRCUS and, the characteristically anaemic leads (who somehow always seem to be able to carry a tune) notwithstanding, I've always been kind of partial to this one (even if the end result is, decidedly, a notch or two below their finest work). Plot and setting provide several opportunities for the Marxes to shine, both as a team and individually: Groucho (as always) is the film's trump card, however, especially in his rendition of 'Lydia, the Tattooed Lady' and the separate scenes he shares with befuddled aristocrat Margaret Dumont and scheming circus performer Eve Arden; other highlights include Groucho and Chico's interrogation of the suspicious-looking dwarf, Chico and Harpo's frenzied search for stolen money in the strong-man's room (while the latter is asleep!), and the typically busy climax in which Dumont receives the ultimate humiliation.

AT THE CIRCUS is the Marxes' third best MGM picture (demonstrating a steady decline for them from picture to picture) but it's still inferior to the later A NIGHT IN CASABLANCA (1946), in my opinion – or any of their early Paramount films, for that matter.

The Marx Brothers burst onto the scene in the 1929 comedy "The Cocoanuts". Over the next few years they starred in some of the all-time classics, namely "Horse Feathers" and "Duck Soup".

Then something happened. I don't know the reason, but they left Paramount (which financed the aforementioned movies) and moved to MGM. By that point, MGM was well established as the domain of happy-go-lucky musicals, and it showed in the Marx Brothers' movies. Far from the biting satire of their earlier movies, these newer movies tended to show them performing antics in various settings: opera, horse racing, and now the circus. "At the Circus" is funny, but it's no "Duck Soup".

Ignoring all that, there's plenty of laughs to be had here (and quite a few hot babes). Enjoyable in that respect. Jerry Maren (Atom) is best known as one of the Munchkins in "The Wizard of Oz" and died only last year, making him not only the last surviving speaking cast member from TWoO, but the last surviving cast member from a Marx Brothers movie.

Middle-of-the-road Marxes, with some good scenes and laughs unevenly weighted down by those ever-intrusive and out-of-place musical numbers that so often plagued these movies. No, I'm not referring to Groucho's spirited rendition of 'Lydia the Tattooed Lady'; I'm talking about hearing those two useless lead lovers crooning their sappy romantic tunes to each other ('Two Blind Loves', which is sung over and over at intervals throughout the picture, is especially grating on the nerves). There is also a song and dance sequence that comes out of left field later in the film that really feels out of place and gets in the way of things.

There are certainly some witty Groucho zingers, as well as vintage Harpo madness, to be found here. It's just that there's not enough consistency and too much of the fluff. It's a pity the filmmakers just didn't realize that it's the Marx Brothers we're here to see; not Kenny Baker and Florence Rice.

Mercilessly and outrageous Marx Brothers comedy that partially works well , thanks to some funny sketches , though they've done it better before . It suffers from excessive musical comedy plotting , but it gives the zany threesome some funny and really comic elaboration . Here the Marx Brothers try to help the owner of a circus recover some stolen funds before he finds himself out of a job. Antonio Pirelli (Harpo Marx) and Punchy (Chico Marx) , who work at the circus, together with roguish lawyer Loophole (Groucho Marx) , attempt to find the thief and get the money back. The 3 Mad Mullahs of Mirth in their grandest, goofiest roar rodeo! . A tentful of girl-gorgeous musical fun! . Not suitable for general exhibition ! .They're a circus.... in a circus !. This Way Folks...to a tentful of Girl Glamorous Musical Fun! A 30-ring circus of laugh-splashed thrills! The animals are in cages...but the Mad Marxes are on the loose! The Show of Shows...to keep the world Singing and Laughing!. Keep the world laughing!

Relentlessly comical and busy comedy with musical interludes that still works at times . Definitely sub-standard Marxism as the brothers set about saving a circus from bankruptcy in various hilarous set pieces. Amusing moments , mucho ado with badges , Groucho singing ¨Lydia the Tattoooed Lady¨ and the endless insulting repartee with Margaret Dumont , but the whole thing is rather dull and over-familiar. Beginning of the end for the Marxes , a step down in quality from their classic work , though frequently dam fun . Excellent Harpo Marx , as usual , he even did many of his own stunts , he later said it was a silly thing for a 49-year-old . At the Circus (1939) is annoyed by a lot of dated and bored songs , such as : Step up and take a bow , Lydia and Tattoed lady , two blind loves , blue moon . The motion picture was regular but professionally directed by Edward Buzzell , known for : Transient Lady (1935), Little Johnny Jones (1929) y Ain't Misbehavin' (1955) , among others .

Other important films starred by Marx Brothers -many of them Broadway farce plays transfered by scenarists into vehicle for the Brothers- , they are the following ones : ¨Animal crackers¨, ¨Duck soap¨ that was a flop when first released but today considered a masterpiece , ¨Horse Feathers¨, ¨At the circus¨, ¨A night at the Opera¨,¨Day at the races¨ , ¨Room service¨ , ¨Go West¨, ¨Love Happy¨ and ¨Night in Casablanca¨, though in 1946 the Marx formula was weak and wearing thin . Any film with Groucho , Chico , Harpo and Margaret Dumont is well worth seeing .