Loucos de Amor

I disagree with the put downs of this film by some viewers, for a very simple reason: I enjoyed watching it and found it funny. Sure, the plot is a little weak, but who watches Marx Brothers films for the plot? Actually, the plot is stronger than in many of their movies.

Groucho's role is certainly weak, but this may be Harpo's finest film, which showcases his beautiful comic style. Chico does fine, too. And they both deliver some wonderful musical performances.

The scene near the end on the rooftop amid the Times Square advertising signs is delightful. There seems to be an obvious element of "product placement," though I don't know whether the filmmakers got paid for this, but that all adds to the peculiar humor of the scene.

It's been a very long time since I first saw the classic Marx Brothers films, at least as an adult who could appreciate them. Back then they were funny. But I can't say they crack me up these days, as the gags have gotten old.

So it was wonderful to find this Marx Brothers film I hadn't seen, and to laugh at them again. This is a funny film. Period.

It is a bit sad knowing this was their last film, also knowing the great young comedy writers who were about to get started in live television, including Mel Brooks and Woody Allen. If only their talent could have been turned to writing more scripts for the Marx Brothers. Instead, they wrote for Sid Caesar's television shows, which in some ways were the heirs to the Marx Brothers humor.

I think I will watch Love Happy again, soon. I want to watch Harpo's performance more closely. It seems to me he was the last of the silent film comedians, in the tradition of Chaplin and Buster Keaton, whose humor was all in their body language. And this was his last great work.

Love Happy is the final movie that features the three Marx brothers (Groucho Chico Harpo) in top billing and as the stars. Once again they do the occasional musical performances. This time Frank Tashlin co-writes the script (bringing, I'd imagine, some pure cartoonish brilliance to it, in fits and starts). And it's OK... ish. Actually Harpo is better than OK, but when isn't he? This isn't even his premier work and he's delightful to watch in scenes that should be rote like when the actress asks Harpo to be his manager and he mimes becoming a "big shot" with his feet up on a can of rubbish in a park, miming as well being on the phone with many agents. It's what he was made for as a performer, moments like this.

The main problem for me is a major lack of the brothers interacting with one another - Groucho barely appears in the first half for Pete's sake, and only through limited 4th wall breaks - yet there are a lot of legitimately entertaining musical numbers (really, there isn't a dull one, including a number where a woman sings about being frustrated with motherhood). There's once again another loony but half-baked crime plot, here involving stolen diamonds in a can of... sardines I think, Chico on piano, and a musical that is on thin ice as far as being produced. Objectively this isn't as good a movie as I'm rating it, but I'm being generous because when these guys do click in their scenes they are just that funny. In other words it's better than Room Service (oddly enough this has the storyline that it's closest to), but not by much.

It's also uncanny seeing Groucho without his grease-paint mustache as a movie character with the brothers.

Unfortunately, this movie was my first Marx Brothers movie. (I saw it in December 1977.) It really isn't a good introduction to the comic mayhem of the Marx Brothers because it was never intended to be a Marx Brothers movie in the first place! It was originally a Harpo Marx movie. But Chico had some debts to pay so he was worked into the script. Since you cannot have Harpo and Chico without Groucho, Groucho was also added to the script. Groucho didn't have that much of a part. But Groucho was so unique that he could generate laughs by saying anything! "Love Happy" was the movie that marked the end of the Marx Brothers as a single comedy act. (It would also be the movie that started Marilyn Monroe's career.)

The movie was very entertaining and it provided more than enough comedy and laughs to qualify as a good comedy. Harpo was great, doing what he was best as doing. The chase was a riot.

For those who were saddened over this movie being the end of the Marx Brothers as a comedy act, this movie also marked the beginning of the Marx Brothers as individuals who would each enjoy his own level of success with Groucho being the most successful with his TV show "You Bet Your Life" in the 1950s and a comeback in the 1970s, touring the country.

After "Love Happy", Harpo would make 9 appearances plus 15 as himself. Chico would make 6 appearances plus 7 as himself. and Groucho would make 13 appearances plus 29 as himself and he would also enjoy success as a writer and one shot as director. That's not bad.

The real tragedy was the 3 Stooges' "Kook's Tour" which really marked the end of the 3 Stooges as an act by featuring them in retirement. "Kooks' Tour" was cut short by Larry's stroke and it marked the end of the 3 Stooges (except for a few personal appearances by Moe as a member of the audience in the 1973 movie "Dr. Death Seeker of Souls" and as himself on "The Mike Douglas Show".)

This last Marx Brothers film is NOT the right place to begin if you've never seen one of their movies before. That said, it's not as bad as its reputation suggests either. It was originally conceived as a vehicle for Harpo, so as a result we get lesser input from Chico and even less from Groucho (which is especially unfortunate). But as it stands, Harpo fans should find some things to chuckle about, on and off.

That's the main problem with LOVE HAPPY - it's not consistent in entertaining you, and the funny bits come and go. It's also too long and veers off into other characters we just don't care about. But you could do worse, and this is noteworthy as Marilyn Monroe's debut film (she's got a tiny part). It's always a pleasure to see Ilona Massey strutting her stuff, too.

The Marx brothers shtik is on its last legs in this one. Some production trivia mentioned in the Turner Classic Movies airing suggest that 'Love Happy' was intended to be a Harpo vehicle, but the backers weren't going to unless Groucho and Chico were also in. A lot of the Marx vaudeville formula is evident and may seem a bit worn, but Harpo still gets me with his crazy mime and charades. He has a scene with Chico that is pretty comical. The REAL gem in 'Love Happy' is Vera-Ellen's Sadie Thompson dance number. Man, that chic could really move it on high-heels. Wow!