The Marx brothers are on an intercontinental voyage in this film which offers more than one hilarious moment. Directed by Norman Z. McLeod. Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Zeppo are brilliantly cast as four stowaways on an ocean liner, bound for New York. The Marx Brothers try to help the owner of a circus recover some stolen funds before he finds himself out of a job. Much of the story takes place on an ocean liner crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Groucho offers his services to Big Joe, who says he will think it over. I hate to depress you, but you'll rue the day you ever took the assignment. (1931). [13][5], Contemporary reviews were positive. Their first two films were filmed at Paramount Pictures' Astoria Studios in Queens, New York City. Monkey Business is a 1931 American pre-Code comedy film. After they scare off Briggs, Big Joe hires Chico and Harpo to be his bodyguards. The concept of the Marx Brothers being stowaways on a ship would be repeated in an episode of their radio series Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel (1933) in the episode "The False Roderick" and would also be recycled in their MGM film A Night at the Opera (1935). Samuel Marx (born Simon Marx; October 23, 1859 – May 10, 1933) was the father of American entertainment group (the) Marx Brothers, stars of vaudeville, Broadway and film, and the husband of Minnie Marx, who served as the group's manager.. Life and career. "[The Marx Brothers are] well captured in Simon Louvish's zippy group portrait, Monkey Business, which ferrets out the facts behind the brothers' often murky accounts of their lives with a care that never interferes with the fun. The dance band at Mary's debut party is playing the song "Ho Hum!" This is an ordeal by fire, make sure you wear asbestos pants." The film also features Thelma Todd, Harry Woods and Ruth Hall. In many ways Monkey Business (which went under the working title Pineapples) presented an opportunity for the Marx Brothers to re-use old routines. The four Marx Brothers star in their first film written specifically for the screen as stowaways on an ocean liner bound for New York. Also repeated in that later film would be the uproarious medical examination that Harpo and Chico give opera singer Madame Swempski (Cecil Cunningham). ] After a recent spate of Marx-Brothers-movie-watching, I went and found Monkey Business, by Simon Louvish to read more about them. The final script was the result of five months of work by the brothers, gag writers, director Norman Z. MacLeod and Mankiewicz. "[15] John Mosher of The New Yorker thought the film was "the best this family has given us."[16]. This set features the legendary four Marx Brothers in five of their most acclaimed and loved films - Duck Soup, Horse Feathers, Monkey Business, Animal … The four butt in line at customs and Zeppo impersonates Chevalier. Mayhem and zaniness ensue when a valuable painting goes missing during a party in honor of famed African explorer Captain Spaulding. Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA. (One of the ship's crew asserts to the captain that he knows there are four stowaways because he can hear them singing "Sweet Adeline".) Fascinating. Me? Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. They spend the rest of the voyage chasing and attempting to arrest the stowaways. "[3] Film Daily agreed that the plot was "flimsy", but also found the film "crammed all the way with laughs and there's never a dead spot. In this outing, the boys are stowaways on an ocean voyage. On a transatlantic crossing, the Marx brothers get up to their usual antics and manage to annoy just about everyone on board the ship. would serve as an integral plot element for their film A Day at the Races (1937). It is the third of the Marx Brothers' released movies, and the first with an original screenplay rather than an adaptation of one of their Broadway shows. The Marx Brothers film Monkey Business (1931) has them as four stowaways on an ocean liner bound for New York.The titles appear over a barrel. Earlier, when Zeppo first meets gangster Joe Helton's daughter Mary on the promenade of the ocean liner, "Just One More Chance" by Arthur Johnston and Sam Coslow can be heard playing in the background. scgary66. He was paid $12.50 each day for two days work. in the Spanish dubbed version. Monkey Business One of the sequences in this film involves the four brothers attempting to get off the ship using a passport stolen from famous singer (and fellow Paramount star) Maurice Chevalier. Alone with Todd in her cabin, Groucho quips: "You're a woman who's been getting nothing but dirty breaks. 1.7K likes. Chico and Harpo disrupt a chess game and confiscate the board, taking it into the stateroom of racketeer Big Joe Helton Rockliffe Fellowes and his daughter Mary (Ruth Hall), during a confrontation with rival gangster Alky Briggs (harry Woods). Monkey Business - Marx Brothers. This poses a problem for the mute Harpo, who mimes to a hidden phonograph tied to his back which plays the Chevalier recording. Add the first question. Briggs gives them loaded guns, which they immediately ditch in a bucket of water. As the ocean liner is about to dock in the United States, the stowaways realize that to get off the boat they must steal passports and fool customs officials. On board an ocean liner, four stowaways (The Marx Brothers) hide in barrels in the ship's cargo hold. This FAQ is empty. After arriving stateside, one of the gangsters kidnaps the other's daughter, leaving it up to the brothers to save the day. The first Marx Brothers film to be written directly for the screen (its authors included S. J. Perelman, Arthur Sheekman and Will B. Johnstone), Monkey Business is also the merry Marxes' first Hollywood production. The Marx Brothers are employed at a hotel in postwar Casablanca, where a ring of Nazis is trying to recover a cache of stolen treasure. On board an ocean liner to America, four stowaways are involuntarily pressed into service as toughs for a pair of feuding gangsters while constantly trying to evade the ship's crew. "—Elle "Louvish is a . Quincy Adams Wagstaff, the new president of Huxley University, accidentally hires bumblers Baravelli and Pinky to help his school win the big football game against the rival Darwin University. Suffice it to say that few persons will be able to go to the Rivoli and keep a straight face. Fascinating. Groucho: Afraid? I want laughter! [1], Monkey Business was Norman MacLeod's solo directorial debut.[1]. Monkey Business ( 1931) Monkey Business. Monkey Business. During the development of that film, aviator Charles Lindbergh's son was kidnapped and killed by what was believed to be gangsters. The film moves at a good pace as it allows each of the brothers a chance to do their own acts. becomes "Charlton Heston is much taller than me." Monkey Business: Cruising for Craziness “I want gaiety! It is directed by Norman Z. McLeod with screenplay by S. J. Perelman and Will B. Johnstone. This script is a transcript that was painstakingly transcribed using the screenplay and/or viewings of Monkey Business. The Marx Bothers in Monkey Business. The Marx Brothers come to the rescue in the Wild West when a young man, trying to settle an old family feud so he can marry the girl he loves, runs afoul of crooks. Early on in Monkey Business, the Brothers—playing stowaways concealed in barrels—harmonize unseen while performing the popular song "Sweet Adeline". However, producer Herman J. Mankiewicz advised them to lower their expectations. [11][17] The passport scene is a reworking of a stage sketch in which the brothers burst into a theatrical agent's office auditioning an impersonation of a current big star. Although both comedies were box office hits, the studio cooked the books to avoid paying the brothers their share. I know, I know, I still need to get the cast names in there and I'll be eternally tweaking it, so if you have any corrections, feel free todrop me a line. It is directed by Norman Z. McLeod with screenplay by S. J. Perelman and Will B. Johnstone. "[14] Variety's review began, "The usual Marx madhouse and plenty of laughs sprouting from a plot structure resembling one of those California bungalows which sprout up overnight. Comedy. Most of the great skits come in the first half of the film, while all are still onboard ship. Following the success of The Cocoanuts and Animal Crackers, the brothers negotiated a deal which should have garnered them 50 percent of the net profits for their next two films, 1931's Monkey Business and 1932's Horse Feathers. Groucho's audacity convinces Briggs to hire him and Zeppo. Writers S. J. Perelman and Will B. Johnstone were excited to be working with the Marx Brothers. After hiding under a covered load of baggage the four escape the authorities. A detective is hired to protect the life of a singer, who has recently inherited a department store, from the store's crooked manager. (9) IMDb 7.5 1 h 17 min 1931 7+. [6] Monkey Business was banned in Ireland because censors feared it would encourage anarchic tendencies. Except in the credits and in the screenplay, the Marx Brothers' characters have no names in this film. Funny movie quotes from Monkey Business starring the Marx Brothers – a madcap movie starring Groucho, Chico, Harpo, Zeppo and Thelma Todd. Satisfied that the Marxes are not there, Gibson walks away. [3][4] It is the third of the Marx Brothers' released movies, and the first with an original screenplay rather than an adaptation of one of their Broadway shows. A veterinarian posing as a doctor and a race-horse owner and his friends struggle to help keep a sanitarium open with the help of a misfit race-horse. Harpo performs "I'm Daffy over You" by Sol Violinsky and Chico. Zeppo steals the passport of movie star Maurice Chevalier, and demonstrates his ability to mimic Cheavalier's singing. Mordaunt Hall of The New York Times wrote, "Whether it is really as funny as 'Animal Crackers' is a matter of opinion. With Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, The Marx Brothers, Chico Marx. When the turntable slows down and he has to rewind it, the ruse is uncovered. [9][10], This is the first Marx Brothers film not to feature Margaret Dumont: this time their female foil is comedian Thelma Todd, who would also star in the Marx Brothers' next film, Horse Feathers. Sam Marx was 72 at the time, and the appearance was his film debut. Monkey business: the lives and legends of the Marx Brothers: Groucho, Chico, Harpo, Zeppo, with added Gummo User Review - Not Available - Book Verdict. [5] MacLeod later said that up to 12 writers worked on the film, and that Eddie Cantor contributed when he visited the set during shooting. Monkey Business was a critical and box office success,[11] and is considered one of the Marx Brothers' best and funniest films. In the opening credits their faces are superimposed on four barrels rolling down the … (46) IMDb 7.5 1h 17min 1931. Big Joe and his daughter, whom Zeppo met and romanced on board, host a party at which Groucho makes announcements, Chico plays piano and Harpo plays harp. You bet I’m afraid! Much of the story takes place on an ocean liner crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Xilam’s ‘Lucy Lost’ Taps Bafta-Winning Writer Helen Blakeman (Exclusive), Wackiest Spanish Translation of a Movie Title. Was this review helpful to you? A man who’s licked his weight in wild caterpillars? After singing "Sweet Adeline", they are discovered. If so, it would be one of only a few times Harpo used speech on screen, as opposed to other vocalizations such as whistling or sneezing. Use the HTML below. My favorite scene involved the four brothers doing their impressions of Maurice Chevalier at customs -- one after the other! The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection (The Cocoanuts / Animal Crackers / Monkey Business / Horse Feathers / Duck Soup) Celebrate the 75th anniversary of the greatest comedy act in history with The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection. The writers quickly shifted gears and instead based the next film, Horse Feathers, very loosely on the Marx Brothers' earlier stage show Fun in Hi Skule. As soon as he is a few feet away, the Marxes start to follow him, carrying part of the statue with them. The daughter is rescued, and Groucho attempts to find a needle in a haystack. [18] The essence of Groucho's joke, "Sure, I'm a doctor—where's the horse?" View production, box office, & company info. After arriving stateside, one of the gangsters kidnaps the other's daughter - and it's up to our unlikely heroes to save the day. The 4 Marx Brothers' third feature film Certificate: Passed I had never even realized there was a fifth brother, Gummo Marx, who never went so far in show biz with the others. They are referred to simply as "the stowaways". [5][7][8] In Ireland, the film was passed on January 8, 1932, with '16 unspecified cuts to script', including characters falling over each other in a dance scene. He considered Perelman too intellectual to write for the Marx Brothers manic comic style. . A penniless theatrical producer must outwit the hotel efficiency expert trying to evict him from his room, while securing a backer for his new play. The former stowaways follow and a fight ensues. A line of dialogue in Monkey Business seems to foreshadow Todd's death. AFRAID? There is a plot, but it is of less importance, even, than most of the Marx Brothers films. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. A sly business manager and two wacky friends of two opera singers help them achieve success while humiliating their stuffy and snobbish enemies. MONKEY BUSINESS is pure Marx Brothers nonsense that appears to be every bit as funny today as it possibly was way back in 1931. The film was evidently based on two routines the Marx Brothers did during their early days in vaudeville (Home Again and Mr. Green's Reception), along with a story idea from one of Groucho's friends, Bert Granet, called The Seas Are Wet. According to his birth certificate, Marx was born as Simon Marx in Alsace, then part of the Second French Empire. . Monkey Business (Marx Brothers) 1931. Briggs' men kidnap Big Joe's daughter and take her to an old barn. Apart from a bit involving a couple of gangsters trying to put each other out … [1], Typical for many Marx Brothers films, production censors demanded changes in some lines with sexual innuendo. … The film also features Thelma Todd, Harry Woods and Ruth Hall. In 1935, Todd died in her car inside a garage, apparently from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning.[11]. It appeared in their stage shows On the Mezzanine Floor and I'll Say She Is (1924). The story is very loose and serves as a backdrop for the larger gags. On Monkey Business, you will notice this at the beginning of the movie: “But Danny!” you’ll say, presuming you actually know my name. MONKEY BUSINESS is clearly one of the Marx Brothers funniest films. At least one other possible on-screen utterance occurs in the film A Day at the Races (1937), in which Groucho, Chico, and Harpo are heard singing "Down by the Old Mill Stream" in three-part harmony. Of the original script delivered by Perelman and Johnstone, Groucho said, "It stinks." The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection (The Cocoanuts / Animal Crackers / Monkey Business / Horse Feathers / Duck Soup) [Blu-ray] Harpo Marx 4.8 out of 5 stars 1,390 A few years later, in December 1935, Todd died in unexplained circumstances. It is a matter of debate whether Harpo joins in with the singing. He is unsuccessful, however, and passes the passport to Chico, Groucho and Harpo, who each attempt unconvincing portrayals of Chevalier singing the same song, with Harpo resorting to a phonograph strapped on his back with an actual record of Chevalier singing. Written by Upon alighting from the ship, the Marx Brothers' real life father (Sam "Frenchie" Marx) is briefly seen in a cameo appearance, sitting on top of luggage behind the Brothers on the pier as they wave to the First Mate. [20][17], Censored Films and Television at University of Virginia online, "Irish Film Censors' Records - Trinity College Dublin", The Marx Brothers Council Podcast discussing "Monkey Business", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Monkey_Business_(1931_film)&oldid=1016606544, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-LCCN identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Maxine Castle as Mrs Schmalhausen, opera singer performing ", "When I Take My Sugar to Tea" by Sammy Fain, Irving Kahal, and Pierre Norman, "I'm Daffy Over You" by Chico Marx and Sol Violinsky (Solly Ginsberg), This page was last edited on 8 April 2021, at 02:32. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? This skit was also done by the Marxes in the Paramount promotional film The House That Shadows Built (1931). Rufus T. Firefly is named president/dictator of bankrupt Freedonia and declares war on neighboring Sylvania over the love of wealthy Mrs. Teasdale. Finally, theMonkey Business scriptis here for all you quotes spouting fans of the Marx Brothers movie. Monkey Business (1931) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. 10 of 16 people found this review helpful. While stowing away on a ship to America, the boys get involuntarily pressed into service as toughs for a pair of feuding gangsters while trying desparately to evade the ship's crew. Each brother impersonates Chevalier (complete with straw hat) and sings "You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me" ("If the nightingales could sing like you ...") in turn. Monkey Business. According to Turner Classic Movies' Robert Osborne, a sequel was planned for this film that would continue the gangster theme. Reveal the Marx Brothers for the first time, grouped about the statue in a silly burlesque of a sculptured group, with appropriate business for each. Check out our editors' picks for the movies and shows we're excited about this month, like Mortal Kombat, "Them," and Stowaway. I want ha-cha-cha-cha!” Let’s start off with an important note for whenever I talk about the Marx Brothers movies on this site. Find album reviews, stream songs, credits and award information for The Cocoanuts; Monkey Business - The Marx Brothers on AllMusic - 2000 This was the first Marx film to be written specifically for film, and the first shot in Hollywood. Title: The Marx Brothers help young Broadway hopefuls while thwarting diamond thieves. The third film released in 1931 was their first with a script made for the screen and their first made in Hollywood. During the Florida land boom, The Marx Brothers run a hotel, auction off some land, thwart a jewel robbery, and generally act like themselves. Monkey Business is an entertaining film and a fine showcase for the Marx Brothers' style of humor. Well, we can clean and tighten your brakes, but you'll have to stay in the garage all night." when the Marx Brothers arrive. Groucho Marx mastered the worlds of vaudeville, theater, movies, radio, and television, yet he remained a moody, morose, unfulfilled man. Heston was only 7 years old when "Monkey Business… Monkey Business is a 1931 American pre-Code comedy film. Not Rated | 1h 17min | Comedy, Musical | 19 September 1931 (USA) On a transatlantic crossing, The Marx Brothers get up to their usual antics and manage to annoy just about everyone on board the ship. While stowing away on a ship to America, the boys get involuntarily pressed into service as toughs for a pair of feuding gangsters while trying desparately to evade the ship's crew. From Wings to Parasite, here's a look back at all of the Best Picture Oscar winners in the history of the ceremony. After arriving stateside, one of the gangsters kidnaps the other's daughter - and it's up to our unlikely heroes to save the day. Groucho Marx' line "Gary Cooper is much taller than me." On a transatlantic crossing, The Marx Brothers get up to their usual antics and manage to annoy just about everyone on board the ship. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Chico performs two pieces on the piano, the "Pizzicato" from Sylvia by Léo Delibes, which then morphs into the song "When I Take My Sugar to Tea", written by Sammy Fain, Irving Kahal, and Pierre Norman. Groucho dances and romances with Brigg's wife, Lucille (Thelma Todd), until he is caught and threatened by Briggs.