A Day at the Races (1937)

The second film the Marx Brothers made at MGM and their second (and last) for Irving Thalberg. There will be spoilers ahead: One of the best films the Marx Brothers made, it's also the only Marx Brothers film with an Academy Award nomination to its credit (for Dance Direction of the "All God's Chillun Got Rhythm" number) which obviously means very little, but it's an interesting piece of trivia.The basic plot is similar to other Marx Brothers films-the owner of a sanitarium is about to lose it to her creditor, who is the villain of the piece. Groucho is a con man (a horse doctor posing as a medical doctor) Chico works for the sanitarium and Harpo is a jockey. Maureen O'Sullivan plays the owner, Allan Jones is her boyfriend/would-be savior, who buys a horse with the intent of winning prize money to save the sanitarium.Margret Dumont is a wealthy hypochondriac patient at the sanitarium who sends for "Dr." Hackenbush to head the sanitarium because he's the only one who understands just how "ill" she is. Douglas Dumbrille plays the villain and he and his henchman try to trap Groucho to discredit him in a couple of ways, both of which set up comedy bits in the film. They also try to keep Jones's horse from racing because they want the property.Along the way, Chico fleeces Groucho at the track in a classic bit-Chico sells Groucho betting books with codes at ever increasing prices while pretending to sell "tootsie frootsie" ice cream. Groucho also "examines" Harpo and Mrs. Upjohn and attempts to have a late-night tryst with a femme Fatale out to discredit him to Mrs. Upjohn.There are also musical bits with Chico and Harpo, set within the Water Carnival production number. Just how Harpo comes by his harp is one of the most bizarre and inventive transitions in the film. The songs here aren't terribly memorable, but Jones executes his competently. The songs just aren't that good.After several setbacks, the film concludes with the obligatory happy ending and the Marxes prevail once again.This film is available on DVD is is well worth having. Most recommended.

With their seventh film, A Day at the Races, the Marx brothers return with yet another entertaining show. The story, this time, is about Judy Standish (Maureen O'Sullivan), the owner of a sanatorium in financial distress. In order to save the sanatorium from the evil creditors, the dubious horse doctor Hugo Z. Hackenbush (Groucho Marx) is hired, since one of the rich patients Mrs. Upjohn (Margaret Dumont) is hopelessly in love with him. Certainly, it is not the most original plot ever – it is quite similar to the one in most Marx films I have seen – nor is it the best, but after all, it is merely a vehicle for a number of sketches, and as long as those are good enough, it is fine by me.In fact, for those who have seen a fair share of the Marx brothers' films, a lot of things will be familiar. Margaret Dumont is the naive, hysterical lady who never understands what is going on. Chico is the charming Italian who is trying to save the lady in trouble and gets his moment with the piano. Harpo is the mischievous and silent helper, who, of course, gets to play the harp. Groucho is the quick guy with the killer one-liners, strange posture, and who has a keen eye for most girls, except for Dumont. But the beauty of it is that it works; since the sketches are different, it does not matter much.Speaking of sketches, A Day at the Races definitely has some of the funniest that the brothers have done. There is a hilarious scene in which Groucho is trying to fool the evil Whitmore (Leonard Ceeley) over the telephone regarding his credentials as a doctor. Another highlight is when Groucho is trying to get a tip from Chico at the race track but ends up with a library. And overall, the sharp dialogue is truly excellent (take, for instance, Dr. Steinberg's (Sig Ruman) claim that Mrs. Upjohn "looks as healthy as any woman I ever met," to which Groucho replies that "you don't look as though you've ever met a healthy woman"). Actually, one of the musical numbers, where Groucho is trying to pick up Flo (Esther Muir) while fending off Dumont, is very amusing as well.While the musical numbers are always my least favourite part of the Marx films, A Day at the Races offers some of the best ones. The classical dance segment is at least pretty, and perhaps offers the best visuals I have seen in these films, with stark black and white reflections in the water at which the scene takes place, and the lindy hop number is very energetic. Only Allan Jones' "Tomorrow Is Another Day" is somewhat of a drag. That being said, they still hamper the pace of the film severely, and without them the film would be half an hour shorter without losing much in terms of comedy or plot; they were perhaps needed in the vaudeville show, but might just as well have been lost in the translation to film. Still, music or not, A Day at the Races finds the Marx brothers at their comedic peak and, to me, even surpasses classics such as A Night at the Opera.

Maureen O'Sullivan may very well have been out of place here with the British accent.The antics of our Marx Brothers becomes tedious as the scenes are lengthy in nature.Everyone though is allowed to portray their specific gifts-Allan Jones singing, Harpo on the harp, Chico on the piano, and Groucho is as zany as ever in this 1937 film.Margaret Dumont was such a perfect foil. Always playing a society matron, she diversifies here as a chronically complaining woman regarding her health. Douglass Dumbrille makes a fine heavy here.

I love the Marx Brothers, and I like/love their movies. While A Day at the Races is one of my least favourites of theirs, as it is somewhat uneven, it is still very entertaining and definitely worth watching.Why I didn't like A Day at the Races as much as an outing like A Night at the Opera, Horse Feathers or Duck Soup is because it does have some inconsistent support playing. I am not talking about Margaret Dumont for she is sterling as always, I am talking about Allan Jones and Maureen O'Sullivan whose romantic wooings came across as a little too sappy. What hurt the film more though was some of the musical interludes, some work but others miss more than they hit not because they are terrible but because they are too long and slow the film down pretty considerably. Also I would have shortened the film by about 5 or so minutes.Criticisms aside, it looks great with fine cinematography, lighting and scenery and has good incidental scoring that is both quirky and charming. The dialogue is also very inspired and quotable, and the gags are hilarious. The "Tootsie frootsie ice cream" sketch is for me the best of Groucho/Chico's wordplay routines. And speaking of the Marx Brothers, all three are splendid particularly Groucho who is still quick-witted and a lot of fun to watch.In conclusion, an entertaining film but not absolutely wonderful. 7/10 Bethany Cox