The cocoanuts will run at the oregon shakespeare festival from february 16 through november 2, 2014 in the angus bowmer theatre. Feb 23, 2017 marx brothers the big store 1941 scene. Humor risk, also known as humorisk, is a 1921 comedy short film that was the first film to star the marx brothers. The musical was given tryouts in boston and philadelphia before opening at the lyric theatre on 8 december 1925 and closing after 276 performances on 7 august 1926. The cocoanuts opened in june 1996 at the american jewish theatre in new york city, with michael mcgrath, peter slutsker and robert sapoff as groucho, chico and harpo marx respectively.
Humor risk, also known as humorisk, is a lost unreleased 1921 silent comedy short film that was the first film to star the marx brothers. Instead we are left with the second broadway musical comedy put on by the marx brothers. Claypools opera into chaos in their efforts to help two young hopefuls get a break. The cocoanuts is a 1929 film about four men who run a hotel, auction off some land, thwart a jewel robbery during the florida land boom directed by robert florey. The cocoanuts is a great comedy with the marx brothers, where groucho runs a hotel that isnt doing so good.
The cocoanuts was filmed at the studios astoria, n. During the florida land boom, the marx brothers run a hotel, auction off some land, thwart a jewel robbery, and generally act like themselves. With groucho marx, harpo marx, chico marx, zeppo marx. In the marx brothers first feature film, groucho portrays a hotel owner out to fleece everyone, from innocent bellboys to wealthy society types. During the florida land boom, the marx brothers run a hotel, auction off some land, thwart a.
The cocoanuts was made in 1929, under the direction of robert florey and joseph stanley. The marx brothers the cocoanuts 1929 home movies the cocoanuts. The marx brothers were born in new york city, the sons of jewish immigrants from germany and france. This was the marx brothers first movie if you dont count humor risk and was one of the earliest sound films ever made pay attention to scenes where groucho is showing maps of florida real estate, and you will notice the maps are soaking wet to avoid overdriving the recording equipment. Nov 15, 2015 when i want to watch a marx brothers film, the cocoanuts is the one i keep coming back to. Although known as a comedy, the cocoanuts has a bit of historical movie significance too. It was the first sound film to credit more than one director robert florey and joseph santley, and was adapted to the screen by morrie ryskind from the george s. Hammer groucho is complaining to chico about the the way his partner harpo is behaving. The marx brothers burst upon the cinema scene with the cocoanuts, and while the film is relatively tame compared to later efforts, at the time it was unlike anything movie audiences had previously experienced. The coconuts was really the second film from the marx bros.
The cocoanuts was a huge success in 1926, and once sound came in, it was decided that it could be filmed as a movie. Contrary to popular belief, cocoanuts was not the first marx brothers movie. An incidental effect of this movie is that it is basically a documentary of the type of entertainment popular in the twenties. Filming was done at paramounts long island studio during the day while the boys appeared on broadway at night in animal crackers. The film version of the play introduced the marx brothers to audiences outside of new york. Transferring their hit stage show directly to the screen, the marx brothers first feature film is technically crude and utterly hilarious, with a script. Jun 20, 2017 the cocoanuts 1929 is the marx brothers first featurelength film. The movie stars the classic marx lineup of groucho, harpo, chico, and zeppo, and it also features the music of irving berlin. Starring groucho marx, harpo marx, chico marx, zeppo marx. Nov 17, 2014 the coconuts was really the second film from the marx bros. Heres a film that was sharpened in its time as a broadway show, and its famously.
Marx brothers, american comedy team that was popular on stage, screen, and radio for 30 years. Gems from cocoanuts, irving berlin songs in marx brothers. The cocoanuts 1929 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Sep 10, 2015 the cocoanuts was actually the only marx brothers film to be codirected, florey sharing the helm with joseph santley. The cocoanuts deserves attention due to its historical significance, and it also offers sporadic amusement. Produced for paramount pictures by walter wanger, who is not credited, the film stars the four marx brothers, oscar shaw, mary eaton, and margaret dumont. Groucho is a hotel proprietor, land impresario, and con man, assisted and hampered by two inept grifters, chico and harpo, and the ultrarational. Busby berkeley, the legendary choreographer, was to become worldfamous for his overhead shots of dancing chorus girls. The brothers minus zeppo were at the height of their comic powers when they made this. The marx brothers silver screen collection the cocoanuts. But this movie is quite memorable and basically set the chaotic style of the later and more famous marx brothers comedies. Apr 12, 2017 the cocoanuts was the first movie filmed by the marx brothers, and remains one of their funniest. The four marx brothers screen debut, the cocoanuts 1929 was previously their second broadway show, behind ill say she is. Note the yearthis was three years before the film was made.
The cocoanuts, starring the marx brothers famous clowns. Their zany antics, sharp witticism and merciless assault on snobbery have endured for more than a century. They were celebrated for their inventive attacks on the socially respectable and upon ordered society in general. Dec, 20 gems from cocoanuts irving berlin songs in the famous marx brothers show on victor 35769, recorded february 3, 1926. The print may have been accidentally thrown away when left in the screening box overnight. No snow and no ice the marx brothers council podcast. Funny movie quotes from the cocoanuts best clean funny jokes. The plot of the cocoanuts takes place at a resort hotel, giving kaufman opportunities to lampoon the big florida development boom of the 1920s. 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. The cocoanuts, the cocoanuts movie, marx brothers movies. The legendary marx brothers groucho, harpo, chico and zeppo made their motion picture debut in the outrageously funny adaptation of their broadway play the cocoanuts. There was a film in 1921 the bros did, but its belived to be lost. This was the marx brothers first movie if you dont count humor risk and was one of the earliest sound.
Explanation of a pun from a marx brothers movie, please. The cocoanuts is a 1929 precode musical comedy film starring the marx brothers. The three best marx brothers films are duck soup, a day at the races. Produced for paramount pictures by walter wanger, who is not credited, the. Jul 10, 2017 the reoccuring theme song from the marx bros first motion picture, the cocoanuts when my dreams come true written by irving berlin and sung by zeigfeld. It features the marx brothers in the roles that they soon made famous groucho, with the greasepaint mustache, master of the fast wisecrack. Then chico and harpo appear and things start going even worse. The cocoanuts is set against the backdrop of the 1920s florida land boom, which was followed by the inevitable bust. When sound technology began taking off, however, the marx brothers were a natural choice to transition from stage to screen. It was never released and is now considered a lost film. This was the marx brothers first movie if you dont count humor risk and was one of the earliest sound films ever made pay attention to scenes where. Another version of the story says that groucho marx, unhappy with the films quality, intentionally burned the negative after a particularly bad premiere screening. Chico, the vaguelyitalian pianist who constantly looking to con someone.
Ive yet to find a truly consistent marx brothers comedy, and cocoanuts suffers from some of the usual flaws. The movie is set in 1920s florida and begins with a beach scene that is obviously made in a studio. This motion picture version differs from the play in the number of musical pieces used six for the film vs. The marx bros broadway revue ill say she is 1924, filmed in 1931 duration. When the marx brothers were shown the final cut of the cocoanuts 1929, their first film, they were so appalled they tried to buy the negative back and prevent its release.
Cocoanuts marx brothers hilarious auction scene youtube. Oct 02, 2012 the first marx brothers film to be released theatrically is also one of their best, the hilarious cocoanuts. It was the first sound film to credit more than one director robert florey and joseph santley, and was. Soup is groucho more of a villain than he is in the coconuts. Their mother miene minnie schoenberg professionally known as minnie palmer, later the brothers manager was from dornum in east frisia, and their father samuel sam. Rent the cocoanuts 1929 on dvd and bluray dvd netflix. A fasttalking miami hotel manager tries to stay in business during the florida land rush. The marx brothers classic follows the attempts of a bunch of misfits trying to keep a farm open by winning a horse race.
The producing studio, paramount, wisely resisted the movie turned out to be a big hit and earned close to two million dollars profit. Directed by david ivers, this marx brothers musical comedy is a treat for the entire family. The marx brothers groucho, chico, harpo and zeppo are beyond a doubt one of the most iconic comedy teams in the history of entertainment. Nonetheless, it presents a fair number of funny bits and generally entertains. Transferring their hit stage show directly to the screen, the marx brothers first feature film is. He then shifts gears and comes up with an interesting proposal for chico. Bonus extras including commentary by leonard maltin. Rent the cocoanuts 1929 starring groucho marx and chico marx on dvd and bluray. The cocoanuts was written for the marx brothers after the success of their hit broadway revue ill say she is 1924.
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