Hail Hail Euphoria!: Presenting the Marx Brothers in Duck Soup, the Greatest War Movie Ever Made [Paperback]

Page for page, this is the most entertaining and enlightening discussion of a single film I've ever read. You might want to watch the movie again (or for the first time), then treat yourself to Blount's manic musings. He provides far more than an account of the comics at work: a bit of history about early film comedy, an appreciation of director Leo McCarey, and a reflection on what can be funny without being crude. Blount is as unpredictable and as irrepressible as the movie itself. He jumps from a shot-by-shot discussion of the film to any number of topics that come to mind, particularly the lives and careers of Minnie Marx's boys. He's nearly halfway though his 144 pages when he reaches the 12-minute mark of the 68-minute film. One footnote takes up three-quarters of a page. But, as Chico might say, "That's irrelephant!" Blount packs every paragraph with interesting facts, thoughtful observations or humorous anecdotes, many admittedly tangential to the movie. It's his skill with language and his effort to figure out what tickles us that make this book a joy to read.

Roy Blount jr., a humorist himself, writes a very appreciative, witty and often serious and appreciative view of the Marx Brother's critical 1933 film 'Duck Soup'. While Blount refers to 'Duck Soup' as one of the greatest war movie of all time, as stunning as that remark may seem, a national known military magazine actually rates the film as a top 20 war film of all time. The writing style of Blount is energetic and very fast paced discussing the script, goes back to the movie, the script, then the movie, the brothers, the support actors such as Margaret Dumont, the frequent straight woman foil for Groucho and the boys. Blount provides generous bios on the brothers periodically through his detailed analysis of the film and with intimate details of the film, even describing the stage fruit that the brothers heave at the the end and at Dumont. There is so much captured by Blount, the detailed comedic moments like Chico and Harpo's teasing the lemonade man, and Groucho & Harpo's mirror act that, as Blount describes, is more than coordinated timing but is a special sense of each other from their uniquely close relationship literally growing up at stage. Blount provides fascinating background on the brothers evolving act that was initiated and coordinated by their stage mother Minnie, who sounds funny in her own right, such as wearing a corset to make an entrance then immediately removing it. Blount not only provides descriptions of Chico, Groucho and Harpo but Zeppo who leaves to produce and create a mechanical company that has great success in the medical field and even Gummo who ironically has the last laugh in the book. The movie in itself has an odd familiarity on why wars start, in this case Fredonia needs money and war seems to be the answer and the masses are pitched into hysteria to support the war. Blount has his serious side showing where many similar types of gags, movies etc. from Keaton and Chalin to an obscure french movie that came out before Duck but offers many similarities. This is both a serious look at the film, virtually frame by frame and an appreciation for the Marx's humor. I wish I had watched the movie again just before reading the book, you'll enjoy the book even more if you do. Then read the book and watch the film a second time. I just ordered the DVD version. To end this review, I love the reference to the Mayor of Fredonia, NY who supposedly complained when the movie came out that he wished the makers of the film would change the name of the country so as not to embarrass the town, Groucho quiped "Change the name of the town, it's hurting our movie'.

The moment I saw that this book was just on Duck Soup, I had to check it out. I'm a Marx Brothers fan who all too often finds bios on the boys depressing or dull because the movies I love are such a small snapshot of what their lives were.

Blount at times uses the narrative to ambitiously give a window into the popular culture and the Marx family history and how it influenced what made it to the screen. Other times he uses it for an excuse for Marx and other anecdotes and to wax comically. If you stick too close to expectations you have for the book, it can get tedious or meandering at times. If you take it in the spirit of fun and love the author has for the material, it's a fun quick read that will make you want to revisit the movie (or watch if you've never seen it before).

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 20 reviews  3.6 out of 5 stars