Horse Feathers (Full Screen)

 

 

Create your own review

When I was young, I really didn't understand the comedy of the Marx Brothers. Now that I'm grown, I still don't understand a lot of it. I love Groucho and his endless supply of witty one-liners, but some of his bits in this film still just go right by me. Chico and his richly comedic language are always good, and I've even grown to like most of Harpo's antics, but somehow, when you put everything together, I'm left shaking my head every so often. I think the main obstacle in my enjoyment of a movie like this is the lack of continuity in the story. Most of the time, the plot is no more than incidental to the comedy. They certainly don't make movies like this anymore, so I have a hard time getting into the proper Marx Brothers mindset.

In Horse Feathers, Groucho plays Professor Waxhaw, the new president of Huxley College; his son (played by Zeppo) is following in the family footsteps of concentrating on a college widow when he should be concentrating on more important things - such as football. Professor Waxhaw decides that the Huxley team simply must beat Darwin, its primary rival. He takes his son's advice and hires a couple of football players who hang out at the speakeasy - well, actually he really recruits Chico and Harpo. Waxhaw also takes an active approach to teaching, and his takeover of the anatomy class makes for the funniest scene in the film (it degenerates into a spitball fight). All the guys hit on the widow woman Waxhaw's son is stuck on, not knowing she (Thelma Todd) is in cahoots with the Darwin team and is trying to steal Huxley's football signals. After a most unsuccessful attempt by Chico and Harpo to kidnap Darwin's two best players, we get to the big game. Picture this: Groucho, Chico, Harpo, and Zeppo all out there on the field - you can imagine the high strangeness and hilarity to be found here.

It's hard for me to evaluate this film. On the one hand, I can see that it is classic Marx Brothers, with one-liners, jokes, gags, songs, dances, the works. On the other hand, I sit here and wonder why I didn't find this film funnier than I did. I almost feel like I'm doing something wrong by not enjoying Horse Feathers more than I do.

A previous reviewer asked this question, and I must say it's something I've always wondered about myself. But it doesn't really matter. In this sublimely funny film Groucho is Professor Wagstaff, newly-appointed head of Huxley College. Zeppo is his son ("your mother and I wanted children. Imagine our disappointment when you arrived."), who tells his father that Huxley needs a better football team. So Groucho goes to a speakeasy to buy a couple of professional football players. Here he meets Chico and Harpo and mistakes them for the pros he's looking for,and engages them to play for Huxley. Soon all four of the Marx Brothers are romancing Connie Barnes, the College Widow,(ravishing Thelma Todd) whose gangster boyfriend wants the rival college Darwin to win the match.The whole film is packed with laughs. It includes my all-time favourite scene in any Marx Brothers comedy, when a tramp comes up to Harpo and says "can you help me out? I want to get a cup of coffee" and Harpo takes a steaming cup of coffee out of his pocket and gives it to him. And then there's the scene with the swordfish, and the bit with the seal, and the ice, and when Groucho and Thelma Todd go out in a boat, and all four marx Brothers singing 'everyone says I love you' to the widow, and the climatic scene at the football match, and - oh just take your pick, every scene is wonderful. I know 'Duck Soup' is considered to be the Marx Brothers' masterpiece, but this is my personal favourite.

First off, the Marx Brothers rock!The was the first ine i saw of them, and I love them! These are so much better than Laural and Hardy. So please buy this DVD.

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 27 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

 

5.0 out of 5 stars I`m not against it!
This movie is so funny I cried.(And me, tough man.) The story is basicly that Groucho plays a new headmaster of a collage, and turns the place upside down (like always) with this... Lisez davantage

Published on Dec 31 2003

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the best Marx Bro. pics I've seen
Each brother sings (or whistles) his own version of the same song in this movie. I have to say Harpo's rendition was the best, although Chico's was deliciously catchy. Lisez davantage

Published on Sep 5 2002 by Mrs Baldwin

5.0 out of 5 stars Maximum Marx
If I had to recommend one flick out of the Marx cannon (an impossible task, I admit) this is the one. Lisez davantage

Published on Sep 1 2002 by Scott Leslie

5.0 out of 5 stars Marx to the extreme
Groucho Marx becomes the [inaccurate] head of a college, but decides football is more important than education and hires Chico and Harpo to kidnap players from the opposing team... Lisez davantage

Published on Feb 22 2002 by Kent

5.0 out of 5 stars They were right: Marxists are out to destroy our colleges
It is a mistake I think, admittedly easy to make, to consider the Marx Brothers to be postmodern comedians. Lisez davantage

Published on Jan 1 2002 by Lawrance M. Bernabo

5.0 out of 5 stars Hysterical!
The Marx Brothers are the best comedy team ever. "Horse Feathers" is on of their very finest. Lisez davantage

Published on Dec 18 2001 by Josh P.

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best
I love this movie. There is minimal singing and dancing here, the only unbearable points being whenever Zeppo starts singing to Thelma Todd in his gimpy voice. Lisez davantage

Published on Dec 7 2001 by Brandon S.

4.0 out of 5 stars Every One Says I Love You
Although not as biting as Duck Soup nor as outrageously ridiculous as Animal Crackers, Horse Feathers certainly presents the four Marx Brothers at their anarchy-laden best as... Lisez davantage

Published on Dec 5 2001 by Gary F. Taylor

5.0 out of 5 stars Whatever It Is, I'm Against It - But Not "Horse Feathers"
"Horse Feathers" released in 1932, is the Marx Bros. fourth film, and the second consecutive one without the illustrious Margaret Dumont. Lisez davantage

Published on Nov 18 2001 by T. W. Fuller

5.0 out of 5 stars Horse Feathers
A great movie. One of the Marx Brothers best. Many funny scenes. The brothers are at college. The scene with Groucho as the teacher and Harpo and Chico as students is great. Lisez davantage

Published on Sep 22 2001 by Brother Frank

Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

› See all 27 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

Search Listmania!