Customer Reviews

Love Happy

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

While it's not the best of the Marx Brothers movies, Love Happy is important for several reasons. First, it is the Marx Brothers' last film together; second, Harpo Marx wrote the story; and third, it marks Marilyn Monroe's big screen debut (not counting the exceedingly small bit parts she had landed before 1949). I am sure I'm not the only person to buy this movie just to see Marilyn, and she is unmistakably dazzling in her brief appearance, making quite an impression on Groucho and a number of contemporary moviegoers. While you may see her featured prominently on the video jacket, be aware that her screen time, as memorable as it is, lasts no more than a minute. With Groucho's own time fairly limited, the onus for making this movie funny and enjoyable falls on Harpo and Chico Marx, and they don't disappoint.

Groucho plays detective Sam Grunion, and he narrates the first two-thirds of the movie before actually getting involved in the action. He is on the trail of the stolen Romanoff diamonds, but initially he is two steps behind Madame Egelichi and her henchmen (one of whom is Raymond Burr is a very un-Perry Mason-like role). As things work out, Egelichi is herself two steps behind Harpo, who unwittingly snatches the can of sardines holding the diamonds while filching food to feed a group of struggling off-Broadway players. These players aren't crucial to the plot, but Vera-Ellen shines as Maggie Phillips, dancer, actress, and all-around enchanting young woman. Chico worms his way into the production, serves as Harpo's interpreter in a couple of crucial scenes, and helps Harpo protect Maggie and the other players from danger. Groucho joins in at the end to make the diamond-hunting foray a full-blown farce worthy of the Marx Brothers.

Of course, it wouldn't be a Marx Brothers movie without some music, and Love Happy features two excellent performances. Chico shows off on the piano, and Harpo treats us to a beautiful harp solo. I can't say Love Happy made me bust a gut laughing, but it was certainly a very enjoyable movie. As a huge Marilyn Monroe fan, I also have to say that her performance, short as it is, was wonderful and in no way disappointing. I would have liked to have seen more of Groucho in the movie, but Harpo and Chico prove rather convincingly that the Marx Brothers are much more than just Groucho.

That is correct fellow Marx Fans. I have always had a fond place in my Marxian Heart for Love Happy. Now there is MORE happy to love! In fact, over 6 minutes of footage I have never seen. Not on previous release versions on VHS, Laserdisc, at the LaPaloma Theatre when I projected it in 35mm or in my own 16mm print! The footage adds a LOT to the movie. In one scene Groucho describes how he has tracked the sexy Madame Egelich (Illona Massey) all over the world. He whips out a series of Photos showing them to us the audience with him holding Illona in various sexy poses. Concluding with one photo of her in a 1950's style batheing suit. Another restored scene has Chico, who assigns himself the task of stopping the owner of the theatre from kicking the troupe out for lack of rent payment. Before the drooling owner is paraded a bevy of beauties. Groucho says in the voiceover, "He wisely chose the Blonde on the end". Pretty racy by 50's standards. We even get a new scene where Raymond Burr tortures Harpo by placing him in a giant washing machine! There are additional small scenes sprinkled thruout, but those are the best. WOW! It is so great to see new footage of Groucho, Harpo and Chico. BUY this disc! You will be Happy you did. Johno

This was the final act of the Marx Brothers and yes, it was their weakest film. I wouldn't even technically call this a Marx Brothers movie considering Chico & Groucho have no scenes together and Groucho & Harpo only have 1 scene together. Groucho also gets the lone scene with miss Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn Monroe appears on the screen for maybe 30 seconds and although I was never a fan of hers you could kind of sense a strong presence about her for that brief time she was in the movie. I couldn't enjoy this movie thoroughly with Groucho narrating and Harpo as the star. The plot was ok but it was an extremly bad ending and just not what you would expect from the Marx Brothers...their true last performance was in "A Night In Casablanca" which was actually a pretty good movie. This movie is just out of sheer curiousity for Marx Brothers and Marilyn Monroe fans.

Some reviews have understated the problems here. Marylin's cameo is not even one minute long - it's more like 30 seconds, and not very memorable. In fact, Marylin is completely upstaged by female lead Vera-Ellen (someone I'd never heard of), who has a very sexy dance number.

Not only does Groucho appear very little, but until the very end he does not interact with his brothers. Apparently they decided to add him at the last minute and shot several solo scenes featuring him that are interspersed throughout the film. This is unfortunate because Groucho's persona, in my opinion, was the center of the Marx brothers act. Harpo's antics grow wearisome in extended doses, and Chico is even more limited. Groucho, after all, was the one who always dropped cynical comments about the mediocre romantic storylines that were attached to the later Marx films, and thus made it possible to endure those storylines. Without his presence here, we are overwhelmed with the shabby, sentimental story about a theatrical troupe trying to put on a Broadway show.

There is one thing to recommend the film - it has Chico's most amusing piano number (after the one in Animal Crackers), as he attempts to improvise a duet with a violinist.

I know this movie doesn't hold a candle to
"Duck Soup" and "A Night At The Opera", but don't judge this film too harshly. Watch the movie, see what you think, you're entitled to your opinion. I think this movie is pretty good. Harpo has center stage instead of all of them, mainly Groucho, in the spotlight. Groucho only has a secondary role and appears in about 1/3 of the film. Harpo as himself is kept an eye on by Ilona Massey as she tries to get her greedy hands on a diamond necklace. This becomes unoticingly passed through a group of actors rehearsing a show. As Chico gets in on the action and Groucho steps in on the scene, the chase is on when the diamonds are hunted down...almost. Give this a try. You're going to laugh at a few parts, but again it isn't tops, but it's worth watching. Groucho's part is in 1/3 of the film as he delivers only one or two one-liners, but Chico and Harpo still display their musical talents. There is a hint of them sluggishingly getting through the film, but don't let it detract you from seeing the brothers' final film together.

Let's face it: if you've seen all the Brothers' fims dozens of times, and read at least ONE of the bios like me (try Adamson's now-legendary book-- the best of all, if you can locate an out-of-print copy) you must admit this: by Marxian standards this is a sad effort. FACT: the only reason they all agreed (virtually kicking and screaming) to do "Love Happy" was that Chico, a serious and debt-ridden gambler, desperately needed the money. Screen legend Lillian Gish helped finance it and all the product "ads" at the end were sold to get the production completed, but not much can save this film as a vehicle for ALL the brothers, as do at least 11 of the 13 they did. It's Harpo's film, and he was always brilliant. Chico and Groucho (who is basically at the begining and the end ) have a few scattered funny moments, but even Groucho himself later said he hated this film.
As one other reviewer accurately noted, they were old and tired of it all in 1950, and "Love Happy" shows it. The Marx Brothers were cinematic history's most beloved, creative and inventive comedy team, but this movie doesn't help to prove that inarguable truth.

I loved this movie when I was a kid, it came on AMC fairly often. I suppose I enjoyed the movie because of Harpo, his antics, and Chico with his musical prowess. It certainly wasn't for the singing and the dancing, which there was way too much of. After finding out the miserable circumstances in making the movie, I think it's unfortuate how things turned out. After viewing the movie when I was older, I didn't see as much of the appeal that I did when I was young. Harpo is eternally funny and endearing of course, there's no denying. I suppose that the guys were just burnt out on doing the brother routine, and wanted to move on. The only reason that Groucho appears at all is because, when filming, the producers ran out of money. The financial backers promised to help, only if Groucho was in it. Plus, the scene towards the end with all of the advertisements was put in, in an effort to raise money to continue filming. All in all, the movie was a big disaster, and it would be the last true project the brothers would work on together.
Besides Harpo, the most memorable scene was with Marilyn Monroe:

MM: Mr. Grunion, some men are following me!
Groucho (raising eyebrows): I can't imagine why...

It's unfortunate that the brothers made their exit from Hollywood as a team, under such poor circumstances. They deserved better.

I am a huge fan of the Marx brothers. I own all of their movies except "Love Happy" and "At the Circus". They both stink. It's not the acting, it's the writing. The story is really terrible, and the Marx brothers don't have the same energy they used to. They are in their late 50's to early 60's. It's really sad to see how MGM ruined them. I couldn't even finish Love Happy. Rent it before you buy it.

I saw this as a kid and loved it, primarily because of Harpo's antics. Particularly the scenes where he makes the sad heroine laugh by performing bizzare tricks (years later, I would try this on winning girls myself). The scene where he goes on a wild ride on the city's electric billboards is also a high point, and there is some poignancy in the finale where he walks off twirling the bejeweled necklace in the night, knowing this is the last time we'll see him on film. Granted, seeing this as an adult will not impress you that much, but if there's some kid in you, enjoy Harpo's antics and have a ball!

If you want to get this beacuse it is the last Marx Brothers movie or because of the Marilyn Monroe scene OK. But other than that, it is not a good movie. It is not funny. It is sad.