Film & Shorts Discussions > The Marx Brothers
Go West (1940) - The Marx Brothers
metaldams:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032536/?ref_=ttmd_md_nm
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=t-wmCZWlnoY
Trailer
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DOUC_D2DAn8
Train Sequence
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LOe2bTVLRxk
Opening train station scene
For you guys not familiar with this movie or even The Marx Brothers, while the entire movie is not on YouTube, some great scenes are and they are linked above. The trailer is linked as well, so at least maybe more people will have something to comment on.
Sometimes challenging the accepted narrative is fun. We're supposed to believe the best films were at Paramount, the first two MGM's were the best at that studio but not quite the Paramounts, and then things went completely downhill. There is some truth to that in my opinion, but not 100%. My personal opinion of GO WEST challenges that narrative, because I actually rank this higher than THE COCOANUTS and A DAY AT THE RACES and feel this is a wonderful film, certainly better than the films directly before and after it.
AT THE CIRCUS starts out with ten minutes mostly dedicated to the romantic couple, giving us such nauseating moments as "Two Blind Loves." GO WEST, on the other hand, gives us ten minutes of pure Marx Brothers shystering, which can be found linked above. It's great seeing all three brothers working together, and the exchanging a ten for nine ones bit never gets old. I also love the coonskin cap with the tail covering Harpo's face and just find the entire scene to be a lot of fun. A really good start.
As for the romantic couple, not anywhere near as annoying as last film. Their first scene is a little annoying for sure, talking about the ways they "hate" each other, and there is a bit in the middle of the film where the boys visit the leading lady strictly to learn of her plight and help her, but beyond that, they aren't too intrusive. There are no sappy musical numbers here. Oh, there are musical numbers, but when the villainess with the alto voice has her number, we're at least entertained by interjected Groucho one liners and him leering at her, and the song sung out on the wagon at least has Groucho and Chico joining in, with Groucho even playing some guitar. A fun little moment.
As usual, Chico and Harpo get their musical bits. Chico does a nice bit where he rolls the piano keys with a ball and even plays a little bit of "Listen to the Mockingbird," Stooge fans....and to continue our ongoing theme of race and comedy that seems to be showing up on here much as of late, for the third MGM film in a row, Harpo again attracts a non-white audience, this time a Native American flavor. The part where Harpo honks his horn while the chief "Ug's" along makes me laugh real loud with the commentary from Groucho as he breaks the fourth wall, gets an extreme close up, and talks about the meeting of intellectual giants.
As far as pure slapstick goes, the train finale, also linked above, may be the best bit in a Marx Brothers films. Though always uncredited, Buster Keaton was a gag man at MGM at the time. I get the impression the brothers did not like Keaton and vice versa based on what I've read, and while I can't always point out for sure what's a Keaton gag on these MGMs and what isn't, this train sequence has got to be Keaton. This thing smacks of THE GENERAL, which is Keaton's most highly regarded film. The idea of unjoining different parts of the train to block people that are behind on the tracks and using the wood from the train cargo as fuel for the train itself is directly lifted from THE GENERAL, and the sight of the train being destroyed at the end with the brothers still riding in it is quite a rewarding one.
Just want to randomly throw out there that "Time wounds all heels" is a Groucho line from this film that I use in regular real life talk.
Overall, GO WEST is a great Marx Brothers film and certainly their most underrated.
9/10
Seamus:
--- Quote from: metaldams on January 11, 2015, 07:29:45 PM --- Sometimes challenging the accepted narrative is fun. We're supposed to believe the best films were at Paramount, the first two MGM's were the best at that studio but not quite the Paramounts, and then things went completely downhill. There is some truth to that in my opinion, but not 100%. My personal opinion of GO WEST challenges that narrative, because I actually rank this higher than THE COCOANUTS and A DAY AT THE RACES and feel this is a wonderful film, certainly better than the films directly before and after it.
--- End quote ---
Glad to see you kick off your review with this challenge to conventional Marx Brothers wisdom, because I only recently came around to this very same conclusion. I'd always slotted GO WEST in the same general category of mediocrity as AT THE CIRCUS, based on my first viewings of those movies years ago. But upon re-watching it for the first time about two months ago, I was legitimately surprised by how good it is. My earlier opinion might have been colored by the fact that I watched most of their movies pretty close together the first time around, and my immediate preference for the freewheeling Paramount movies made me resistant to the structured MGM formula of their later stuff. So I was happy to discover that I'd been underrating this one, because GO WEST is pretty terrific (we'll see if AT THE CIRCUS gets a similar re-evaluation when I finally get around to seeing that one again).
The opening scene with Groucho getting fleeced by the other two is one of their all-time greats. It's a rare extended sequence featuring all three borthers, which is not only interesting in and of itself, but it also means that we're treated to eight snappy minutes of both verbal patter and visual gags coming at us simultaneously. It's the kind of scene you'd get if you put the "racing tips" scene from RACES and Harpo's scenes with Edgar Kennedy in DUCK SOUP through a blender. It's also a fun demonstration of the general working relationship between the brothers that we see in every movie - Groucho and Harpo working their two opposite styles of comedy, barely interacting directly with each other, with Chico acting as the bridge between them. Most of the time we either get a verbal double-act with Groucho and Chico, or Chico acting as set-up man for Harpo's sight gags. It's not often we get a long scene with both of those dynamics happening at once, and they pull it off beautifully.
Also enjoyed the scene with Groucho and Chico getting hammered on mint juleps with the ladies while Harpo cracks the safe in the next room, partly for the novelty of seeing the Marx Brothers do drunk humor.
I agree that the romantic sub-plot isn't terribly intrusive or irritating in this one, although Groucho's very out-of-character reassurance to the leading lady that he and his brothers "also serve as best men...at weddings" is an awkward reminder that we're watching an MGM movie. Possibly the least convincing line Groucho's ever delivered.
The train finale feels like it should be in someone else's movie, but it's so much fun it doesn't matter.
I think I'd actually agree with your placement of GO WEST over COCOANUTS and RACES, surprising as it is to find myself saying it. In fact, I'm finding myself warming to the MGM movies more these days, having re-watched OPERA and RACES last week on TCM so soon after my reappraisal of GO WEST. I notice that this one and AT THE CIRCUS were both written by Irving Brecher, which makes me even more curious to go back and revisit AT THE CIRCUS.
metaldams:
--- Quote from: Seamus on January 12, 2015, 04:50:24 PM ---
I think I'd actually agree with your placement of GO WEST over COCOANUTS and RACES, surprising as it is to find myself saying it. In fact, I'm finding myself warming to the MGM movies more these days, having re-watched OPERA and RACES last week on TCM so soon after my reappraisal of GO WEST. I notice that this one and AT THE CIRCUS were both written by Irving Brecher, which makes me even more curious to go back and revisit AT THE CIRCUS.
--- End quote ---
Definitely visit AT THE CIRCUS, but don't go in not expecting another GO WEST. AT THE CIRCUS has much more sap, the script is very scattered (Margaret Dumont's character does not appear until about two thirds of the way through), and the finale, while fun, isn't quite the train sequence. Let me know your opinion either way, I'm curious as to what you think.
Seamus:
--- Quote from: metaldams on January 13, 2015, 10:08:40 AM ---Definitely visit AT THE CIRCUS, but don't go in not expecting another GO WEST. AT THE CIRCUS has much more sap, the script is very scattered (Margaret Dumont's character does not appear until about two thirds of the way through), and the finale, while fun, isn't quite the train sequence. Let me know your opinion either way, I'm curious as to what you think.
--- End quote ---
It'll almost be like watching it for the first time, because I honestly can't remember a single scene from CIRCUS, other than a vague recollection of the "cigar" scene and Groucho being terrorized by a gorilla (which already strikes a wrong note).
By the way, has anyone read this memoir by the writer of GO WEST and CIRCUS? Looks pretty interesting, think I'll be picking it up. Brecher worked with a lot of comedy heavyweights, so should be a fun read.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Wicked-Wit-West-Screenwriter/dp/1934730327
Larrys#1:
Like Metaldams, I think this is a very good movie. It's no Duck Soup or Monkey Business, but it's a nice step up from their previous two movies. My favorite part is the beginning where Chico and Harpo swindle Groucho out of all his money. The whole "9 dollars change" thing was hilarious and had me laughing out loud the entire time. And then Chico goes on to tell Groucho that they need to give him another dollar because it's the law to pay tax. And Groucho replies, "No, I couldn't afford it." That was a great scene performed by all three Marx Bros.
Musical numbers seem to be kept to minimum here. There were a couple of musical numbers, but very short. There is a romantic subplot, but they're only brief moments.
8.5/10
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