http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041604/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Well folks, we're at the end of the line with The Marx Brothers, as this will turn out to be their final film together. LOVE HAPPY gets a bad reputation that I feel is underserved. The main problem is the expectations people have coming into this film. These days, the main way this film is advertised is a Marx Brothers film featuring Marilyn Monroe. Of course, that would be the best way to sell this film these days, but in reality, it's only a partial truth. Yes, this is a Marx Brothers film in the sense that Groucho, Chico, and Harpo are all in it. The reality is this is a Harpo vehicle that features fine support from Chico and has Groucho thrown into a last minute role just so this can be advertised as a Marx Brothers films. Hey, it's better box office. As far as Marilyn, our favorite candle in the wind was not the pop culture icon in 1949 as she was today, as the credits say "introducing" Marilyn Monroe. She was a complete unknown, pre feature film career, pre Playboy Playmate, pre Kennedy, pre Jotin' Joe, pre tragic ending, pre Bernie Taupin lyric, pre picture hanging in the dorm room of every college female, etc, etc etc, you get the point. She appears in one scene here where she walks into a detectives office and complains of people following her. Christine McIntyre has done that gag, as have a million other people.
OK, now that we know what LOVE HAPPY is not, let's state that it's a Harpo Marx vehicle. Your love of this movie most likely depends on how much you love Harpo. I'm a big fan of the guy, so it's alright by me. Harpo had a hand in creating this story himself, and it's created much more in line with the helping young people like at MGM as opposed to the misfit at Paramount, but I'm OK with this. No sappy love songs here, Harpo is even attracted to the female lead even though there's no way she could possibly fall for a man with his tramp like social standing, a theme previously explored in great detail by Charlie Chaplin's tramp character. Harpo's doomed to be the friend, though they don't overplay this angle too much, the comedy takes over more times than not. I also love the way they show the little shack in which Harpo lives, again very Chaplinesque.
As for the comedy, we get the tried and true Harpo routines like having the overcoat filled with every item but the kitchen sink, perhaps done to greatest effect here. They even manage to take a dog out at one point! Harpo and Chico get to do another one of their delightful charades routines, and we get a great harp solo from Harpo, playing "Happy Birthday" to Vera-Ellen and then busting out "Swanee River." Nothing really new or revolutionary out of Harpo here, instead it plays like a greatest hits album.
I love Chico anytime he's hopelessly trying to make love to Ilona Massey, offering to cover her in sardines and asking if she wants pickled herring or anchovies instead. The piano solo may display Chico at his most virtuosic, very entertaining and I love the way he competes with the violin player.
As for Groucho, his role was just thrown in. He's completely entertaining whenever he's on, but he's not on much and is nothing more than a narrator for the first hour of the film. Interestingly enough, Groucho never appears in the same frame as Chico for the entire film.
I also think the chase scene on top of the roof deserves some praise. Much better than the haphazard mess at the end of THE BIG STORE. The scene is logical with everyone going after the necklace, has little fakery of MGM chases, and never wears out its welcomes. My two favorite things about the chase would be Chico's reaction when the backlight shines on Ilona Massey, exposing her shapely figure inside her dress. The devilish look on his face and his hat rising up symbolizing, well, you know (another device Chaplin used, by the way), always gets a laugh out of me. I also love the gratuitous advertising displayed for gas and cigarette companies. Hey, gotta make that money, but at least they use it to good comic effect.
Like ROOM SERVICE, LOVE HAPPY ranks low as a Marx Brothers film because in this case, there simply is not enough Groucho. However, like ROOM SERVICE, I'm able to appreciate LOVE HAPPY for what it is rather than what it isn't - a nice Harpo vehicle with the assistance of his brothers.
This concludes my Marx Brothers reviews. The fact that I have not ranked a single Marx film below a 7 obviously means I really enjoy their entire body of work. They only made 13 films, so it's not like they had much room to screw up, but I even find joy in their lesser works. Thanks to all of you who have participated so far and those of you who will participate in the future. It's obviously never too late to comment on films reviewed a while back. In fact, it's encouraged.
8/10
