Review of Animal Crackers (1930) by Steve N — 27 Mar 2011
I managed to get through a large chunk of my life without having seen a Marx Brothers movie, and now I know why. I want to believe I struggled with this vaudevillian flavor of comedy because of the era from whence it came, but in my heart I know that isn't so.
Max Linder -- the patron saint of silver screen comedy -- was a genius, doing it right before there even was a Hollywood. To be fair, the Marx Brothers are some talented guys, but Zukor and Paramount Studios, while acknowledging that fact, seem unclear what to do with them beyond turning the camera on their highly polished stage act.
The result is an incredibly awkward affair where the Brothers demonstrate their skills but also a complete lack of understanding how to work in front of a camera. Let's call this one a dress rehearsal and hope for better down the road.
This review of Animal Crackers (1930) was written by Steve N on 27 March 2011.
Animal Crackers has generally received positive reviews.
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