Duck Soup

Name: Duck Soup
Genre: Comedy, War, Musical
Released: November 17, 1933
Duration: 68 min
Rating: 93
Cast: Chico Marx, Edmund Breese, Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Leonid Kinskey

1933

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 15 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 27 Ratings

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7.9

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7.9	Your Score
7.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 27 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: November 17, 1933 | Passed

Starring: Chico Marx, Edmund Breese, Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Leonid Kinskey, Louis Calhern, Margaret Dumont, Raquel Torres, The Marx Brothers, Zeppo Marx

Summary: Rufus T. Firefly is named president/dictator of bankrupt Freedonia and declares war on neighboring Sylvania over the love of wealthy Mrs. Teasdale.

Director: Leo McCarey

Genre(s): Comedy, War, Musical

Rating: Passed

Runtime: 68 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

John Doyle

This 70-minute movie is the most startling, breakneck comedy of the Marx Brothers' career... Next to Chaplin's "The Great Dictator", this is the purest satire of dictatorship on film. [20 Jan 1996]

100

Roger Ebert

There is an odd moment when Harpo shows Groucho a doghouse tattooed on his stomach, and in a special effect a real dog emerges and barks at him. The brothers broke the classical structure of movie comedy and glued it back again haphazardly, and nothing was ever the same. Read full review

100

Wes D Gehring

A few years ago, the American Film Institute had the audacity to name Duck Soup (1933) merely one of the top five comedies ever made. I have no idea what they could have been thinking; it clearly is number one. [1 July 2004, p.75]

100

Empire Ian Nathan

The Marx brothers on top form with their quickfire comedy and banter. Read full review

100

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

The sheer silliness is inspired. Read full review

Joe Bigelow

In place of the constant punning and dame chasing, Duck Soup has the Marxes madcapping through such bits as the old Schwartz Bros. mirror routine, so well done in the hands of Groucho, Harpo and Chico that it gathers a new and hilarious comedy momentum all over again. Read full review

Mordaunt Hall

A production in which the bludgeon is employed more often than the gimlet. The result is that this production is, for the most part, extremely noisy without being nearly as mirthful as their other films. Read full review

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User Reviews

Morty_McFlay

Nov 19, 2019

It has definitely aged a bit, but it’s still a pretty good classic comedy. It’s a mixed bag; this film has some of the best comedic exchanges in cinematic history, but it also has some bits that wear out their welcome after a while (or weren’t very welcome to begin with). For a movie asIt has definitely aged a bit, but it’s still a pretty good classic comedy. It’s a mixed bag; this film has some of the best comedic exchanges in cinematic history, but it also has some bits that wear out their welcome after a while (or weren’t very welcome to begin with). For a movie as short as Duck Soup is, you wouldn’t think there’d be any drag, but there is. Still, the craft on display especially for the time and those great exchanges make it worth a watch.… Expand

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royalguy07

Mar 5, 2023

Used to watch a lot of Marx Brothers films growing up with my Dad. Feel like I enjoyed them more back then. There were some good laughs and moments throughout and the pacing was great. Just by the end I was losing some patience with the sameness of all the humor.

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