Whew...

...this pace is getting a little much.  Those 5 months off are going to kill this project, I'm sure, but I'm not giving up just yet...

Next installment of the essays I'm writing on my experience watching the AFI Top 100 (10th Anniversary Edition) in a calendar year.

Film 35

35.  "A Night At The Opera" (AFI Rank #85)

There is no way to couch this.  It is awfully hard to imagine why TWO Marx Brothers' films earn their place in the top 100, while films like "Alien," "Night of the Living Dead," "Amadeus," any of the "Star Wars" or "Lord of the Rings" sequels, and myriad others find themselves off the list.  I get it.  The Marx Brothers were historically significant.  So were Fred and Ginger.  The latter got one film in the list, the former got two.

But...the film is on the list, and I watched it with my sons.  I think I can get through this quickly.  There are exactly no amazing technical aspects in this film (with the exception of gags), no transcendent acting performances, no directing chops that couldn't be justified as "point the camera over there and let those guys do their thing."

What there is, however, is laughter.  Lots and lots and lots of laughter.  Beginning with Groucho, the film showcases the amazing talents of 3 of the 5 Marx Brothers, the aforementioned Groucho, Harpo, and Chico.  As I said, the film opens with the machine gun one-liners of Groucho (Otis B. Driftwood) as he furiously explains away his affections (and the lack thereof) to a wealthy widow whom he is milking for cash.

A typical exchange:

Mrs. Claypool:  I've been sitting here since 7 o'clock
Otis B. Driftwood:  Yes, with your back to me.  When I invite a woman to dinner, I expect her to look at my face.  It's the price she has to pay.

As the film progresses, the set-up is made clear.  A chorus tenor named Ricardo is in love with the ingenue of the opera company in which they perform in Italy.  Her beauty has also attracted the affections of the lead tenor, a typical diva named Lassparri.  Mrs. Claypool, for whom Otis acts as the business manager, has given a large donation to the New York Opera company, with the express purpose of bringing Lassparri to America.  Harpo plays Lassparri's dresser, and Chico is...well...Chico is an Italian guy who knew some people backstage at the Opera, including Ricardo, and becomes his manager.  Eventually, all these people need to travel by steamship to America, some stowing away, some living off the fortunes of others in different ways.

What ensues is a lot of cleverly done gags, a lot of witty banter, and several wonderful musical performances captured on film.   Classic gags:  too many people in too small a stateroom; the musical numbers; the bearded aviators making their speeches; and the 4 guys in one hotel room gag.  I'm missing a few.  I've mentioned them because if you've seen the film, you know exactly what I'm describing.

 It's great fun.  I'm not sure, however, that it qualifies as "great film."

I don't know.  Maybe it is.

I am currently directing "Play It Again, Sam" for the local community theatre.   Sometimes, as I told the cast the other night, sometimes the best thing a performer can do is just entertain people.  "A Night at the Opera" does that, and it does it in spades.  The boys, who are probably a little too young for Groucho's genius, were enthralled with the slapstick stuff, with Chico, and especially with Harpo.  I kinda knew that was going to happen.

I mentioned musical performances.  I have to mention the 6 or so minutes of Chico and Harpo playing the piano and the harp respectively, (Harpo plays both) or I'm not doing justice to this film.  You simply must see that portion of the film to believe it.  It is hard to imagine how the Marx family was able to afford the money (let alone the time) with 5 sons in the house to allow at least 2 of them to become master musicians.  I'm sure there is research I can do on this.  I'm not doing that. I'm watching "A Night at the Opera" (and later "Duck Soup"), and reporting my thoughts on it.  My thoughts are that, like the Beatles, or any other great artists, I'm sure happy there was a medium available to record their exploits.  The piano/harp bit are timeless, and simply amazing.

I don't know what more to say.  I'm always glad to watch a Marx Brothers film.  They are a national treasure, and their work will resound for generations to come.  There is a timelessness to it that cannot be denied.  There is also a great deal of classical comedic history in their characters/caricatures.  There's lots of material available to discuss that, I'm sure.  I'm not going to get into it.

I'm ecstatic that the boys found it funny, too.  I'm glad I got to watch a hilarious comedy during this quest.  I hope you watch it sometime soon, too.  Beyond that, it's the Marx Brothers.  Just enjoy it.

No Ebert this time.  He does an article about "Duck Soup," however, so I'm looking forward to reading that post write-up of that film.