Eric Stevenson This is considered to be one of the best Marx Brothers movies and while I personally wouldn't rank it in my Top 5, it was still tons of fun. This also happens to be the longest Marx Brothers movie ever made. Something of that length would have to have a lot going on and boy does this ever! I admit there are some song and dance numbers that don't have much comedy. They are still pretty impressive to look at and do make the film more epic.Everything does build up very well and you always have to appreciate the pacing of the longest film in a series. This kicks off Comedy Month! I am sad to say that this is the last theme month I'll be doing as I can't find any more themes with enough movies for whole months and I want to try new things. Groucho is as great as ever. I like the idea of two characters with one who doesn't talk. It divides the comedy up better. ***1/2

Robert Reynolds The second film the Marx Brothers made at MGM and their second (and last) for Irving Thalberg. There will be spoilers ahead: One of the best films the Marx Brothers made, it's also the only Marx Brothers film with an Academy Award nomination to its credit (for Dance Direction of the "All God's Chillun Got Rhythm" number) which obviously means very little, but it's an interesting piece of trivia.The basic plot is similar to other Marx Brothers films-the owner of a sanitarium is about to lose it to her creditor, who is the villain of the piece. Groucho is a con man (a horse doctor posing as a medical doctor) Chico works for the sanitarium and Harpo is a jockey. Maureen O'Sullivan plays the owner, Allan Jones is her boyfriend/would-be savior, who buys a horse with the intent of winning prize money to save the sanitarium.Margret Dumont is a wealthy hypochondriac patient at the sanitarium who sends for "Dr." Hackenbush to head the sanitarium because he's the only one who understands just how "ill" she is. Douglas Dumbrille plays the villain and he and his henchman try to trap Groucho to discredit him in a couple of ways, both of which set up comedy bits in the film. They also try to keep Jones's horse from racing because they want the property.Along the way, Chico fleeces Groucho at the track in a classic bit-Chico sells Groucho betting books with codes at ever increasing prices while pretending to sell "tootsie frootsie" ice cream. Groucho also "examines" Harpo and Mrs. Upjohn and attempts to have a late-night tryst with a femme Fatale out to discredit him to Mrs. Upjohn.There are also musical bits with Chico and Harpo, set within the Water Carnival production number. Just how Harpo comes by his harp is one of the most bizarre and inventive transitions in the film. The songs here aren't terribly memorable, but Jones executes his competently. The songs just aren't that good.After several setbacks, the film concludes with the obligatory happy ending and the Marxes prevail once again.This film is available on DVD is is well worth having. Most recommended.

SnoopyStyle Judy Standish (Maureen O'Sullivan) owns the failing Standish Sanitarium. Her rich most important patient Mrs. Upjohn (Margaret Dumont) is leaving. Judy's boyfriend Gil Stewart (Allan Jones) spends all his money to buy a horse and win big for her. She is dismayed that he abandons his singing. Tony (Chico Marx) overhears Upjohn's praise for Dr. Hackenbush (Groucho Marx) and sends for him who turns out to be a veterinarian. Banker J.D. Morgan (Douglas Dumbrille) is trying to buy out the sanitarium with the help of the scheming manager Whitmore (Leonard Ceeley). Gil gets Stuffy (Harpo Marx) to ride his horse Hi-Hat.Groucho is as snappy as ever. Harpo's physical gags are hilarious. There are some fun long setups like the ice cream bit. When all three get together in the examination, it's a great skit. As always in their movies, there are old fashion musical numbers. Those are not my taste but it's expected. I personally like the musical segments where they inject comedy into them. There is even one with a big cast of black singers and dancers. There are some big laughs although the movie is a bit long.

junkof9-1 I love movies from the 1930s and 1940s and TCM is my favorite channel, so I've seen most of the Marx Brothers movies over the years. My comments here about A Day at the Races could apply equally to any of the movies they made at MGM. Something I was struck by is the stark differences between their early features - Animal Crackers and Duck Soup to name two - and later releases like A Day at the Races. The difference, I realized several years is in early releases done at Paramount the Marx Brothers are "best actors" - the focal point of the story. Once they moved to MGM the brothers became "supporting actors" and their gags were subordinated to romantic subplots and over-earnest sentimentality.This change also affected my perception of the song and dance numbers. When the brothers were the leads the predictable formula - Chico comes across a piano and Harpo finds a harp - feels more integrated into the "plot". Whether in A Night at the Opera, The Big Store, or A Day at the Races the musical interludes feel self-consciously cute - an interlude that stops the storyline (opera singers or horse owners) while the music plays.