Word: chico
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Duck Soup (Paramount). Any country governed by Groucho Marx would likely become a shambles. Freedonia,* the scene of this picture, has Groucho for dictator, Brother Zeppo for his secretary. Freedonia's collapse is only delayed by Brothers Chico and Harpo as spies for a rival principality. Groucho is engaged simultaneously in making love to and insulting the richest lady in Freedonia. He is also doing his best to foment war by abusing Ambassador Trentino (Louis Calhern) of Sylvania who makes the mistake of hiring Chico and Harpo. They enter his office armed to the teeth with alarm clocks, scissors...
With more plot and fewer girls than most Marx Brothers comedies, Duck Soup has the disadvantage of adding nothing to vary the essential technique of their efforts. It exhibits Chico & Zeppo as usual, Groucho less flatteringly than in Horsefeathers. Admirers of Harpo should be particularly pleased with his horrid actions in Duck Soup. He carries a plumber's blow torch for a cigaret lighter, conducts a wordless telephone conversation by means of horns and bells, irritates a lemonade vendor by doing sleight-of-hand with his straw hat. Good shot: Harpo, impersonating Groucho in order to steal "war plans...
...Bridge Expert Ely Culbertson alibied his cancellation of a bridge match with the four Marx Brothers who play a fair game. Having agreed to a quiet game, he found they had hired a hall and invited 300 cinema stars to watch the "world's championship." Zeppo and Chico were to play, Harpo to advise, Groucho to perch on a tower behind Culbertson wigwagging signals. Best bridging Marx is Zeppo, best gambler Chico. All play a good bargaining game...
...Manhattan, where he was a bellhop. Unable to think of anything for Harpo to say, she had him try some of his grandfather's tricks. When the Marxes were performing in Waukegan, Ill., they were surprised to hear, in the orchestra pit, the piano playing of their brother Chico. He had been touring the country as a piano player and wrestler. At Waukegan, Chico, Zeppo, Gummo and Groucho made their closest approach to an academic career in an act called "Fun in Hi-Skule." On the Sullivan-Considine circuit they toured with Charlie Chaplin, gave him good advice about...
...Marxes toured U. S. training camps with their first show, Mr. Green's Reception. When influenza caused the barracks to be quarantined, Gummo and Harpo enlisted. Groucho and Chico joined organizations for entertaining soldiers. Harpo reached France with the 7th Regiment. He worked as a reporter for the Stars & Stripes, like Editor Harold Ross of the New Yorker, Colyumist Franklin Pierce ("F. P. A.") Adams and Alexander Woollcott. With them he helped form the famed Thanatopsis Club, for poker...