A Day at the Races

Whoever decided that Marx Bros. movies needed momentum-killing obnoxious musical sequences should be brought back from the dead and shot in the face. Still funny, though.

Enjoyable Marx revue is bogged down by Jones and O'Sullivan's corny romantic elements, and it must be said 2 hours of the Brothers comes close to being too much of a good (exhausting) thing, but there's some great stuff here (Dumont's examination, Chico the bookseller, Harpo's destruction and repurposing of a piano); even the segue to black-face is amusing in context, with the all-black song and dance number a well crafted digression.

Marx brothers films are always hit and miss for me and this one is no exception. There are some great jokes and even some of the slapstick is funny, but a significant portion of the comedy fell flat for me. Worst of all, the pacing is atrocious, the primary culprit being the interminable musical interludes.

Classic.

Where's the jokes??? Not enough focus on the bros. Musical numbers were good tho. Blackface ughhhh.

"If I hold you any closer I'll be in back of you!"

One of the Marx Bros.' more ambitious outings, it's a lowpoint for me so far due to below-average jokes and some hard-to-get-through musical numbers.

The wacky washing scene is worth the trouble. Funny as hell.

"Either he's dead or my watch has stopped"

Some funny gags and memorable moments but the overlong song & dance numbers really take it down a notch.

Extra points deducted for not one, but two unbearably long musical sequences.

The elaborate, over-the-top musical numbers are exactly why this is so fucking awesome.

It could easily have run even longer, because this comedy is incredibly funny! One of their best films!

The jokes and slapstick are great, but the pointless musical numbers bring it down.

Can't remember, IS there a bad Marx brothers film???

Often uproarious comedy features some of the trio's funniest set pieces (Chico selling race tips, the seduction scene, etc.). A perfunctory storyline and unmemorable songs keep it from topping its immediate predecessor, _A Night at the Opera_... but the comedy is sensational.

The Brothers are amusing, but the rest of the movie sags.

The musical sequences! Either love 'em or hate 'em. Personally, I look forward to them. Chico is fun to watch on the piano in addition to his ability, and Harpo is just amazing on the Harp. He makes me want to learn to play one, and I don't even like harps! The rest of the movie is more typical Marx Brothers mayhem.

As a result of Thalberg's untimely death, A.D.A.T.R is an altogether flabbier affair than Opera, with the balance between comedy and musical numbers thrown slightly out of whack. The Blue Venetian Waters sequence is completely superfluous, even boring, and All God's Chillun Got Rhythm overstays its welcome. Thankfully there are numerous classic Marx scenes: Tootsi Frootsie ice cream, Harpo's examination, and the big finale at the race course, which is among their greatest set pieces.

The musical numbers were a drag. Movie loses momentum after the singing. Still don't like the mute Harpo. The Marx Brothers are at the top when it's continuous dialogue. Fav scene: book selling.

The Marx Brothers's second MGM film is sort of the begin of their slow decline, but it's still a great film with some fantastic set pieces. It's not as consistently funny as their earlier films, but at least one routine is among their very funniest.

88.50

Thank ya!

It's sad that Groucho thought this was the best film he and his brothers made because this was the most undeservingly overlong slog of his oeuvre.

The dullest Marx bros. Not the worst but a slog to get through. Needs some god dang jokes.

Some of the best scenes are at the beginning (first half). After that, more musical scenes that I would like, not the best in quality compared to other Marx' movies, and some good jokes here and there. And about the love story, all those emotive songs and all that... yeah well, if all that was cut from the movie I would feel no regrets.

Very similar to A Night at the Opera, but not as good. They even repeat some of the gags.

the musical numbers are even more numerous than in previous outings, and that's a bad thing. on the up side chico shows his musical prowess on the piano and it is quite impressive. the incessant one liners on the part of groucho that i disapprove of are toned down for more circumstantial humor, which i really did enjoy. if anybody must rave about a marx brothers movie, it should be this one.

SEVERELY over-rated, this is actually quite sad and unfunny, with the Marxes trying Way Too Hard to be Wacky and Silly -- they actually seem to be wearing signs that say "LOOK AT US!! AREN'T WE WACKY AND SILLY?" Maybe so, but they aren't _funny_ in this bloated movie. Part of the problem lies in the straight characters, who are merely annoying and do not give the boys anything to play off of. Only ROOM SERVICE is worse.

Rate this Z for Zany. No political correctness is sacred especially medicine when a horse doctor poses as a famous physician. Some drag, as the vaudeville and music are locked in time.

Best and happiest Marx Brothers picture I've seen so far. Happy dancing and a great Groucho.

Yes, it's corny. But it is classic.

It was funny but as heads up for everyone, they wear blackface at one point :(

Marx Brothers will always entertain, but because of the over-elaborate musical sequences, I wouldn't watch this unless you're already a Marx Brothers fan. However, Groucho is at his best here.

Not the best material from the Brothers. I actually prefer the musical bits in this one.

I actually really liked the musical numbers and the non-Marx bits of plot. Hell, even the completely disposable 1930's Irish tenor (I wonder if they came in a box or a blister pack and could you get good bulk rates?) was pretty good. The Marx bits weren't really their best; they were funny, but felt too schticky. Not sure how I feel about the blackface, I tell myself they were portraying themselves as dicks for even trying it, and I'm 70% sure that was the case.

Probably the second best Marx brothers film after DUCK SOUP.

One of their best movies. Only complaint i have are the musical and revue parts. These are too long.

Marx Brothers, nuff said.

Funny and fun. I prefer the musical numbers to the comedy. Yup.

"....and thats Dr. Steinberg Junior" - Groucho delivers a 1930s penis joke!!! How did that one get passed the censures?! And I loved this Marx Brothers comedy! The Marx Brothers are toned down here. They've finally understood that they don't have to deliver 2 puns a second and with that take out all the jokes that don't make sense and the jokes they do deliver has time to sink in. They are a much more polished act for A Day at the Races, yet they still retain the anarchy in their madness.

A bit mundane for the Marx brothers. There's a reasonable amount of chuckles throughout the film, with a few good laughs here and there, but it doesn't really all add up in the end. The musical sequences are also pretty tiresome and don't complement the humour (unlike in A Night at the Opera). And then there's the scene where Harpo wrecks a piano while playing it and uses its insides as a harp, which is pretty fucking brilliant. Also features the Marx brothers in blackface -- gotta love it.

Still insisting on throwing that harp solo in there, are they? This is one of the more off-the-rails-with-musical-interludes Marx Brothers films I've seen. We have no music for the first hour or so, and the second hour is mostly music. And I definitely saw blackface at one point. That's messed up. Basically, this isn't a strong film. Some of the big gags had me feeling nothing. I'm thinking specifically of the Groucho/Chico betting on a horse bit at the beginning. Not even remotely funny.

this rating is more or less my baseline for marx brothers movies