February 25

Happy Birthday to Jim Backus, Larry Gelbart and Zeppo Marx.

I am a big fan of the Marx Brothers, whether there are 3 or 4 in a film. I always saw Zeppo as the straight man of the group. Being the straight man is often an unappreciated and difficult role. I watched Coconuts. He did not have a big role. He was Groucho Marx's hotel assistant. Often times he looks uncomfortable, like he doesn't want to be there. At the end when they are making their final appearance in the film, he has a big smile on his face as he waves to the camera. He has a nice smile. His style is more understated and more normal behavior compared with his brothers.

Since that film was short, I was able to watch another Horse Feathers. In the DVD packing this film states that Zeppo has a larger role in the film to induce him to stay in the group. Groucho plays a college professor and Zeppo plays his son. Zeppo convinces Groucho to recruit football players that hang out in a bar. The players are recruited by another team and Groucho recruits Harpo and Chico for his team in error. Zeppo is in love with a “college widow” played by Thelma Todd. Groucho wants Zeppo to give her up, but he won't. Groucho goes after her to get her away from Zeppo. Another man is also interested in Thelma and he has her trick both Zeppo and Groucho to get the college plays so the other team can win. I like the fact that Groucho makes fun of Thelma when she talks baby talk to him. A grown woman talking baby talk to get a man to do something just annoys me. The football game is fun and full of gags. The end Chico, Harpo and Groucho marry Thelma. I think only the Marx brothers could have gotten away with that.

Each of the brothers play a version of “I Love You” to Thelma. Harpo plays a lovely version on the harp, Chico plays piano and sings a version, Groucho plays the ukelele and sings in a row boat while Thelma rows and Zeppo sings the song first to her. He has a good voice. He sings in a similar style to Rudy Valley, popular style.

My favorite jokes in comedy are when figurative phrases are taken literally. The Marx Brothers always have those jokes in their stories. In Horse Feathers Thelma falls out of the boat and says “toss me the lifesaver” he tosses her a mint.