Jeanskynebu the audience applauded

Micransix Crappy film

Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

Zandra The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Hitchcoc "Hooray for Captain Spalding" became the theme for Groucho Marx. He used it on his TV show "You Bet Your Life." When he enters to this theme in Animal Crackers with that crazy dance, turning his legs out, looking like an African explorer with a pith helmet, it is one of the all time classic moments in the movies. The one liners go on and on so the plot is inconsequential. What there is of it involves the theft of a valuable painting and a worthy fake. People are frustrated until the Marx Brothers get involved. Of course, they are hardly helpful, just causing chaos. And it makes no difference. Because there is no situation they can't screw up and eventually land on their feet. We are always going to be treated to a piano solo by Chico and some harp by Harpo (in addition to his off the wall craziness). Great movie.

beauzee I saw the re-opening in New York, in 1974, and was quite disappointed > after the first half hour, which contains some of the funniest stuff ever filmed for a feature > and a brilliant production number with a young Julius Marx kicking up his heels on HOORAY FOR CAPTAIN SPALDING > we sit slack jawed by long stretches which perhaps garnered a few guffaws at the Broadway opening > in a theatre, where formality is the key and adherence to the book is essential, Groucho's ad-libs must have been a hoot, offhand or not! But for an early "talkie", "left handed moths" and "hungerdungers" just won't fly.If a new fan wants to watch the best of Paramount Marx (they shifted to MGM and made "sensible" movies), they should look for DUCK SOUP, THE COCOANUTS, and HORSE FEATHERS. Along with MONKEY BUSINESS, CRACKERS simply does not stay fresh.

Zoooma There are better Marx Brothers movies. This is their second film and you can see very well how they are coming into their own as a well oiled comedy troupe on the big screen. Made in 1930, the process of making a film with sound has its problems, plus there's next to no story, and too much focus off of the Marx Brothers. But in between all that there's so much great humor to pay close attention to. That's how the movie shines! For someone who has never seen a Marx Brothers movie, this might be a good place to start because they get better from here!7.4 / 10 stars--Zoooma, a Kat Pirate Screener

tomgillespie2002 The greatest thing about the Marx Brothers was the diversity of their comedy. Groucho was ultimately a master of the one-liners, Chico alluded to ethnic stereotypes that were popular during his days doing vaudeville, and Harpo was the clown, pulling sight gags from every pocket he had in that huge overcoat he wore. Animal Crackers, their second film as The Marx Brothers, allows them free reign to indulge in their manic brand of comedy due to an absence of plot. What is immediately apparent upon viewing the film is just how postmodern it is. Groucho laments his inner thoughts to camera and a statue shoots back at a startled Harpo, all combining to make one truly insane 95 minutes, made all the more risqué with this being before the introduction of the Hays Code.Famour explorer Captain James T. Spaulding (Groucho) arrives at a house party hosted by the upper-class Mrs. Rittenhouse (Margaret Dumont). Whilst there, he manages to swindle, insult and charm the various guests who are in attendance, namely Roscoe Chandler (Louis Sorin), an art collector who has brought one his most prized paintings to display to the guests. Also there is musician Signor Ravelli (Chico) and his mad sidekick The Professor (Harpo), who are harbouring a plan to steal the painting and replace it with a forgery. Unfortunately for them, there are others who wish to pull off the same trick for different reasons.While the songs are nice and catchy (Groucho's intro song "Hooray for Captain Spaulding" was used in TV quiz show You Bet Your Life, which Groucho hosted), the technical aspects suffer the same way as many films did with the sudden introduction of sound. The screen is crammed with characters, much like a play would be, and this sense of disorganisation takes a little away from the film.But it is all about the comedy after all, and here all three of the brothers are on top form, with Groucho providing the killer lines "one day I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I don't know" and "we took some pictures of the native girls, but they weren't developed. But we're going back again in a couple of weeks!" (Zeppo also appears, but only briefly). When the plot becomes too ridiculous or the action moves away from the Marx Brothers, stick around for another 30 seconds and they'll be something else to laugh at - it's just that funny.www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com