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IMDbPro

Animal Crackers

  • 19301930
  • GG
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
14K
YOUR RATING
Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, Zeppo Marx, and The Marx Brothers in Animal Crackers (1930)
Mayhem and zaniness ensue when a valuable painting goes missing during a party in honor of famed African explorer Captain Spaulding.
Play trailer2:41
1 Video
47 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Family
  • Musical
Mayhem and zaniness ensue when a valuable painting goes missing during a party in honor of famed African explorer Captain Spaulding.Mayhem and zaniness ensue when a valuable painting goes missing during a party in honor of famed African explorer Captain Spaulding.Mayhem and zaniness ensue when a valuable painting goes missing during a party in honor of famed African explorer Captain Spaulding.
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
14K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Victor Heerman
  • Writers
    • George S. Kaufman(based on the musical play by)
    • Morrie Ryskind(based on the musical play by)
    • Bert Kalmar(based on the musical play by)
  • Stars
    • Groucho Marx
    • Harpo Marx
    • Chico Marx
Top credits
  • Director
    • Victor Heerman
  • Writers
    • George S. Kaufman(based on the musical play by)
    • Morrie Ryskind(based on the musical play by)
    • Bert Kalmar(based on the musical play by)
  • Stars
    • Groucho Marx
    • Harpo Marx
    • Chico Marx
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 102User reviews
    • 49Critic reviews
    • 77Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:41
    Official Trailer

    Photos47

    Groucho Marx, Margaret Dumont, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, and The Marx Brothers in Animal Crackers (1930)
    Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, Zeppo Marx, and The Marx Brothers in Animal Crackers (1930)
    Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, Zeppo Marx, and The Marx Brothers in Animal Crackers (1930)
    Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, and Louis Sorin in Animal Crackers (1930)
    Margaret Irving and Harpo Marx in Animal Crackers (1930)
    Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, and Zeppo Marx in Animal Crackers (1930)
    Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, and Zeppo Marx in Animal Crackers (1930)
    Chico Marx and Harpo Marx in Animal Crackers (1930)
    Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, Zeppo Marx, and The Marx Brothers in Animal Crackers (1930)
    Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, and Zeppo Marx in Animal Crackers (1930)
    Poster for (1974) Rerelease, 1 sheet movie poster
    A2, 42 x 60 cm

    Top cast

    Edit
    Groucho Marx
    Groucho Marx
    • Captain Geoffrey T. Spauldingas Captain Geoffrey T. Spaulding
    Harpo Marx
    Harpo Marx
    • The Professoras The Professor
    Chico Marx
    Chico Marx
    • Signor Emanuel Ravellias Signor Emanuel Ravelli
    The Marx Brothers
    The Marx Brothers
    Zeppo Marx
    Zeppo Marx
    • Horatio Jamisonas Horatio Jamison
    Lillian Roth
    Lillian Roth
    • Arabella Rittenhouseas Arabella Rittenhouse
    Margaret Dumont
    Margaret Dumont
    • Mrs. Rittenhouseas Mrs. Rittenhouse
    Louis Sorin
    Louis Sorin
    • Roscoe W. Chandleras Roscoe W. Chandler
    Hal Thompson
    Hal Thompson
    • John Parkeras John Parker
    Margaret Irving
    Margaret Irving
    • Mrs. Whiteheadas Mrs. Whitehead
    Kathryn Reece
    • Grace Carpenteras Grace Carpenter
    Robert Greig
    Robert Greig
    • Hives -the butleras Hives -the butler
    Edward Metcalfe
    Edward Metcalfe
    • Police Inspector Hennesseyas Police Inspector Hennessey
    The Music Masters
    • Six Footmenas Six Footmen
    Robert Allen
    Robert Allen
    • House Party Guestas House Party Guest
    • (uncredited)
    Donald MacBride
    Donald MacBride
    • House Party Guestas House Party Guest
    • (uncredited)
    Ann Roth
    • House Party Guestas House Party Guest
    • (uncredited)
    Fredi Washington
    Fredi Washington
    • Party Guestas Party Guest
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Victor Heerman
    • Writers
      • George S. Kaufman(based on the musical play by)
      • Morrie Ryskind(based on the musical play by) (screen play)
      • Bert Kalmar(based on the musical play by)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In 1957, Paramount forgot to renew the soundtrack rights which reverted back to the authors of the play. (The studio did renew the picture rights, though.) As a result, the film could not legally be seen in the USA until 1974, when Universal, which had since purchased Paramount's film library, was persuaded by fan requests to re-release it.
    • Goofs
      When Professor replaces the handgun for a rifle after he shoots himself in the foot, Hives can be seen in the background walking behind the column, clearly awaiting his turn to enter the scene.
    • Quotes

      Capt. Spaulding: One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I don't know. Then we tried to remove the tusks. The tusks. That's not so easy to say. Tusks. You try it some time.

      Roscoe Chandler: Oh, simple: "tusks."

      Capt. Spaulding: [shakes Chandler's hand] My name is Spaulding. I've always wanted to meet you, Mr. Chandler. As I say, we tried to remove the tusks. But they were embedded so firmly we couldn't budge them. Of course, in Alabama the Tuscaloosa, but that is entirely ir-elephant to what I was talking about.

    • Alternate versions
      Censored for a 1936 reissue to meet Production Code requirements; this censored version was the only one available for television showings and subsequent VHS/DVD releases. A surviving complete and uncensored print was found in England, and is the source being used for the 2016 blu-ray release.
    • Connections
      Featured in The 46th Annual Academy Awards (1974)
    • Soundtracks
      You Must Do Your Best Tonight
      (1930) (uncredited)

      Music by Harry Ruby

      Lyrics by Bert Kalmar

      Sung by Robert Greig and The Music Masters

    User reviews102

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    strangely modern and modernly strange
    Judging by the script, you'd never believe that "Animal Crackers" is over seventy years old. Think of all the "postmodern" things that happen in this movie: Groucho directly addresses the audience to apologize for a bad joke; Harpo shoots a gun at a statue, only to see the statue come to life and return fire; and Margaret Dumont freezes in time while Groucho has a "strange interlude" and rambles to the audience about the perils of marriage and living with your folks! Of course, the absolutely ancient and decaying print will remind you that "Animal Crackers" is older than the hills, but otherwise, it's much fresher and weirder than the stuff that passes for comedy today.

    Like "The Cocoanuts," this movie is based on a play, and as such it is considerably longer and stagier than most of the later Marx movies. The pace does drag a bit towards the end, especially since the plot disappears (along with Zeppo) for long segments at a time. But many of the individual segments are classic, including the often (and rightly) praised bridge game and Harpo's gag with the cutlery-filled sleeves. Even the music segments hold up well, particularly Chico's piano routine that gets savaged by Groucho.

    Interestingly, there is a prominent romantic subplot to this film, which puts paid to the fallacy that Marx Brothers movies didn't have romances until MGM got its hands on them. However, the romance isn't nearly as intrusive or annoying here as in their later vehicles, so there's still plenty of reason to be annoyed with good old MGM...
    helpful•36
    5
    • dr_foreman
    • Jun 22, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 6, 1930 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • 3 Ahbap Çavuşlar: Hırsız Kim?
    • Filming locations
      • Paramount Studios, Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production company
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $910,015
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 37 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White

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