Funny Portraits of the Marx Brothers in the 1930s and 1940s

The Marx Brothers were an American comedy troupe who achieved success in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in 14 motion pictures. The five brothers were Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, Groucho Marx, Gummo Marx, and Zeppo Marx, though Gummo and Zeppo both left the group over time, leaving Chico, Harpo, and Groucho as a trio. They are considered by critics, scholars and fans to be among the greatest and most influential comedians of the 20th century, a recognition underscored by the American Film Institute (AFI) selecting five of their fourteen feature films to be among the top 100 comedy films (with two in the top fifteen) and including them as the only group of performers on AFI’s 100 Years...100 Stars list of the 25 greatest male stars of Classical Hollywood cinema.

In the early 1930s, the four brothers (Groucho, Harpo, Chico, and Zeppo) were at their most surreal and chaotic. These films are often considered their “purest” comedy because they lacked the heavy romantic subplots and high production values that would come later. An adaptation of their Broadway hit, Animal Crackers (1930) introduced Groucho’s iconic character, Captain Spaulding. Monkey Business (1931) was the first film written specifically for the screen; the brothers play stowaways on an ocean liner. Duck Soup (1933) was widely regarded as their masterpiece. A political satire where Groucho becomes the dictator of “Freedonia.” It was so irreverent that it initially underperformed, leading the brothers to leave Paramount.

After Duck Soup, Zeppo retired from the act to become a talent agent. The remaining trio signed with MGM under producer Irving Thalberg, who reshaped their image. He believed they needed to be “heroes” who helped a young couple in love, rather than just agents of chaos. A Night at the Opera (1935) was their biggest commercial hit. It includes the famous “Stateroom Scene” and the “Sanity Clause” routine. A Day at the Races (1937) was another massive success, featuring Groucho as “Dr.” Hugo Z. Hackenbush. After Thalberg’s sudden death in 1937, the quality of their MGM films began to dip. At the Circus (1939), Go West (1940), and The Big Store (1941) were formulaic, and the brothers famously “retired” after 1941.

The 1940s were a transitional decade. They initially stopped making movies together to pursue solo projects or enjoy retirement, but financial issues (specifically Chico’s gambling debts) often brought them back. A Night in Casablanca (1946) was a “comeback” film that parodied the era’s noir thrillers. It was a solid hit and proved they still had their comedic timing. Love Happy (1949) was their final film as a trio. It was originally intended to be a solo vehicle for Harpo, but Groucho and Chico were added to secure financing. It is most famous today for a brief cameo by a then-unknown Marilyn Monroe.