Last week, Rose House Graduate Resident Fellow Esmeralda took a group of six curious students to the Cornell Cinema to watch one of the classic Marx Brothers films called Duck Soup. As we got to know a little bit about one another before the movie, it was clear that we were all there because this event fit well with our schedule and we were all interested in seeing what was so famous about the Marx Brothers. Personally, the name was one that I would easily admit to having heard before, but before that day, I would not have been able to comment on it at all.

The movie began with a scene in which the country of Freedonia was deciding on whether or not to make Firefly, Marx brother Groucho, leader of the country in order to receive aid from Mrs. Teasdale, a very wealthy woman who’s finances are essential to the government. As the movie goes on, it shows the adventures that the Marx brothers go on, each playing a separate role, until in the end Freedonia is saved, for the most part. Without a doubt, this movie was a classic comedy production, there was a point that I found myself laughing uncontrollably due to the sarcasm and constant quarreling amongst the actors. My favorite brother was Pinky, famously known as Harpo, for he played a completely silent character but found himself in the oddest of scenarios. I certainly enjoyed a large amount of light-hearted laughs and found the sexual innuendos and stereotypes to be quite amusing and appropriate to the time the movie was produced.

As to why the movie was called Duck Soup, I thought it was because for a large part of the movie, and in particular, in the final battle scene,  the four brothers seemed helpless and immediately the phrase ‘We are sitting ducks’ came to mind. No matter what they did, it seemed that bad luck always came their way, [spoiler alert] and only a miracle led to the end of the war and the victory of Freedonia. I think that this old-time film is one that many people may enjoy and certainly all can learn from. It says a lot about the time in which it was created, with black and white pictures, no actors of color, the degradation in a woman’s purpose and abilities, and what was funny back in the day.

I am really glad that I attended this event, for I was given the opportunity to meet more of my fellow Rose Scholars and also enjoy one of my favorite pastimes, movie-watching. I am interested in watching the other two Marx Brothers films; I think there is only three total. All in all, this movie experience was one of a kind, my first black and white film ever watched, and it reminded me that there are various ways to learn about the history of our country

Shameless plug: Cornell Cinema screens old and newly released movies on a regular basis. All students should check it out at some point during their Cornell experience.