What I found most surprising about Duck Soup was how much I actually enjoyed it. Most comedy is difficult to appreciate outside of the time and place where it was originally conceived. English subtitles for Japanese romantic comedies often alter jokes entirely because the translators know that the original joke will be lost on viewers from another culture. I rarely find myself laughing when listening to comedians like Jim Gaffigan and Louis C.K., whose stand-up jokes generally revolve around fatherhood. However, the jokes in Duck Soup, despite being written more than 84 years ago, still had a whole theater of modern moviegoers in fits. I think this is the result of two factors. First, the Marx Brothers’ comedy routines do have some sort of universal appeal that can transcend the barriers of time and social context. Their use of straightforward wordplay and physical comedy, along with the lack of pop culture references, result in a style that can be enjoyed by almost any viewer. Second, I think our current cultural context is close enough to the culture in which the film was created for us to enjoy it. We’re in the same country, speak the same language, have the same expectations for/criticisms of our leaders, and understand the same historical references. And yes, I’ll admit it: While the original audience for the movie found Rufus T. Firefly amusing because he reminded viewers of Mussolini, modern viewers still find the character relevant because of Donald Trump.