Duck Soup

Released Nov 17, 1933

1 hr. 10 min.

Comedy

List

91%

55 Reviews

Tomatometer

91%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

When the tiny nation of Freedonia goes bankrupt, its wealthy benefactor, Mrs. Teasdale (Margaret Dumont), insists that the wacky Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho Marx) become the country's president. Sensing a weakness in leadership, the bordering nation of Sylvania sends in the spies Pinky (Harpo Marx) and Chicolini (Chico Marx) to set the stage for a revolution. As Firefly clashes with the Sylvanian ambassador (Louis Calhern), plenty of mayhem ensues, and the countries verge on all-out war.

Read More

Read Less

Watch on Fandango at Home

Premiered Nov 01

Buy Now

Fandango at Home

Prime Video

Apple TV

Rent Duck Soup on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

Critics Consensus

Fueled by inspired silliness and blessed with some of the Marx brothers' most brilliant work, Duck Soup is one of its -- or any -- era's finest comedies.

Read Critics Reviews

Daniel K

Paul Rudd was not in this movie

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

10/28/23

Full Review

Cees T

Looney Tunes and Animaniacs did it better with reasonable sociopathy. 4/10 - Very bad.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

08/28/23

Full Review

Aeric A

It's the Marx brothers. If you don't know you cant understand. Legends of comedy. Watch a Marx brothers movie and read a book and eat your veggies.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/23/23

Full Review

A R

A truly timeless humor that I originally assumed wouldn't be funny, but always has me laughing out loud. That said, this ultimately feels more like a series of comedy skits than a cohesive movie with a narrative through-line. The peanut/lemonade vendor scene is one of my favorites and such an excellent showcase of the Marx brothers' physical comedy chops.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/12/23

Full Review

Henry M

This movie is wretched. I hated every moment of it almost universally. I've liked other Marx brothers films in the past, but this was profoundly upsetting. As satire goes, it feels as pointy as a sponge. The humor almost never feels like it's appropriate to the conversation or scene going on, and I literally laughed twice during the whole movie. Apparently, I'm in the minority here, but from where I'm sitting this movie blows chunks and I wish I could get the hour and change of my life I spent watching this back so I could watch paint dry, or pick lint from between my toes or do literally anything else.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

03/19/23

Full Review

Matthew D

A crescendo of madness and increasingly silly slapstick comedy. Director Leo McCarey's slapstick war comedy Duck Soup (1933) is a real pleasure even nearly a century later. McCarey's direction delivers musical numbers, slapstick routines, and verbal satire for a delightful comedy classic. I appreciate Duck Soup more as the older I get, the more I understand and enjoy all the verbal jests. McCarey makes Duck Soup a real blitz of humor that slams its way into your heart. Duck Soup is a tight 69 minutes thanks to editor LeRoy Stone's slick cuts directly from joke to joke without missing a beat. Writers Harry Ruby, Bert Kalmar, Arthur Sheekman, and Nat Perrin provide humor lambasting nationalism and blind patriotism for brilliant satire years before Charlie Chaplin's The Great Dictator. I loved the clever verbal jokes from Groucho and Chico, especially the silent comedy from Harpo. The physical comedy and slapstick stuff still works effortlessly to get tons of laughs. Henry Sharp's cinematography has tons of wide shots with only a few select close-ups, so that we catch all the visual set-ups and gags. Groucho Marx spews out tons of witty dialogue as new leader of Freedonia Rufus T. Firefly. I like that even if a joke goes over your head, Groucho just moves onto the next gag or bit of wit without losing a step. He's excellent as the idiotic political leader. Harpo Marx is hilarious as Pinky the silent spy. His prop work, cutting things in half, and messing up is excellent mime work. Silent comedy often ages well and Harpo's visual gags had me screaming. Chico Marx is a riot as Chicolini the spy with quick wit and a neat foil for Harpo to play off. Zeppo Marx aids Groucho's humor as Firefly's secretary Lt. Bob Roland. He complements Groucho's smarter humor nicely. Margaret Dumont is great as the uproariously silly sponsor of Freedonia Mrs. Gloria Teasdale. Her jokes opposite Groucho work well. Louis Calhern is excellent opposite Groucho as the constantly insulted Ambassador Trentino of Sylvania. Raquel Torres is super pretty as the femme fatale Vera Marcal. I loved Edgar Kennedy's blowhard, blustery lemonade vendor. It's great that half of Duck Soup has nothing to do with politics and is just Chico and Harpo ruining a lemonade stand vendor's entire life. Composers Harry Ruby, Arthur Johnston, Bert Kalmar, and John Leipold play around with boisterous army marching orchestral music. I liked Harry Ruby and Bert Kalmar's satirical patriotic songs. In conclusion, Duck Soup is hysterical and clever for a timeless piece of satire and slapstick alike.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/22/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Leo McCarey

Director

Groucho Marx

Rufus T. Firefly

Harpo Marx

Pinky

Chico Marx

Chicolini

Zeppo Marx

Lt. Bob Roland

Margaret Dumont

Mrs. Gloria Teasdale

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Duck Soup: Official Clip - The Mirror Scene

2:48

Duck Soup: Official Clip - I Object!

1:22

Duck Soup: Official Clip - To War

2:58

Duck Soup: Official Clip - The Laws of My Administration

2:06

Duck Soup: Official Clip - I Was Gonna Ask for the Whole Wig

1:16

Duck Soup: Official Clip - This Means War!

1:55

Duck Soup: Official Clip - Working His Magic

1:58

Duck Soup: Official Clip - The Lemonade Vendor

2:57

Duck Soup: Official Clip - Without a Word

1:42

Duck Soup: Official Clip - These Are My Spies

1:35

View more videos

93%

52%

She Done Him Wrong

100%

89%

Ruggles of Red Gap

93%

72%

I'm No Angel

94%

76%

It's a Gift

97%

89%

Animal Crackers

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Know Your Critic: Writer and Editor Nicolas Rapold

Peter Dinklage’s Five Favorite Films

Total Recall: Halloween Director Rob Zombie’s Favorites

View more photos

Kate Muir

Times (UK)

It turns out that the sharp-tongued humour of Groucho Marx is ageless, the slapstick timely and the subject matter still pertinent: loony dictatorship, religion, pointless warfare.

Rated: 4/5

Jan 16, 2015

Full Review

Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

The sheer silliness is inspired ...

Rated: 5/5

Jan 15, 2015

Full Review

David Jenkins

Little White Lies

Questioning the canonical standing of a titan such as Duck Soup seems like an exercise in questioning the tastes of those who like it rather than the upbraiding the comedy mechanics of the film itself.

Rated: 3/5

Jan 15, 2015

Full Review

Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

Duck Soup is the greatest Marx Brothers comedy of all time.

Rated: 5/5

Nov 17, 2023

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

True movie fans haven’t lived until they’ve caught this outrageous satire.

Rated: 4/4

Nov 12, 2023

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

There’s no dense or intricate narrative in the film. It’s simply a basic story that allows Groucho, Harpo, and Chico to showcase their comedic chaos.

Rated: 5/5

Aug 20, 2022

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

When the tiny nation of Freedonia goes bankrupt, its wealthy benefactor, Mrs. Teasdale (Margaret Dumont), insists that the wacky Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho Marx) become the country's president. Sensing a weakness in leadership, the bordering nation of Sylvania sends in the spies Pinky (Harpo Marx) and Chicolini (Chico Marx) to set the stage for a revolution. As Firefly clashes with the Sylvanian ambassador (Louis Calhern), plenty of mayhem ensues, and the countries verge on all-out war.

Director: Leo McCarey
Distributor: MCA/Universal Home Video, Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 17, 1933, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 3, 2015
Sound Mix: Mono

Most Popular at Home Now