Monkey Business (1931) ****

Excellent Marx Brothers comedy set on an ocean liner.

Animal Crackers (1930) ****

There are three types of Marx Brothers' fans - those who most admire their first two movies, filmed in Paramount's Astoria studios on Long Island; those who especially like their Hollywood films produced by Paramount in the early 30's; and finally those (including Groucho himself) who prefer their early MGM films produced by Irving Thalberg. The MGM films are handsomely produced, have plenty of gags and there no stiff Zeppo to drag them down. However, Harpo's anarchic humor is toned down and there are fewer surrealistic touches. Their Paramount/Hollywood films are hilarious and exciting, but except for "Duck Soup" (1933), none of them is better than "Animal Crackers", an Astoria production that presents Marx Brothers at their very best. Two good (and very different) songs by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby:

"Hooray For Captain Spaulding" **
"Why Am I So Romantic ?" **

The Cocoanuts (1929) ****

Groucho is a hotel manager in Florida. His guests include Chico and Harpo, but the only paying guest is the incomparable Margaret Dumont. The funniest sequence is the legendary "why a duck" routine. The first reprise of "When My Dreams Come True" begins with an overhead kaleidoscopic pattern that certainly inspired Busby Berkeley. An excellent musical score by Irving Berlin includes:

"Florida By The Sea" **
"When My Dreams Come True" **
"Monkey-Doodle-Doo" **
"When My Dreams Come True" (reprise) **
"The Tale Of A Shirt" **
"When My Dreams Come True" (reprise) *