Lydia is Groucho''s third most famous song. The other two he sings in Animal Crackers: Hello, I Must Be Going and Hooray For Captain Spaulding, which became his theme tune.
What's great about The Marx Brothers is that even if the overall picture is mediocre there are always classic bits in every film. Please continue Dawn. Love your reactions.
Love your laugh Dawn. So glad you're going through the Marx Brothers. Monkey Business and Animal Crackers are the two best you haven't done yet. The Coconuts, A Night in Casablanca, and The Big Store should also be in your reaction rotation. Great job as usual. Even the "lesser" Marx Brothers movies are fun.
The great thing about You Bet Your Life is that the guests weren't your typical game show contestants for the time. They were all interesting people from all walks of life.
@@ShawnRavenfire yes and some had wonderful talents, other had humorous stories of their own. And Groucho had the perfect one liners to add to the hilarity.
Eve Arden, who played the female villain that walked on the ceiling, gained later fame as the star of the TV show Our Miss Brooks. Fans of the movie Grease may also know her as the school principal.
Groucho and Margaret remained really good friends until her death. He brought her back to do a performance (her last one) in the '60s when he hosted 'The Hollywood Palace'.
The "bad luck- three on a midget" is a variant of three people lighting on the same match is bad luck (comes from The Crimean War on- if you had a light at night burning for too long, you're liable to get shot at). Groucho had a list of superstitions he verbally vandalized, including 'three on a match'- "When three men get a light off one match it is indicative of the fact that they have only one match or are Scotsman."
When I was young I recorded this (and some of their other movies) on a reel-to-reel tape recorder and played them back endlessly. I think I know this one by heart - especially the "Takes a magician..." sequence. I needed a smile tonight, thanks Dawn.
I am so thrilled that someone your age gets so much joy out of watching the Marx Bros.! I remember growing up in the 70/80s, watching them with my brother, especially during the New Year's day Marx Bros. movie telethon; we were glued to the TV all day. ❤ And I understand your love for Groucho, cause I was nuts for Chico! 😂
Telegrams were originally sent by morse code over wires, and the cost was by number of words, with a max of 15 letters per word. It made for some creative abbreviations, lots of which are still commonly used.
I'll put in a word for the great romantic comedy, "The Philadelphia Story". THE Marx brothers connection is: the little girl in that film goes to the piano and does a great rendition of Groucho's "Lydia, the Tatooed Lady".
Back in the late 19th century and in I think Philadelphia, or maybe NYC, there were supposed to have been 400 families that made up high society in the city. And I don't know if there were exactly 400 or if it was just some society page writer's estimate but "The 400" later became an expression to describe the filthy rich elites in every US city regardless of how many each has. So that is what Groucho was doing in counting the guests as they arrived. It was a joke, a jab at the haughtiness of the dinner. Loved your reaction, as always. Best reaction ever.
They charged by the word because originally telegrams were sent by morse code, somebody had to sit down and send it by hand. By the time this movie was made they were using teletype, which is a typewriter that sends pulses along the wire to another receiving typewriter. In the background you can hear a constant tapping noise, that is the teletype machines running.
"This is like charging extra for a longer text" which is exactly what mobile phone companies did for longer SMS (text) messages: they'd deliver them as multiple messages under the scenes, and charge multiple times. It's also kind of the same for wherever you pay for wifi or internet access "per GB" (on airplanes, when abroad "roaming" etc).
In the winter of 1952, my Dad decided that our whole family including both sets of grandparents drive down to Mexico for a month's vacation. I think we took 3 cars. I was 5. In Guadalajara, we were sight seeing & shopping. I remember that we went into a curio shop that was in a basement. At the bottom of the stairs was a brightly painted Mexican style straight backed chair with a cane seat on display. In the chair sat Groucho Marx. His 3 brothers were all there. They were busy shopping like crazy. Groucho was very nice & started talking to my parents. Next thing you know, he picked me up & sat me on his lap. The Marx Brothers & my family were the only Americans in the store. That was a great winter as after we got home to Texas, we took another month vacation in Florida. We went to Ringling Bros. Circus winter home where they had just filmed "The Greatest Show on Earth".
"Three on a midget" is a play on "Three on a match" - as I recall, during WWI, when you were in the trenches and wanting to smoke, it was dangerous to have your match lit long enough to light three cigarettes, because the enemy would have time to see the light and attack. So "Three on a match" became a superstition. There's an old movie, with, I think Bette Davis in a supporting role, which takes its theme and title from "Three on a match". Eve Arden plays the upside-down walking lady - she was about the best sharp-tongued, wise-cracking best friend a leading lady could have, unless you include Thelma Ritter - you'll have fun getting to know them both. Arden was in a tv series called "The Mothers-in-Law" and that's how I got to be familiar with her work.
FYI: Chico's name is pronounced 'chick-o' -his nickname was his rep as a ladies' man/girl chaser. And his piano playing has him 'shooting the keys' as he called it with his finger point down delivery.
When they were developing their routines in Hollywood for use in films, they used to perform before live audiences in local theaters to see how they went over. What a genuine treat it must have been to react to them performing on stage in a small setting. They were creative geniuses, all of them, who developed stock characters like in the Commedia dell'arte tradition and it makes their pantheon of films a seamless side splitting collection. Never mind the plots--it's watching them do their thing which makes it all worthwhile.
I think you'd like the Thin Man series since you like classic older films. They've got everything you like, crime, romance, action, a really cute dog, and are hilarious. Love the reaction as always!
Telegrams charged by the word because the telegraph operator had to enter each word separately, and each word took seconds to input. Imagine that some operators having to send hundreds of messages a day -- then charging by the word probably makes more sense.
Dawn Marie My friends and I discovered the Marx Brothers in the 1970's and they became part of our growing up. Watching you discovering them the same way really warms this old guy's heart. Thank you
They used to charge based on the length of a telegram because words take time to tap out. Each letter is around four taps/pauses, so each additional word is around 20 taps/pauses
I didn’t doubt for one second that you’d be doing more Marx Brothers. You said you would and that’s that. Want to compliment you on your editing again. Good job. (And, yes, you’d make a very good Margaret Dumont.)
I was quickly reminded these were studio efforts: "We have a stable of actors, so we add in scenes to use them! We have musicians, so we must make some musicals, too."
@@emwa3600 I feel almost all of their movies waste time with romantic leads and songs because it was expected of movies. Would've been interesting if the did shorts, instead, like the Three Stooges. I think easy-to-rerun shorts was the reason the Stooges are remembered by the public more that the Marx Bros.
14:31 - The reference of 'Three on a midget is bad luck' is a play on words of 'Three on a match is bad luck'. The original 'Three on a match is bad luck' is a WWII reference. In the Foxholes were multiple men. If they wanted to smoke (as was the custom of the day), they would do it at the same time so there would not be a constant stream of smoke rising for the enemy to zero in on. The problem was, an experience sniper would see the flare of the match strike (1) giving an approximate location, the initial bright puffs of the second cigarette (2) getting very close location, and the third person on the match (3) would be an exact location on THAT person. The sniper would then fire on the third person. Being the third person on a match was, and still is, considered bad luck.
You should watch Monkey Business next! That’s my second favorite one after Horse Feathers. Night at the opera is a good one to watch first, but I think Monkey Business is an even better one to see first, that one is where I really understood the characters and also Zeppo gets to do as much as the other 3
In Chandler Arizona every summer they have an Ostrich Festival. It's really a big fair with games and rides. The best part is the races - they ride ostriches and camels, and the llamas are harness races. That's cowboy country, so picture cowboys on ostriches.
The melody near the end that plays when they're trying to catch the Gorilla is from a song called "Hold That Tiger (Tiger Rag)" LYRICS: Where's that tiger! Where's that tiger! Where's that tiger! Where's that tiger! Hold that tiger! Hold that tiger ! Hold that tiger! Choke him, poke him, kick him and soak him! Where's that tiger? Where's that tiger? Where oh where can he be? Low or highbrow, they all cry now "Please play that Tiger Rag for me" Where's that tiger! Where's that tiger! Where's that tiger! Where's that tiger! Hold that tiger! Hold that tiger ! Hold that tiger! Choke him, poke him, kick him and soak him! Where's that tiger? Where's that tiger? Where oh where can he be? Low or highbrow, they all cry now "Please play that Tiger Rag for me"
My God, a sudden burp at 22:25!? That's why I love all of your videos, Dawn Marie, you don't have to worry about it and you're a passionate girl, your charisma rocks!! You've recently seen such a heavy movie (American Sniper, 2014), I can see how it affected you emotionally, and how much you love and adore the Marx Brothers (Groucho is my favorite, but it's impossible not to love Harpo!), please, watch their movie: Monkey Business (1931), you won't regret it!! I'm from Brazil, and I don't miss a single video of yours, I love you!!😍🥰🥰
"...bad luck. Three on a midget.". That refers to a saying that lighting three on a match was bad luck, because on a battlefield, to do so at night would give snipers time to load and aim, and blow the light out.
Watching this makes me think.. i don’t know why i never thought of this before maybe because i don’t know how you feel about the Beatles. but “Hard Days Night” is considered one of best 100 films of all time. and you like movies like this. I think you would really enjoy “Hard Days Night”…
I know you're not much of a reader but Harpo's autobiography "Harpo Speaks!" is the funniest book I have ever read and not just that but also such an interesting look into the brothers' life and family, show business in those times and New York in the late 1800's. You don't always really realise how much the world's changed but this book is a strong reminder.
It's nice to see you being loyal to the Marx Brothers, and I'm glad you enjoyed "At the Circus." I would like to suggest two Abbot and Costello movies I'm sure you would enjoy. They were an excellent comedy team, and these two movies are generally considered to be their best: They are "Hold that Ghost" (1941) and "Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein" (1948). Both are very funny. Another suggestion is "The Court Jester" (1955) starring Danny Kaye. Honestly, it is one of the finest comedies ever made. I had just as throw in one more suggestion, since, if you haven't seen it, you will love it. It is "Charade" (1953) starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. It is a beautifully made comedy, romance, mystery. Wonderful movie. Good luck with your channel and all the best - Kenton Couch
Telegraphing messages in Morse Code is done letter by letter by the operator. So, more words need ofcourse more letters to be telegraphed, implying more time and work needed to do it, hence the pricing according the number of words in the messages.
Time to dive into Abbot and Costello! Hold that Ghost, Abbott and Costello Meet Frakenstine Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion. Just naming 3 of so many movies and shorts they made.
Robin Williams sings “Lydia” in “The Fisher King.” I never knew it was from the Marx brothers! The woman early in the movie was in many tv shows in the 1960s and 70s and she was a teacher at rydell high in “Grease.” Update: Eve Arden.
No, that's not a child, it's a little person, or as they were still called in 1940, a midget. In particular, it's Jerry Maren, who along with his fellow actor Billy Curtis appeared in tons of movies starting with the novelty western The Terror of Tiny Town in 1938 right up to a Twilight Zone episode in 1986. I'm surprised to see how many people are recommending The Big Store next. After A Night at the Opera, any other Marx Bros movie is going to be a step down, but that one's an even bigger drop than this. That said, it's got at least two great moments to recommend it: an Italian family who are suspicious of Chico's obviously fake accent, and the debut film appearance of Virginia O'Brien in one of the musical numbers.
When Grouch sticks his butt out they call it the duck walk. That's why his mascot is a duck and that's why the duck gives away the money on "You Bet Your Life." You are awesome!!! Still Game.....LOL
I think you would like waking Ned Devine. It was filmed in Ireland. It’s a lighthearted movie about two lifelong friends and their secret that they could not keep secret.
Watching your thorough enjoyment of this movie is a perfect reaction. You make the Marx Brothers magic even more fantastic. Your pure delight is worth the price of admission. And you certainly make the day brighter. Thank you, Dawn Marie. You are the Best reaction channel, Ever !!
I'm glad to see you react to more Marx Brothers. I love the old comedy teams. I think you would like an old team called Abbott and Costello. They also have lots of movies. Their most popular is Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein. That would be a good movie to start with. They also had a TV series called The Abbott & Costello Show. Love your channel! Cheers!
To get an idea of what they're like, I think Dawn should first react to Abbott and Costello doing, "Who's on First". And I love "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein". It's held up so well. That might be a good Halloween pick.
Hi Dawn. It’s your newest Patreon member here. Just a small anecdote, Groucho once disclosed in an interview that his favorite actress Margaret Dumont (she played Emily Upjohn) actually didn’t understand most of the Marx Brothers’ jokes, and would pull him aside after their scenes and ask him to explain the jokes.
Three blind mice, three blind mice See how they run, see how they run They all ran after the farmer's wife She cut off their tails with a carving knife Did you ever see such a sight in your life as three blind mice?
All 13 Marx Brothers movies are available for viewing on the internet archive. I just finished the last two that I hadn't seen myself just in the last few weeks. There's so much comedy that doesn't stand the test of time but the Marx Brothers are still funny today. There's an enormous amount of comedy from my childhood in the 1970s that I laughed at as a kid but just isn't funny to me at all today. It's great to find timeless humor such as these gems. I've always heard the later movies weren't as good and I tend to agree but despite that, they are all still good. I enjoyed all 13 of them.
So glad you are finding the magic in these oft-ignored gems. So many great movies from the age of B&W. You seem to be enjoying the funny movies, so before you move on to another genre, may I please get you to take a look at an old Cary Grant piece of insanity called Arsenic and Old Lace. It is truly one of my favorite films of all time. Keep having fun.
Hi Dawn, another great reaction to classic comedy. You can tell when a comedy is good whether it`s a film or Tv show, by the fact you are sorry it has reached the end. :) The first film they did was 10 rs before this in 1929, it`s called (The Cocoanuts). The only other one of the 5 surviving brothers to appear in the films was Zeppo. He is present in each of the first 5 films starting with the (The Cocoanuts).
The original saying is "three on a match is bad luck" when a German sniper in world war one would see a match lit, he would look in that direction. When the second guy lit from the match the sniper would have the range. When the third fellow lit from that match the sniper would shoot the target. I have never heard three on a midget outside of this movie and porn.
"Oh boy!!!" Dawn Marie reacting to highlights of At The Circus. This movie wasn't as good as other Marx movies but it was totally enjoyable watching it with Dawn Marie and the joy and laughter that she brings to reacting to the Marx Brothers. ( I think Groucho looked even younger in this film and it may have something to do with his eyebrows not being as dark/painted as in his earlier films? I don't know, what do you think?).
Love the reaction, it's great to see you enjoy it just for being a funny film. I think Duck soup is their best film, and probably the greatest comedy film of all time.
One of my favorite Groucho lines is in Go West. The bad man with the gun yells at Groucho, Chico & Harpo saying, "I don't like your faces!"...and Groucho replies, "I suppose you think we like them?".
Speaking as a Marx Brothers' fan, (first one I remember watching was "Animal Crackers") the only movie I can't watch is "Love Happy" it's difficult to watch because of how much older they are. Not many people (that I know of) has watched it and definitely no one can claim it's their favorite. I missed my chance to be in a stage adaption of Animal Crackers because I was informed too late to audition.
I haven't seen you react to Duck Soup, my favorite Marx Bros. movie. I named my latest dog after Groucho's character in Duck Soup. Rufus T. Firefly is his name, although I usually just call him Rufus.
I recall hearing somewhere that, according to Groucho, Margaret Dumont was a very nice lady but she never really understood a thing the Marx Brothers were doing in the scenes she was in. Their sense of humor went right over her head. So the confused expression you see on her face when Groucho is talking to her is not great acting. It is her authentic reaction making her the perfect comic foil for Groucho to play off of.
Hi, Dawn. Since you enjoy the Marx Brothers so much, I highly recommend you dive into Abbot and Costello. They were a vaudeville act in the 30s who made a lot of movies in the 40s and into the 50s. They feature their own unique style of comedy that I think you will thoroughly love as much as the Marx Bros.
I love the Marx Brothers! I hope you will also watch their films "Monkey Business" (1931), "Go West" (1940), "Animal Crackers" (1930), "A Night in Casablanca" (1946). Their first film "The Cocoanuts" (from 1929) was one of the first films with sound (a bit slow, but has its charm). "The Cocoanuts" and their second movie, "Animal Crackers", were originally two stage productions the brothers played on Broadway (they were huge there before moving to film). I also like their "Room Service" from 1938 but tend to be quite alone in liking it. Their worst film is their last one, "Love Happy". Groucho is almost not in and it was initially thought to be a Harpo solo film. Marilyn Monroe has a very small role in it (her film debut).
That's exactly like charging extra for a longer text. It doesn't matter that it's the same sized paper - it's the words that were transmitted, so you paid more for a long message. That's why telegrams were very terse, sometimes to the point of being cryptic. They were common when I was a kid but I assume they don't really exist any more.
Dawn I dunno if you've gotten to him yet, but Charlie Chaplin is another absolute must see director/actor of this era. The Gold Rush (1925), City Lights (1931) and Modern Times (1936) in particular are some of the funniest and sweetest movies ever made
You're the first person I've ever known or watched that was really into the Marx Brothers. Thanks for this reaction of yours you got me enjoying the Marx Brothers also very very entertaining thank you very much. I hope you're doing well young lady. Again thank you
I don't think I've ever seen all of At the Circus before. My personal favorite is Horse Feathers, followed by (in no particular order) Monkey Business, Animal Crackers, and Duck Soup. The Cocoanuts was their first, and is worth watching for the historical value, though it's not their best.
This was the first Marx Brothers movie I ever saw! I was 13 years old, and my family would watch movies on Friday nights. I was in a crabby mood that day, and it didn't help that we had to watch a 'stupid' black and white movie! At least, that was my attitude going into it. When they got to Groucho wanting to get on the train without a badge, I was laughing my head off!
❤❤❤ Good on you! Are we now halfway through? Well, Lidia the tattooed lady song done. There are a few highlights to come.Hooray for Captain Spaulding, Groucho's theme in ANIMAL CRACKERS. Sing while you sell and Rockabye baby, from the BIG STORE, and rollerskating. Chico wanting to know Why would you need a Ford when you've got a horse, in the COCONUTS. Harpo is pretty good in NIGHT IN CASABLANCA. Rusty, Corbaccio, and Kornblow. Can't remember a lick about GO WEST. It'll come to me. Or not! Luv ya
ANIMAL CRACKERS, from 1930, is a very good example of their earlier work, Dawn Marie. It's also a film adaptation of their last Broadway show.
"Animal Crackers" is my favorite Marx Brothers film, in most part because it's the first one I ever watched. Hurray for Captain Spalding.
Lydia the Tattooed Lady is one of the most famous Groucho songs ever and he used still sing it in public when he was old.
They used it in Breaking Bad as a ringtone
It's in The Philadelphia Story too with character of Dinah Lords (Virginia Weidler) singing it.
Lydia is Groucho''s third most famous song. The other two he sings in Animal Crackers: Hello, I Must Be Going and Hooray For Captain Spaulding, which became his theme tune.
What's great about The Marx Brothers is that even if the overall picture is mediocre there are always classic bits in every film. Please continue Dawn. Love your reactions.
Love your laugh Dawn. So glad you're going through the Marx Brothers. Monkey Business and Animal Crackers are the two best you haven't done yet. The Coconuts, A Night in Casablanca, and The Big Store should also be in your reaction rotation.
Great job as usual. Even the "lesser" Marx Brothers movies are fun.
Groucho had a tv series called You Bet Your Life. Lots of fun with show, guests were asked questions and made $ for each correct answer.
And that show was Groucho Marx at his absolute best!
The great thing about You Bet Your Life is that the guests weren't your typical game show contestants for the time. They were all interesting people from all walks of life.
@@ShawnRavenfire yes and some had wonderful talents, other had humorous stories of their own. And Groucho had the perfect one liners to add to the hilarity.
Eve Arden, who played the female villain that walked on the ceiling, gained later fame as the star of the TV show Our Miss Brooks. Fans of the movie Grease may also know her as the school principal.
And "The Mothers-in-Law" with Kaye Ballard. Eve Arden was Tony Curtis' inspiration for his character in "Some Like It Hot."
To me she'll always be Madge from the Palmolive commercials.
@@Majoofi I had forgotten she did those.
@@Majoofi I remember those commercials!
@@melenatorr You're soaking in it.
Groucho and Margaret remained really good friends until her death. He brought her back to do a performance (her last one) in the '60s when he hosted 'The Hollywood Palace'.
The "bad luck- three on a midget" is a variant of three people lighting
on the same match is bad luck (comes from The Crimean War on-
if you had a light at night burning for too long, you're liable to get
shot at). Groucho had a list of superstitions he verbally vandalized,
including 'three on a match'-
"When three men get a light off one match it is indicative of the fact
that they have only one match or are Scotsman."
You MUST do Animal Crackers next, Captain Spaulding has so many quotable lines!
Agreed 😊
I forgot that 1. I was going to suggest Room Service.
One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I don't know. 🥸
One of their best.
@@anthonyvasquezactor One of my favorite Groucho lines!😂
Lydia the Tattooed Lady is my favorite music number from any movie ever.
When I was young I recorded this (and some of their other movies) on a reel-to-reel tape recorder and played them back endlessly. I think I know this one by heart - especially the "Takes a magician..." sequence.
I needed a smile tonight, thanks Dawn.
I am so thrilled that someone your age gets so much joy out of watching the Marx Bros.!
I remember growing up in the 70/80s, watching them with my brother, especially during the New Year's day Marx Bros. movie telethon; we were glued to the TV all day. ❤
And I understand your love for Groucho, cause I was nuts for Chico! 😂
"Oh Dawnie, oh Dawnie that lovely Scot honey, oh Dawnie the belching lady" 🪗
"Her reactions, we adore so, and of course so, we need more so."
@@creech54 LOL, I think we knew each other in high school 🤓
@@louismarzullo1190 Did you go to VWHS in the late '60s?
@@creech54 Lol, no but I think we may be kindred spirits anyway 🥸
Telegrams were originally sent by morse code over wires, and the cost was by number of words, with a max of 15 letters per word. It made for some creative abbreviations, lots of which are still commonly used.
I'll put in a word for the great romantic comedy, "The Philadelphia Story". THE Marx brothers connection is: the little girl in that film goes to the piano and does a great rendition of Groucho's "Lydia, the Tatooed Lady".
Back in the late 19th century and in I think Philadelphia, or maybe NYC, there were supposed to have been 400 families that made up high society in the city. And I don't know if there were exactly 400 or if it was just some society page writer's estimate but "The 400" later became an expression to describe the filthy rich elites in every US city regardless of how many each has. So that is what Groucho was doing in counting the guests as they arrived. It was a joke, a jab at the haughtiness of the dinner.
Loved your reaction, as always. Best reaction ever.
They charged by the word because originally telegrams were sent by morse code, somebody had to sit down and send it by hand. By the time this movie was made they were using teletype, which is a typewriter that sends pulses along the wire to another receiving typewriter. In the background you can hear a constant tapping noise, that is the teletype machines running.
"This is like charging extra for a longer text" which is exactly what mobile phone companies did for longer SMS (text) messages: they'd deliver them as multiple messages under the scenes, and charge multiple times. It's also kind of the same for wherever you pay for wifi or internet access "per GB" (on airplanes, when abroad "roaming" etc).
In the winter of 1952, my Dad decided that our whole family including both sets of grandparents drive down to Mexico for a month's vacation. I think we took 3 cars. I was 5. In Guadalajara, we were sight seeing & shopping. I remember that we went into a curio shop that was in a basement. At the bottom of the stairs was a brightly painted Mexican style straight backed chair with a cane seat on display. In the chair sat Groucho Marx. His 3 brothers were all there. They were busy shopping like crazy. Groucho was very nice & started talking to my parents. Next thing you know, he picked me up & sat me on his lap. The Marx Brothers & my family were the only Americans in the store. That was a great winter as after we got home to Texas, we took another month vacation in Florida. We went to Ringling Bros. Circus winter home where they had just filmed "The Greatest Show on Earth".
"Three on a midget" is a play on "Three on a match" - as I recall, during WWI, when you were in the trenches and wanting to smoke, it was dangerous to have your match lit long enough to light three cigarettes, because the enemy would have time to see the light and attack. So "Three on a match" became a superstition. There's an old movie, with, I think Bette Davis in a supporting role, which takes its theme and title from "Three on a match".
Eve Arden plays the upside-down walking lady - she was about the best sharp-tongued, wise-cracking best friend a leading lady could have, unless you include Thelma Ritter - you'll have fun getting to know them both. Arden was in a tv series called "The Mothers-in-Law" and that's how I got to be familiar with her work.
FYI: Chico's name is pronounced 'chick-o' -his nickname was his rep as a ladies' man/girl chaser. And his piano playing has him 'shooting the keys' as he called it with his finger point down delivery.
When they were developing their routines in Hollywood for use in films, they used to perform before live audiences in local theaters to see how they went over. What a genuine treat it must have been to react to them performing on stage in a small setting. They were creative geniuses, all of them, who developed stock characters like in the Commedia dell'arte tradition and it makes their pantheon of films a seamless side splitting collection. Never mind the plots--it's watching them do their thing which makes it all worthwhile.
I think you'd like the Thin Man series since you like classic older films. They've got everything you like, crime, romance, action, a really cute dog, and are hilarious. Love the reaction as always!
Great series myrna loy and william powell classic actors
Telegrams charged by the word because the telegraph operator had to enter each word separately, and each word took seconds to input. Imagine that some operators having to send hundreds of messages a day -- then charging by the word probably makes more sense.
Dawn Marie
My friends and I discovered the Marx Brothers in the 1970's and they became part of our growing up. Watching you discovering them the same way really warms this old guy's heart.
Thank you
They used to charge based on the length of a telegram because words take time to tap out. Each letter is around four taps/pauses, so each additional word is around 20 taps/pauses
I didn’t doubt for one second that you’d be doing more Marx Brothers. You said you would and that’s that. Want to compliment you on your editing again. Good job. (And, yes, you’d make a very good Margaret Dumont.)
can you believe it. ..this is 84 years ago.---and so good
I was quickly reminded these were studio efforts: "We have a stable of actors, so we add in scenes to use them! We have musicians, so we must make some musicals, too."
@@emwa3600 I feel almost all of their movies waste time with romantic leads and songs because it was expected of movies. Would've been interesting if the did shorts, instead, like the Three Stooges. I think easy-to-rerun shorts was the reason the Stooges are remembered by the public more that the Marx Bros.
14:31 - The reference of 'Three on a midget is bad luck' is a play on words of 'Three on a match is bad luck'. The original 'Three on a match is bad luck' is a WWII reference. In the Foxholes were multiple men. If they wanted to smoke (as was the custom of the day), they would do it at the same time so there would not be a constant stream of smoke rising for the enemy to zero in on. The problem was, an experience sniper would see the flare of the match strike (1) giving an approximate location, the initial bright puffs of the second cigarette (2) getting very close location, and the third person on the match (3) would be an exact location on THAT person. The sniper would then fire on the third person. Being the third person on a match was, and still is, considered bad luck.
You should watch Monkey Business next! That’s my second favorite one after Horse Feathers. Night at the opera is a good one to watch first, but I think Monkey Business is an even better one to see first, that one is where I really understood the characters and also Zeppo gets to do as much as the other 3
In Chandler Arizona every summer they have an Ostrich Festival. It's really a big fair with games and rides. The best part is the races - they ride ostriches and camels, and the llamas are harness races. That's cowboy country, so picture cowboys on ostriches.
Dawn- "I thought that was something else"
HOLY CRAP!! LOL!!😂😂
The melody near the end that plays when they're trying to catch the Gorilla is from a song called "Hold That Tiger (Tiger Rag)"
LYRICS:
Where's that tiger! Where's that tiger!
Where's that tiger! Where's that tiger!
Hold that tiger! Hold that tiger ! Hold that tiger!
Choke him, poke him, kick him and soak him!
Where's that tiger? Where's that tiger?
Where oh where can he be?
Low or highbrow, they all cry now
"Please play that Tiger Rag for me"
Where's that tiger! Where's that tiger!
Where's that tiger! Where's that tiger!
Hold that tiger! Hold that tiger ! Hold that tiger!
Choke him, poke him, kick him and soak him!
Where's that tiger? Where's that tiger?
Where oh where can he be?
Low or highbrow, they all cry now
"Please play that Tiger Rag for me"
My God, a sudden burp at 22:25!? That's why I love all of your videos, Dawn Marie, you don't have to worry about it and you're a passionate girl, your charisma rocks!! You've recently seen such a heavy movie (American Sniper, 2014), I can see how it affected you emotionally, and how much you love and adore the Marx Brothers (Groucho is my favorite, but it's impossible not to love Harpo!), please, watch their movie: Monkey Business (1931), you won't regret it!! I'm from Brazil, and I don't miss a single video of yours, I love you!!😍🥰🥰
I am soooo excited to see Dawn and her laughing power their way thru another Marx film.
Oh yes - Eve Arden! She's the Bad Girl of the film, but she had a wonderful career.
You got to hear Harpo's real voice when he sneezed.
"...bad luck. Three on a midget.".
That refers to a saying that lighting three on a match was bad luck, because on a battlefield, to do so at night would give snipers time to load and aim, and blow the light out.
So glad you watched all these
Hi Dawn. Let's do W.C. Fields. 1940's. You'll hit the deck with laughter I would enjoy sharing it with you 😮😂❤.
"The Big Store" is very funny. Groucho plays a private detective, Wolf J, Flywheel.
Animal Crackers, the great Captain Spaulding-the African explorer. It features Groucho's theme song.
Watching this makes me think.. i don’t know why i never thought of this before maybe because i don’t know how you feel about the Beatles. but “Hard Days Night” is considered one of best 100 films of all time. and you like movies like this. I think you would really enjoy “Hard Days Night”…
I know you're not much of a reader but Harpo's autobiography "Harpo Speaks!" is the funniest book I have ever read and not just that but also such an interesting look into the brothers' life and family, show business in those times and New York in the late 1800's. You don't always really realise how much the world's changed but this book is a strong reminder.
It's nice to see you being loyal to the Marx Brothers, and I'm glad you enjoyed "At the Circus." I would like to suggest two Abbot and Costello movies I'm sure you would enjoy. They were an excellent comedy team, and these two movies are generally considered to be their best: They are "Hold that Ghost" (1941) and "Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein" (1948). Both are very funny. Another suggestion is "The Court Jester" (1955) starring Danny Kaye. Honestly, it is one of the finest comedies ever made. I had just as throw in one more suggestion, since, if you haven't seen it, you will love it. It is "Charade" (1953) starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. It is a beautifully made comedy, romance, mystery. Wonderful movie. Good luck with your channel and all the best - Kenton Couch
Telegraphing messages in Morse Code is done letter by letter by the operator. So, more words need ofcourse more letters to be telegraphed, implying more time and work needed to do it, hence the pricing according the number of words in the messages.
The upside down walking lady is the Principal from the movie Grease.
Hi Dawn Marie, Even 'The Big Store' and 'A Night In Casablanca' are worth watching for the Marx routines.
Time to dive into Abbot and Costello! Hold that Ghost, Abbott and Costello Meet Frakenstine Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion. Just naming 3 of so many movies and shorts they made.
Robin Williams sings “Lydia” in “The Fisher King.” I never knew it was from the Marx brothers!
The woman early in the movie was in many tv shows in the 1960s and 70s and she was a teacher at rydell high in “Grease.”
Update: Eve Arden.
No, that's not a child, it's a little person, or as they were still called in 1940, a midget. In particular, it's Jerry Maren, who along with his fellow actor Billy Curtis appeared in tons of movies starting with the novelty western The Terror of Tiny Town in 1938 right up to a Twilight Zone episode in 1986.
I'm surprised to see how many people are recommending The Big Store next. After A Night at the Opera, any other Marx Bros movie is going to be a step down, but that one's an even bigger drop than this. That said, it's got at least two great moments to recommend it: an Italian family who are suspicious of Chico's obviously fake accent, and the debut film appearance of Virginia O'Brien in one of the musical numbers.
When Grouch sticks his butt out they call it the duck walk. That's why his mascot is a duck and that's why the duck gives away the money on "You Bet Your Life." You are awesome!!! Still Game.....LOL
I think you would like waking Ned Devine. It was filmed in Ireland. It’s a lighthearted movie about two lifelong friends and their secret that they could not keep secret.
18:27 not even for a Klondike Bar? Wouldn’t hurt to give it a try.
Thank u so much for reacting to these. Loved to watch them when I was a kid
Dawn's laugh is so wonderful, I wonder how many marriage proposals she gets in an afternoon? Probably all of them. Yeah.
I think she's already taken, but if this is not the case, Dawn, will you marry me?
She still has a wonderful laugh, nonetheless.
Get in line, bub.
🤣
Watching your thorough enjoyment of this movie is a perfect reaction. You make the Marx Brothers magic even more fantastic. Your pure delight is worth the price of admission. And you certainly make the day brighter.
Thank you, Dawn Marie.
You are the Best reaction channel, Ever !!
I'm glad to see you react to more Marx Brothers. I love the old comedy teams. I think you would like an old team called Abbott and Costello. They also have lots of movies. Their most popular is Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein. That would be a good movie to start with. They also had a TV series called The Abbott & Costello Show. Love your channel! Cheers!
To get an idea of what they're like, I think Dawn should first react to Abbott and Costello doing, "Who's on First". And I love "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein". It's held up so well. That might be a good Halloween pick.
Hi Dawn. It’s your newest Patreon member here. Just a small anecdote, Groucho once disclosed in an interview that his favorite actress Margaret Dumont (she played Emily Upjohn) actually didn’t understand most of the Marx Brothers’ jokes, and would pull him aside after their scenes and ask him to explain the jokes.
Three blind mice, three blind mice
See how they run, see how they run
They all ran after the farmer's wife
She cut off their tails with a carving knife
Did you ever see such a sight in your life as three blind mice?
Telegraphs did charge by the word. They had to be typed in manually by trained operators, so it actually made sense.
All 13 Marx Brothers movies are available for viewing on the internet archive. I just finished the last two that I hadn't seen myself just in the last few weeks. There's so much comedy that doesn't stand the test of time but the Marx Brothers are still funny today. There's an enormous amount of comedy from my childhood in the 1970s that I laughed at as a kid but just isn't funny to me at all today. It's great to find timeless humor such as these gems. I've always heard the later movies weren't as good and I tend to agree but despite that, they are all still good. I enjoyed all 13 of them.
There are two boxed sets out that I have. They contain all of their films except "Love Happy".
So glad you are finding the magic in these oft-ignored gems. So many great movies from the age of B&W. You seem to be enjoying the funny movies, so before you move on to another genre, may I please get you to take a look at an old Cary Grant piece of insanity called Arsenic and Old Lace. It is truly one of my favorite films of all time. Keep having fun.
I LOVE when Dawn Marie do reactions on the marx brothers..its like she was born to do this with the marx brother movies..
In USA, no animal circuses but people circuses, yes. Groucho Marx mustache wasn’t real; it was grease paint 😅
A 30's comedy I've recently enjoyed greatly is It's a Gift, starring WC Fields.
Hi Dawn, another great reaction to classic comedy. You can tell when a comedy is good whether it`s a film or Tv show, by the fact you are sorry it has reached the end. :) The first film they did was 10 rs before this in 1929, it`s called (The Cocoanuts). The only other one of the 5 surviving brothers to appear in the films was Zeppo. He is present in each of the first 5 films starting with the (The Cocoanuts).
The original saying is "three on a match is bad luck" when a German sniper in world war one would see a match lit, he would look in that direction. When the second guy lit from the match the sniper would have the range. When the third fellow lit from that match the sniper would shoot the target. I have never heard three on a midget outside of this movie and porn.
"Oh boy!!!" Dawn Marie reacting to highlights of At The Circus. This movie wasn't as good as other Marx movies but it was totally enjoyable watching it with Dawn Marie and the joy and laughter that she brings to reacting to the Marx Brothers. ( I think Groucho looked even younger in this film and it may have something to do with his eyebrows not being as dark/painted as in his earlier films? I don't know, what do you think?).
Great. ..now I would try to get a Dawn Reacts to 'The Big Store', but i'm away to watch my own copy of it instead, and react for myself....so there
My dad got me and my brothers hooked on the Marx Brothers and the Three Stooges when we were very young. So funny.
“THE 400” was an expression in those days meaning “the elite”, the most wealthy segment of the population.
Love the reaction, it's great to see you enjoy it just for being a funny film. I think Duck soup is their best film, and probably the greatest comedy film of all time.
Raise hands, anyone who wants to visit Dawn Marie's elephant, lamb, and seal farm! 🙋♂️
Go West is one of the best of their last phase of movies. Deserved better!
(No such thing as a bad Marx Brothers Movie!)
One of my favorite Groucho lines is in Go West. The bad man with the gun yells at Groucho, Chico & Harpo saying, "I don't like your faces!"...and Groucho replies, "I suppose you think we like them?".
I was never a fan of anything past A DAY AT THE RACES, but maybe I should revisit those.
Speaking as a Marx Brothers' fan, (first one I remember watching was "Animal Crackers") the only movie I can't watch is "Love Happy" it's difficult to watch because of how much older they are. Not many people (that I know of) has watched it and definitely no one can claim it's their favorite. I missed my chance to be in a stage adaption of Animal Crackers because I was informed too late to audition.
Room Service and Love Happy are bad movies. A Night in Casablanca is a close 3rd.
I haven't seen you react to Duck Soup, my favorite Marx Bros. movie. I named my latest dog after Groucho's character in Duck Soup. Rufus T. Firefly is his name, although I usually just call him Rufus.
I recall hearing somewhere that, according to Groucho, Margaret Dumont was a very nice lady but she never really understood a thing the Marx Brothers were doing in the scenes she was in. Their sense of humor went right over her head. So the confused expression you see on her face when Groucho is talking to her is not great acting. It is her authentic reaction making her the perfect comic foil for Groucho to play off of.
Hi, Dawn. Since you enjoy the Marx Brothers so much, I highly recommend you dive into Abbot and Costello. They were a vaudeville act in the 30s who made a lot of movies in the 40s and into the 50s. They feature their own unique style of comedy that I think you will thoroughly love as much as the Marx Bros.
I love the Marx Brothers! I hope you will also watch their films "Monkey Business" (1931), "Go West" (1940), "Animal Crackers" (1930), "A Night in Casablanca" (1946).
Their first film "The Cocoanuts" (from 1929) was one of the first films with sound (a bit slow, but has its charm). "The Cocoanuts" and their second movie, "Animal Crackers", were originally two stage productions the brothers played on Broadway (they were huge there before moving to film). I also like their "Room Service" from 1938 but tend to be quite alone in liking it.
Their worst film is their last one, "Love Happy". Groucho is almost not in and it was initially thought to be a Harpo solo film. Marilyn Monroe has a very small role in it (her film debut).
That's exactly like charging extra for a longer text. It doesn't matter that it's the same sized paper - it's the words that were transmitted, so you paid more for a long message. That's why telegrams were very terse, sometimes to the point of being cryptic. They were common when I was a kid but I assume they don't really exist any more.
Dawn I dunno if you've gotten to him yet, but Charlie Chaplin is another absolute must see director/actor of this era. The Gold Rush (1925), City Lights (1931) and Modern Times (1936) in particular are some of the funniest and sweetest movies ever made
Speaking of comedy circus movies from the late 1930s, you should try the WC Fields masterpiece, You Can’t Cheat an Honest Man.
19:45 comment, let's just hope it was a dialect for Shut.-Ernie Moore Jr.
You're the first person I've ever known or watched that was really into the Marx Brothers. Thanks for this reaction of yours you got me enjoying the Marx Brothers also very very entertaining thank you very much. I hope you're doing well young lady. Again thank you
It was absolutely wonderful the way you enjoyed his movie.
Well, your reactions are always a gas to watch, but this time more than usual. 🥸
How did Groucho get on and off the train? The train left without him, but he ended up at Suzanna's house before the train arrived!
They don't have animals in Piccadilly Circus anymore? Lydia The Tattooed Lady is one of my favorites from Groucho.
I don't think I've ever seen all of At the Circus before. My personal favorite is Horse Feathers, followed by (in no particular order) Monkey Business, Animal Crackers, and Duck Soup. The Cocoanuts was their first, and is worth watching for the historical value, though it's not their best.
For a telegram, each coded letter requires time and trained physical labour -- like typing plus. (They use Morse code.)
I first saw the Marx Brothers when I was a kid in the 70’s . They played all these old movies on TV.
This was the first Marx Brothers movie I ever saw! I was 13 years old, and my family would watch movies on Friday nights. I was in a crabby mood that day, and it didn't help that we had to watch a 'stupid' black and white movie! At least, that was my attitude going into it. When they got to Groucho wanting to get on the train without a badge, I was laughing my head off!
*LAUREL & HARDY*
Nice job Lassie,Another movie you might consider is "The 40 year old Virgin"
It's always a joy to watch your reactions.
Shout out to Dawn for presenting another amazing Marx Brothers movie reaction. Love all your reactions!! Keep it up 👍
❤❤❤ Good on you! Are we now halfway through? Well, Lidia the tattooed lady song done. There are a few highlights to come.Hooray for Captain Spaulding, Groucho's theme in ANIMAL CRACKERS. Sing while you sell and Rockabye baby, from the BIG STORE, and rollerskating. Chico wanting to know Why would you need a Ford when you've got a horse, in the COCONUTS. Harpo is pretty good in NIGHT IN CASABLANCA. Rusty, Corbaccio, and Kornblow. Can't remember a lick about GO WEST. It'll come to me. Or not! Luv ya
That was "SHUT mah mouth..." Early rap, I believe! 😀
I LOVE your laugh!
31:05
'Begs the question: Have you ever actually kicked someone's ass?