Bernard Duggan writes…
I watched the the Stan & Ollie movie and really liked it. I have never really watched any of their films. Can you recommend one to start with?
Also, I never really watched any of the Marx Bros. films. Can you also recommend one of their movies?
Well, I really didn't like the Stan & Ollie movie so maybe you don't want to take recommendations from me. But in case you do, a good starting point for Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy would be one of these features: Sons of the Desert, Way Out West, The Devil's Brother, The Flying Deuces or Our Relations. If you don't love those, there's little point in proceeding any further.
If you do proceed further, put anything they made in 1941 or later at the bottom of the pile. Those films are not without wonderful moments but save them until you get tired of the earlier films. Their other pre-1941 features and all of the shorts they made with sound are worthy of your attention, though a good filmography (here's one) will alert you to the ones where they only make brief (sometimes, very brief) cameo appearances.
Their silent shorts are mostly wonderful. You need to be charitable about some of the early ones where they're still figuring out their screen characters and maybe not functioning as a duo.
For the Marx Brothers, A Night at the Opera is a really good film to see first. It's not their funniest or zaniest but it's a good, solid work and the romantic sub-plot isn't too agonizing to sit through. Then go on to the films they made earlier for Paramount and I would say their three best for that company would be — in order of merit — Duck Soup, Horse Feathers and Monkey Business.
Then go on to the others but again, don't mess with anything they made in 1941 or later until you've exhausted the better stuff. (They made Room Service in 1938 but I'd put it in with the 1941-or-later efforts.)
Now, here's a Big However to both teams' work: All of these films are best seen on a big screen in an actual movie theater with a good audience. If you find a showing of any of the pre-'41 films in those circumstances, go.
I have this lovely friend named Amber who has never seen Stan or Ollie or Groucho or Chico or Harpo or even Zeppo. I have every decent film these guys made (and, yes, most of the lesser ones) on my DVD shelf and could introduce her to any of them at any time that way…but I haven't. I'm waiting for a good public screening of the best of either team because I want her to first experience them that way. If you can, do that. It can really make a difference in how you appreciate these great comedians forever after.