Those of you in L.A. may want to take note: The Egyptian Theater, under the auspices of the American Cinematheque, is about to show a batch of Marx Brothers movies the way God and Irving Thalberg intended they be viewed: With an audience. Sure, you've got them all on DVD. Big deal. I've got them all on DVD, too. But though they're fun to watch that way, it ain't the same. Some movies really need to be seen in a big group and Marx Brothers movies are high on that list. (The most extreme example of that is Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. It's a pretty boring, lame movie if you view it alone or even with a small contingent. On the big screen in a packed house, it becomes a very different — and pretty darn good — cinematic experience.)
This L.A. Times article quotes two friends of mine who are devout Marxists of the Groucho kind. Robert Bader is fonder than I am of the first two Paramount films, The Cocoanuts and Animal Crackers. I think they were harmed severely by the constrictions of early "talkie" technology. They have their moments (so do At the Circus and Go West) but I favor Monkey Business through A Day at the Races. I will set Bader straight the next time I see him.
Steve Stoliar, also mentioned in the article, is the gent I've mentioned here who worked as Groucho's aide/secretary for the last few years of Doc Hackenbush's life. Steve will be signing his book (oft-plugged on this site) one evening at the Marxfest and also at an upcoming event at the Hollywood Heritage Museum. He'll be talking about his experiences working for The Man and showing rare, you've-never-seen-it footage of Groucho in his later years. It's March 14 and if you're thinking of going, order tix now. The place ain't that big and they may already be sold out.