Saturday, August 30, 2008

Faves: A Night At The Opera

This is just about the only movie made before 1970 that I can get my kids to watch.  The Marx Brothers made a lot of good movies.  This one has that something special.  I can watch it again and again, still laughing at the same jokes.  The manic edge is just enough under control so the story, such as it is, can unroll properly.  So it seems like a real movie rather than just a bunch of sketches strung together.  But its not like they let the story get in the way.  And the manic moments are among their best.  There are lots of little touches I love.  Like when the orchestra plays Take Me Out To The Ballgame, or when Groucho says "booga booga".