October 12, 1946
United Artists
Comedy, Musical
VHS
C
The Marx Brothers "retired" after The Big Store, and who could blame them? This was their post-war comeback movie, but it's not any better than Store. Then again, it's not any worse. They're Dumont-less this time, although they do have Sig Ruman again, much more villainous than he was in A Night at the Opera and A Day at the Races. (As in Store, the serious plot involves a string of murders.) The movie isn't really a parody on Casablanca, although the Nazis are causing trouble here, too. The Marxes, especially Harpo (playing "Rusty," as he did in Go West), look old and tired. (They were then in their mid to late 50s.) The jokes are mostly old and tired, too, although there are moments I smiled a little, as when Harpo indeed is "holding up a wall." This wasn't quite the end for the comedy team, but I haven't seen Love Happy in about thirty years, so I can't tell you if it's any worse. I have Groucho coming up in 1947's Copacabana and 1968's Skidoo.
Mary Dees was in The Women. Philip Van Zandt was in Citizen Kane. And Dan Seymour was in Casablanca. Kalmar & Ruby's "Who's Sorry Now" (from 1923) is sung by the villainess, a whole night club, and then Groucho.
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