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''Duck Soup'' is a 1933 Pre-Code Marx Brothers anarchic comedy film written by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, with additional dialogue by Arthur Sheekman and Nat Perrin, and directed by Leo McCarey. First released theatrically by Paramount Pictures on November 17, 1933, it starred what were then billed as the "Four Marx Brothers" (Groucho, Harpo, Chico, and Zeppo) and also featured Margaret Dumont, Raquel Torres, Louis Calhern and Edgar Kennedy. It was the last Marx Brothers film to feature Zeppo, and the last of five Marx Brothers movies released by Paramount.〔Zeppo retired from acting altogether after ''Duck Soup'', becoming an agent. See Louvish.〕 Compared to the Marx Brothers' previous Paramount films, ''Duck Soup'' was a box-office disappointment,〔 although it was not a "flop" as is sometimes reported.〔(''Duck Soup'' at the Internet Movie Database )〕 The film opened to mixed reviews,〔(Notes for ''Duck Soup'' - TCM.com )〕 although this by itself did not end the group's business with Paramount. Bitter contract disputes, including a threatened walk-out by the Marxes, crippled relationships between them and Paramount just as ''Duck Soup'' went into production. After the film fulfilled their five-picture contract with the studio, the Marxes and Paramount agreed to part ways.〔〔One result of the relative lack of success of ''Duck Soup'' was that when the Brothers moved to MGM and ''A Night at the Opera'' was in preparation, studio head Irving Thalberg insisted that they return to their previous practice of trying out their new material in front of live audiences on the vaudeville circuit.〕 While contemporaneous critics of ''Duck Soup'' felt it did not quite meet the standards of its predecessors, critical opinion has evolved and the film has since achieved the status of a classic.〔 ''Duck Soup'' is now widely considered among critics to be a masterpiece, and the Marx Brothers' finest film.〔〔 In 1990 the United States Library of Congress deemed ''Duck Soup'' "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry.〔 ==Plot== The wealthy Mrs. Teasdale (Margaret Dumont) insists that Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho) be appointed leader of the small, bankrupt country of Freedonia before she will continue to provide much-needed financial aid. Meanwhile, neighboring Sylvania is attempting to annex the country. Sylvanian ambassador Trentino (Louis Calhern) tries to foment a revolution and to woo Mrs. Teasdale, and he tries to dig up dirt on Firefly by sending in spies Chicolini (Chico) and Pinky (Harpo). After failing to collect useful information against Firefly, Chicolini and Pinky are able to infiltrate the government when Chicolini is appointed Secretary of War after Firefly sees him selling peanuts outside his window. Meanwhile, Firefly's secretary, Bob Roland (Zeppo) suspects Trentino's motives, and advises Firefly to get rid of Trentino by insulting him. Firefly agrees to the plan, but after a series of personal insults exchanged between Firefly and Trentino, the plan backfires when Firefly slaps Trentino instead of being slapped by him. As a result, the two countries come to the brink of war. Adding to the international friction is the fact that Firefly is also courting Mrs. Teasdale, and, like Trentino, hoping to get his hands on her late husband's wealth. Trentino learns that Freedonia's war plans are in Mrs. Teasdale's safe and orders Chicolini and Pinky to steal them. Chicolini is caught by Firefly and put on trial, during which war is officially declared, and everyone is overcome by war frenzy, breaking into song and dance. The trial put aside, Chicolini and Pinky join Firefly and Bob Roland in anarchic battle, resulting in general mayhem. The end of the film finds Trentino caught in makeshift stocks, with the Brothers pelting him with fruit. Trentino surrenders, but Firefly tells him to wait until they run out of fruit. Mrs. Teasdale begins singing the Freedonia national anthem in her operatic voice and the Brothers begin hurling fruit at ''her'' instead. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Duck Soup (1933 film)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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