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Monkey Business [DVD]

Groucho Marx (Actor), Harpo Marx (Actor), Norman Z. McLeod (Director) Rated:
Unrated
Format: DVD
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 92 ratings
IMDb7.4/10.0
Additional DVD options Edition Discs
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DVD
July 4, 2017
DVD
1
$6.99
$9.90 $3.18
DVD
June 24, 1998 		—
1
—
$12.95 $3.13
DVD
June 6, 2005 		—
1
—
— $19.98
Format DVD, NTSC, Black & White, AC-3
Contributor Will B. Johnstone, Roland Pertwee, Rockliffe Fellowes, Harpo Marx, Ruth Hall, Groucho Marx, Tom Kennedy, Billy Bletcher, Eddie Baker, Chico Marx, Arthur Sheekman, Ben Hecht, Norman Z. McLeod, Zeppo Marx, Harry Woods, Bobby Barber, S.J. Perelman, Thelma Todd See more
Language English
Runtime 1 hour and 17 minutes
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Product Description

It's comedy on the high seas when the Marx Brothers sneak aboard an ocean liner and get involved in a crazy set of comedy capers not to be missed. A madcap vintage voyage where pure lunacy rides the waves.

Product details

  • Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.33:1
  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ Unrated (Not Rated)
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.5 x 5.38 x 0.6 inches; 4 ounces
  • Director ‏ : ‎ Norman Z. McLeod
  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ DVD, NTSC, Black & White, AC-3
  • Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 17 minutes
  • Release date ‏ : ‎ June 24, 1998
  • Actors ‏ : ‎ Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx, Zeppo Marx, Rockliffe Fellowes
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English (PCM Mono)
  • Studio ‏ : ‎ Universal Studios
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 6305078467
  • Writers ‏ : ‎ Arthur Sheekman, Ben Hecht, Roland Pertwee, S.J. Perelman, Will B. Johnstone
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 92 ratings

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
92 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

J L Decker
5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Have
Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2002
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This is one of my personal favorites of the Marx Brothers movies (the other being "A Day at the Races"). This movie follows the brothers as stowaways on a ship, forever being chased around deck by the captain. The brothers then, completely by accident, become bodyguards for rival gang members. Groucho and Zeppo get stuck defending Alkie Briggs, while Chico and Harpo agree (for a fee) to defend Joe Helton. Zeppo then falls in love with Joe Helton's daughter, while Harpo joyfully chases a bullfrog around the ship! Once off the ship, Alkie Briggs, trying to trap Joe Helton into signing an agreement plans to kidnap Helton's Daughter, and the Marxes come to the rescue!
This was a great film for Harpo, some of the funniest gags in this film are his, especially the afformentioned bullfrog. When the frog escapes from under his tophat (where he keeps it, of course!) Harpo chases it down. He wanders into a room where a man with a scratchy voice is heard to say "I've got a frog in my throught." With that Harpo lunges at the man, picking him up, turning him upside down trying to shake the frog out!
Some other highlights include Harpo and Chico negotiating with Joe Helton to prove how tough they are, Groucho first meeting with the wife of Alkie Briggs in the closet (Briggs's wife is played wonderfully by Thelma Todd, who returned for an encore in this film after appearing in "Horse Feathers"), Harpo trying to pass himself off as a puppet in a "Punch and Judy" type puppet show, and the brothers trying to con their way off the ship by trying to pass themselves off as Maurice Chevalier.
I think this movie could be appreciated by everyone, even those who are unfamiliar with the Marxes, but this is a MUST HAVE for any Marx brothers fan.
5 people found this helpful
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Dean Blackmor
5.0 out of 5 stars Ahead of their time ...
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2014
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Stagy, yet funny and at a pace that would keep up with today's race to the finish lifestyle, The Marx Brothers Interrupt this cruise ship to bring you a special announcement … (Incert joke)! And the seriousness never begins. Watch this 2 times and call me in the morning.
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Scott T. Rivers
5.0 out of 5 stars Marxes on the Rampage
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2006
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The Marx Brothers' first Hollywood production survives as a masterpiece of cinematic anarchy. "Monkey Business" (1931) takes no prisoners — it's fast, furious and doesn't give a damn about convention. There are enough sight gags and non sequiturs for a half-dozen comedies. Thelma Todd is a lively addition to the Marxian ensemble and compensates for the absence of Margaret Dumont. Memorable Groucho dialogue: "Don't forget that the stockholder of yesteryear is the stowaway of today."
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BEANIE
5.0 out of 5 stars Marx madness!
Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2015
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Relentlessly hilarious! the plot is nonsensical and illogical but so what! double entendres, visual jokes, slap stick, mime, double-talk, the musical Marx brothers did it ALL! There's never been anything like them since; they were a national treasure.
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LLA
5.0 out of 5 stars classic
Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2020
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fun to watch
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Annie Van Auken
4.0 out of 5 stars "Give 'um a little schnoop 'ere."
Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2013
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Scripted in part by S.J. Perelman, this Marx Bros. comedy is a degree short of perfection only because it lacks a strong finale. "Let's have them all fistfight in a cow barn" seems a convenient solution to this silliness about two rival gangsters and the kidnapping of one of their daughters.

It's really two stories: what happens on the ocean liner (the best stuff), and events that occur in America. Miss Todd and Groucho share a classic bedroom sequence, Chico and Harpo both get musical spotlights, Zeppo seems superfluous in the romantic lead.

Their dad (Sam) has two cameos: as both a boat passenger and someone waiting at the dock during the same ship's arrival. A former leading lady of Charlie Chapln (Mineau) is also seen briefly. Finally, listen carefully during the herring barrel rendition of "Sweet Adeline" to hear Harpo singing off-key and late on the lyrics. His "haht" for "heart" is a giveway.

Parenthetical number preceding title is a 1 to 10 IMDb viewer poll rating.

(7.5) Monkey Business (1931) - Groucho, Harpo, Chico & Zeppo Marx/Rockliffe Fellowes/Harry Woods/Thelma Todd/Ruth Hall/Tom Kennedy (uncredited: Billy Barty/Bobby Barber/Billy Bletcher/Bobby Dunn/Sam Marx/Charlotte Mineau/Leo White)
2 people found this helpful
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Ashley
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved It
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2014
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My most favorite Marx brothers movie! Duck Soup and A Night at the Opera are great but these four stowed away on a ship just makes for a great time!
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Jeannie
3.0 out of 5 stars Great Movie, Good DVD
Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2011
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If I was reviewing just the movie, I would give it four stars (it's a good movie but not one of the Marx Brothers' best). The DVD itself was of fairly good quality but with the technology available today, it could have been digitized better (as was done in the complete I Love Lucy series). At least it appears the complete movie was presented here (if not, the cut portions were better hidden than in in the DVD of Horse Feathers I recently reviewed).
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Top reviews from other countries

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C. Koelewijn
5.0 out of 5 stars Great!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 19, 2022
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The usual Marx Brothers nonsense, but great fun!
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andrea emme
5.0 out of 5 stars strepitoso
Reviewed in Italy on January 28, 2015
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Forse il migliore dei fratelli, c'è ancora Zeppo, consigliatissimo. I Marx bisogna sentirli nella loro lingua (qui è d'obbligo) pur capendo un quarto del significato sei subito proiettato in un delirio di mimica-sproloquio-lucida demenza dove la banalità non risiede anzi non ostante i loro ottant'anni il tutto è freschissimo moderno e pazzescamente originale. Genio sregolatezza delirio amoroso furbizia molestia povertà ricchezza musica (datata, naturalmente) maurice chevalier. Ca po la vo ro
2 people found this helpful
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Mr Malcolm Cartwright
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 10, 2016
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bought for a friend he loves them good condition
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katrina_marina
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 20, 2016
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High jinx on board ship - fantastic capers.
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Brian Andrew Delamere
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 12, 2015
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Excellent, very good service
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