Mayhem and zaniness ensue when a valuable painting goes missing during a party in honor of famed African explorer Captain Spaulding.Mayhem and zaniness ensue when a valuable painting goes missing during a party in honor of famed African explorer Captain Spaulding.Mayhem and zaniness ensue when a valuable painting goes missing during a party in honor of famed African explorer Captain Spaulding.
- Awards
- 2 nominations
Groucho Marx
- Captain Geoffrey T. Spaulding
- (as The Marx Brothers)
Harpo Marx
- The Professor
- (as The Marx Brothers)
Chico Marx
- Signor Emanuel Ravelli
- (as The Marx Brothers)
Zeppo Marx
- Horatio Jamison
- (as The Marx Brothers)
Robert Allen
- Party Guest
- (uncredited)
Donald MacBride
- Party Guest
- (uncredited)
Ann Roth
- Party Guest
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIn the interchange between Spaulding and Ravelli near the end of the film, Spaulding refers to "Chic Sale". Chic Sale was a vaudeville performer well-known to audiences in the 1930s. His name, however, had a parallel meaning. It had become a euphemism for an outhouse. Groucho Marx may have thought the reference as a way around the Hays Office code. The comedian Soupy Hines changed his name to Soupy Sales in honor of the original Sale. His birth name was Milton Supman.
- GoofsWhen Professor replaces the handgun for a rifle after he shoots himself in the foot, Hives can be seen in the background walking behind the column, clearly awaiting his turn to enter the scene.
- Quotes
Capt. Spaulding: [Speaking directly at the camera] Well, all the jokes can't be good. You've got to expect that once in awhile.
- Alternate versionsCensored for a 1936 reissue to meet Production Code requirements; this censored version was the only one available for television showings and subsequent VHS/DVD releases. A surviving complete and uncensored print was found in England, and is the source being used for the 2016 blu-ray release.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 46th Annual Academy Awards (1974)
- SoundtracksYou Must Do Your Best Tonight
(1930) (uncredited)
Music by Harry Ruby
Lyrics by Bert Kalmar
Sung by Robert Greig and The Music Masters
Featured review
Hooray for Animal Crackers!
Animal Crackers is one of the best films ever done by the 4 Marx Brothers. For a start, the comedy completely works on screen, especially considering that the film was adapted from the musical stage play. And although Zeppo's comedy has always been underrated and underplayed in the five films that the 4 Marx Brothers did for Paramount Pictures, he proves in this film, as well as the four other movies he appeared with Groucho, Chico, and Harpo, that the 4 Marx Brothers made better films when the four of them worked together; as opposed to when it was just Groucho, Chico and Harpo. All the Marx Brothers films which included Zeppo were zanier films and, to me, the best of their work. Verbally, Groucho is at his razor-sharp best in Animal Crackers, with almost every one-liner dripping with comedic insults and sarcasm. Chico and Harpo perfectly add to the mayhem. The direction by Victor Heerman showed the type of skill needed to professionally control the 4 Marx Brothers to make Animal Crackers the tremendous success that it was. Though the Great Depression was taking hold on the American psyche in 1930, Animal Crackers was the perfect comedy which allowed ordinary Americans to enjoy the spoofing of America's 'Hoi Polloi'.
Though the 4 Marx Brothers' succeeding films (Monkey Business, Horse Feathers, and Duck Soup) were even more of the Hollywood film-style comedy successes which crystalized their zaniness and on-screen craziness, one should not underestimate the cinematography of George Folsey, Sr., who made the film look like a movie written especially for the screen. The look of the film (specifically the sets) makes one feel like he or she wished they had been invited to Mrs. Rittenhouse's party in honor of Captain Spaulding. Lillian Roth never looked better, and the best song in the film is her musical number with Hal Thompson, "Why Am I So Romantic?" - which was the theme music for the entire movie. Animal Crackers is one of my favorite films that the 4 Marx Brothers did for Paramount Pictures - although all five films made at Paramount are absolute gems. I strongly suggest getting the Marx Brothers' Silver Screen Collection, which is now on DVD. They are a must for your film library!
Though the 4 Marx Brothers' succeeding films (Monkey Business, Horse Feathers, and Duck Soup) were even more of the Hollywood film-style comedy successes which crystalized their zaniness and on-screen craziness, one should not underestimate the cinematography of George Folsey, Sr., who made the film look like a movie written especially for the screen. The look of the film (specifically the sets) makes one feel like he or she wished they had been invited to Mrs. Rittenhouse's party in honor of Captain Spaulding. Lillian Roth never looked better, and the best song in the film is her musical number with Hal Thompson, "Why Am I So Romantic?" - which was the theme music for the entire movie. Animal Crackers is one of my favorite films that the 4 Marx Brothers did for Paramount Pictures - although all five films made at Paramount are absolute gems. I strongly suggest getting the Marx Brothers' Silver Screen Collection, which is now on DVD. They are a must for your film library!
- director1616
- Nov 12, 2004
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Üç Ahbap Çavuşlar Anaforcu
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $910,015
- Runtime1 hour 37 minutes
- Color
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