Duck Soup(1933) review

Duck Soup? Man, after watching this so-called "comedy classic" from 1933, I'm torn between laughing and crying. Marx Brothers, are you guys pulling my leg?

When the story kicked off, I still had a glimmer of hope. The Republic of Freedonia appoints this wacko president, Rufus T. Firefly, and I thought, "Hey, this might be fun." Boy, was I wrong.

Firefly's presidency is like a never-ending circus act. He mocks ministers, flirts with rich girls, spouts nonsense in Congress, and treats diplomacy like a game. I figured this was supposed to be a jab at incompetent leaders, but guess what? This nutjob actually wins the war! Is this satire or praise? I'm completely lost.

The Marx Brothers' performance? Okay, I'll give them props for their mirror scene chemistry. But come on, is this your A-game? Compared to Chaplin or Keaton, it's small potatoes. Those so-called "jokes," like the bathtub prank or the squabble in front of the vendor's bed, honestly felt kind of low-brow. I kept a straight face the whole time - quite an "achievement" for a comedy, huh?

I'm dying to know how audiences back then managed to crack up. Maybe I'm too picky? Or times have changed? But shouldn't good comedy stand the test of time?

What baffles me most is what this movie's trying to say. Criticize incompetent leaders? But the ending's a victory. Celebrate crazy decision-making? That's absurd. Maybe the director's saying, "Look, the world's just nuts"? If so, well, mission accomplished, 'cause I sure felt the world was crazy after watching this.

Real talk, I'm disappointed. I was hoping for a classic comedy that'd have me in stitches, but instead I got a bunch of chaotic scenes that make zero sense. Maybe my sense of humor's broken, or maybe this film just doesn't live up to its reputation.

All in all, Duck Soup is like a weird-tasting soup - you don't know what's in it, and after drinking it, you're not sure whether to laugh or cry. If you're asking me if it's worth watching, I'd say: unless you're super into 1930s "humor," give it a pass. This soup's better left for those who can truly appreciate its flavor.

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