Marx Brothers Weirdness

A little levity:

Groucho and Company

This is just too cool. The Marx brothers film, Horse Feathers, is online. Granted, I think they are overrated- they should really be called Groucho and Company. But, free is free!

Here 'tis:

The Three Stooges

Just below, I rhapsodized on the intellectual skill of Abbott And Costello's comedy. But, they were slapstick kings, as well. Perhaps the only comedy team to equal or surpass them were the Three Stooges.

Yes, there were Shemp, Joe, and Curly Joe, but there are the three original Stooges (at least the three original on film, not Vaudeville), some of whom appeared in a few A&C films. They were the Howard Brothers: Moe and Curly (along with Shemp), and Larry Fine.

Here are a few shorts that show their skills. This first one is not as far-fetched in its courtroom antic, as I know unfortunately too well:



Here's a clip of a pie fight:



Here Curly struggles to eat:



Here the boys essay the Nazi threat. Note the sign that opens the short:


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Abbott and Costello

One of these days I'm going to have to go back and rewatch all of the Abbott and Costello films I saw to death as a child. My dad loved them, and every Sunday morning, after church, from 11:30 am to 1 pm, we would watch one of their films on WPIX, Channel 11, in NYC.

Simply put, no comedy team put a higher premium on intelligence and verbal dazzle. The Marx Bros. were just Groucho, the Three Stooges were slapstick alone, and Laurel and Hardy were emotional slapstick.

Here are a few routines, starting with the famed Who's on First?:



Here's another, the famous Math routine:



Just listen to the little comments in between.

But here's a routine that's my favorite. I piss my pants all the time seeing it:



Just fantastic blends of intellect and humor, verbal dazzle and slapstick. Abbott and Costello rule!