Rufus T. Firefly is named president/dictator of bankrupt Freedonia and declares war on neighboring Sylvania over the love of wealthy Mrs. Teasdale.

Look, I know it’s a classic. I know it’s The Marx Brothers. But, I just don’t find Duck Soup to be particularly interesting. I mean, there’s no real plot. There’s nothing to root for. Duck Soup feels more like a vehicle for individual vaudeville acts loosely linked together. That’s not to say that I don’t like those individual acts. In fact, the mirror scene is one of my favorites. However, the characters are just so ridiculous. It makes it hard to root for somebody like Rufus Firefly, played by Groucho Marx, when he’s so ridiculous.

And, honestly, I don’t have much else to say about the film. It felt much longer than the hour and nine minutes that it actually is. It’s a musical, kind of. I mean, I understand why it’s on AFI’s list. It’s an important film in regards to comedy. But, I would choose to watch A Night At The Opera (1935) over this Marx Brother’s film any day.