Oh, there is enough chaos to go around, but one can still take comfort in the chaos instigated by The Marx Brothers in Duck Soup. It is, after all, harmless, aiming as it does towards stuffed-shirts and conventions. In this scene, it is the traditions of a trial, which, in its entirety, never gets around to bringing evidence, rebuttal, and cross-examination. It is merely sidebar, sidebar, sidebar, with a trip to irrelevance (which is duly handled by mangling the language). Perry Mason, himself, would complain about "court-room theatrics (and Hamilton Burger would merely burn to a crisp).
But, then, what can one expect of a country like Freedonia with such Marxist leanings?
The Set-Up: In the country of Freedonia, war looms! Now, Chicolini (Chico Marx) is on trial for trying to steal Freedonian secrets to their enemies in Sylvania, presided by the country's newly appointed leader, Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho Marx), brought to the post at the behest of Freedonia's potential financial bail-out. Mrs. Teasdale (Margaret Dumont).
All Rise!
COURT OFFICER: His Excellency, Rufus T. Firefly!
RUFUS T. FIREFLY: Lieutenant! Why weren't the original indictment papers placed in my portfolio?
ROLAND: Well...I didn't think those papers were important at this time, your Excellency...
FIREFLY: You didn't think they were important! Did you realize I had my dessert wrapped in those papers?
CHICOLINI: Hello, boss!
FIREFLY: Chicolini, I bet you eight to one we find you guilty.
CHICOLINI: I couldn't think of anything else to say.
CHICOLINI: It's a-no use. I even offered to pay as high as $18. But I no could getta somebody to defend me.
FIREFLY: Right!
CHICOLINI: "Ir-relephant"! Hey, that's the answer. There's a whole lot of relephants in the circus.
FIREFLY: Gentlemen, Chicolini here may talk like an idiot and look like an idiot. But don't let that fool you...
FIREFLY: Send him back to his father and brothers...who are waiting for him with open arms in the pentitentiary.
FIREFLY: Even I object.
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CHICOLINI: Then, I object, too.
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SECRETARY OF WAR: Your Excellency, General Cooper says that the Sylvanian Troops are about to land on Freedonian soil.
CHICOLINI: Dollas ! That's where my uncle lives—Dollas, Taxes.(laughs)
Handshakes all around.
Words by Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby, Arthur Sheekman, Nat Perrin (and the four Marx Brothers)
Pictures by Henry Sharp and Leo McCarey
Duck Soup is available on DVD and Blu-Ray from Universal Home Video.
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