Actuakers One of my all time favorites.

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Kodie Bird True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Stephan Hammond It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

JohnHowardReid Not one of the Marx Brothers' best films. The main fault is the script. It concentrates too much attention on a rather corny plot (although it does provide plenty of lines for our favorite villain Douglass Dumbrille). Its gags and comedy situations are not particularly witty and in fact are often rather strained. Proceedings are further dampened by two unmemorable songs for Tony Martin, including a tedious finale called "Tenement Symphony". The Marx Brothers have one number, "Sing While You Sell", which has a catchy chorus and is fairly well staged with Groucho swooping along in front of the counters - but it falls quite short of their 1930's standard. Generally, the Brothers make a game attempt to overcome mediocre dialogue and so-so situations. That they are partly successful is due as much to their experience as their natural gifts (but even they can do little with a particularly trite scene with Henry Armetta). The direction is no more than competent, though the timing may have originally been sharper than Nervig's inept film editing makes it appear. For some reason, Charles Lawton has gone all out for soft focus photography - though why he bothered to do this for such a charmless couple as Tony Martin and Virginia Grey is a mystery. Production values are otherwise good.

greenpiebohemia This is my favorite movie ever.These are the highlights for me.From Groucho's singing "Mr. Grover you are just a quack to me" to the end of the "Sing while you sell" reprise. Virginia O'Brien had me laughing on the floor the first time I heard "Rock-a-bye Baby". I just love the way Groucho takes the big production number, a standard vehicle of the time, and makes it signature Groucho. You got to smile.I think this movie has some of the best Groucho/Margaret Dumont banter.Harpo's harp solo is miles ahead of any of his others. It's just plain fun,Although the Tenement Symphony clearly is lacking musically, you have to love the overriding pun. The Tenement Symphony in four flats.

Neil Doyle And it is. Of course it's the usual zany nonsense with the Marx Bros. trying to save TONY MARTIN from a bunch of gangsters who want to take over ownership of a department store. If you're a Marx Bros. fan, you'll especially enjoy the climactic chase at the finale.Aside from the Marx. Bros., MARGARET DUMONT, DOUGLAS DUMBRILLE, VIRGINIA GREY and TONY MARTIN (who gets to warble a couple of songs) all add to the fun--although not among the wacky best when it comes to the Marx Bros. material.The film gets a glossy lift from the MGM production values obvious in the sets and costumes. Harpo has one of his best harp routines and there's a good set piece involving mechanically automated beds that disappear into the wall with Henry Armetta's brood of children.The closing number is Martin's "Tenement Symphony" which he does with professional skill, joined by Harpo and Chico, orchestra and chorus. But it's the big roller skating chase through the department store that stays in the memory long after seeing the film. It's a wacky highlight of the film and watch it for some exceptionally good stunt work.

MartinHafer The sad fact about the Marx Brothers is that after the movie A NIGHT AT THE OPERA, their career was all downhill. While A DAY AT THE RACES and ROOM SERVICE were still very good, their subsequent efforts were painfully ordinary and generally unfunny. It was like they were playing lethargic caricatures of themselves. And, from what I gathered, the Marxes WERE very content to just collect a paycheck at this point in their lives.Some of the blame for the static nature of this film also must be given to MGM--a studio that had a history of ruining good comedians when they came under DIRECT MGM control (Laurel and Hardy's films were distributed by MGM but were created by the independent-minded Hal Roach Studios). If you don't believe me, look at all the Marxes films from the late 30s on as well as Buster Keaton's films of the 30s--they rely on an MGM formula and lack all the frenetic intensity of the comedians' earlier non-MGM efforts.The film is a by-the-book effort where the Marx Brothers work at a department store. The usual music by the Marxes is supplemented by dull songs. So, instead of original and funny material, we are treated to MORE MUSIC!! My advice is see their earlier Paramount films or their first two MGM flicks then avoid the rest unless you are a die-hard fan.UPDATE: I just re-watched this film. This time I wasn't quite as negative about it but STILL was frustrated that the film seemed like a musical in which the Marx Brothers were tossed instead of a Marx Brothers film. Too often, plot was secondary and singing got in the way. One annoying singer was a zombie-like woman who sang some song about lullabies--which was NOT pleasant. Some of Tony Martin's singing is very nice (and I really liked Chico and Harpo's music) but that and the total number of songs in the film make it one of their weakest efforts. Worth seeing but that is all.