Sam Wood's A Day at the Races may be my favorite Marx Brothers film that doesn't include the words "duck" or "soup" in its title. Madcap routines, sizzling one-liners, and general lunacy make A Day at the Races a beacon of blessed chaos. The plot sees Groucho, Chico, and Harpo mixed up in a preposterous scheme involving a wealthy hypochondriac, a financially devastated clinic, mistaken identities, a stolen horse, and a climactic horse race that devolves into Looney Tunes-esque anarchy. But we don't watch Marx Brothers films for the plot. We come for the laughs. And A Day at the Races delivers. While the "Tutsi Fruitsy Ice Cream" routine is justifiably revered, my favorite routine involved Groucho, a frustrated business manager, a telephone, and a very loud buzzer. Chico and Harpo's musical routines are perhaps the best they ever made. Harpo's self-destructing piano scene is among his career's finest moments. The film is also blessed with four-time Oscar winner Joseph Ruttenberg's fine cinematography. While respectfully keeping his camera objective during the Brother's various routines, he manages to sneak in some wonderful shots that are captivating in their beauty. One sequence during the racetrack climax where the crowd's hats fly onto the track is nothing less than pure cinema. He even manages to make the obnoxious musical interludes revolving around the bland side characters and their romance a feast for the eyes. Of course, the numbers taking place in the black ghetto were an unexpected treat that managed to steal the show from the Brothers themselves! A Day at the Races is simply a joyful experience that ranks among the best comedies of the 1930s.
9/10
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