THE BIG STORE (MGM, 1941), directed by Charles Riesner, places those three Marx Brothers in a department store setting in what was originally intended to be their farewell screen comedy (it wasn't), as mentioned in the theatrical trailer. Being their fifth and final for MGM, THE BIG STORE is actually quite good in spite of some faults, with slight changes from their usual format: Harpo, the silent one, assisting Groucho instead of Chico, and for the only time on film, Harpo and Chico performing a piano duet. It also provides one of their more funnier chase sequences with the trio running amok from bad guys in the store on roller skates, done occasionally in speed-up motion normally found in comedies featuring The Three Stooges or Abbott and Costello, with the obvious use of stunt doubles. Groucho's frequent foil, Margaret Dumont, in her seventh and final collaboration with the Marxes, is given much more to do than from her previous venture with them, AT THE CIRCUS (1939), thus, making full use of her comedic dowager ability sometimes taken for granted.
Plot Summary: Hiram Phelps, founder of Phelps Department Store, established 1857, has died and Tommy Rogers (Tony Martin), his protégé, inherits half the store, with the other half going to Phelps' sister, Martha (Margaret Dumont). Tommy, once the toughest kid on the block, wants to be a musician. He promises his friend, Ravelli (Chico), a piano teacher to neighborhood kids at the Gotham Conservatory of Music, a new music school once he sells half of his fortune. Mr. Grover (Douglass Dumbrille), a crooked store manager who doesn't want to have his books examined, has a couple of bad guys, posing as store detectives, to do away with Tommy so Martha can obtain full inheritance. With that accomplished, Grover can marry Martha with the intentions of doing away with her within six months and marrying another (Marion Martin). Because Tommy was knocked out while riding in an elevator with lights suddenly going out, Martha decides to hire a detective to investigate and bodyguard her nephew. The sleuth she chooses picked from the telephone book is the down-and-out Wolf J. Flywheel (Groucho) and his silent partner, Wacky (Harpo), Ravelli's brother. Flywheel agrees to $500 from his asking price of $20,000 for the assignment posing as a undercover floorwalker. Once in the store, Flywheel, Ravelli and Wacky team up, making each department their own flying circus before exposing Grover.
The Musical Program: "If It's You" (sung by Tony Martin) by Ben Oakland and Milton Drake; "Sing While You Sell" (sung by Groucho) by Hal Borne, Sid Kuller and Hal Fimberg; followed by "Rock it, Baby" (sung by Virginia O'Brien); "Sing While You Sell," "Mama Yo Quiero" (piano playing by Chico & Harpo); "Renaissance Fantasy" (harp solo by Harpo); and "Tenement Symphony" (sung by Tony Martin).
For the only time on screen the Marx Brothers share their name above the title with a supporting player, singer Tony Martin, whom MGM was promoting to stardom. A straight man for the trio and love interest to Virginia Grey playing Joan Sutton, store clerk, he sings well enough for musicals but fails to capture any interest from the Marxes, whose comedy routines, ranging from high quality to bargain basement material, are the film's focal points. Key scenes include the introduction of Groucho's Flywheel whose office consists of clothes lines across the room, with Harpo acting as his secretary, chauffeur,and cook while preparing his breakfast while listening to the tune of "Sing Before Breakfast" being played on the radio; Flywheel's attempt in impress his new client (Dumont) in his overly-confident ways and pretending to be booked with offers from phony telephone calls and make-believe telegrams, yet the proud owner of a decrepit car with back payments going back twelve years; exchanging of insults with store manager (Grover: "What experience have you had in a department store?" Flywheel: "I was a shoplifter for three years."); the magic chemistry between Groucho and Dumont as they recite poetry to each other; and of course the climactic chase. Scenes involving the Marxes in the bed department who lose an Italian couple's (Henry Armetta and Anna Demetrio) twelve kids and acquiring a mixture of others is okay, while Groucho's six minute song number "Sing While You Sell" supported by forties specialty jive singers, Six Hits and a Miss, is somewhat handicapped by Virginia O'Brien's deadpan singing that must have been fine when she was a newcomer, but truly passé by the end of the 1940s. Chico has little to do this time around, while Harpo shines in one of his most imaginative harp solos as he daydreams himself back to early America in period costume. Of Martin's two songs, his large scale seven minute "Tenement Symphony" consisting of children's orchestra (Harpo and Chico harp and piano participation) is a bit overdone but lavishly staged. Other than that, THE BIG STORE improves from the previous two Marx Brothers efforts, saved by funny slapstick and witty dialog. Great character actor Charles Lane has an amusing bit as the finance man who dispossesses Flywheel's jalopy, having it tolled away with Flywheel and Martha and Wacky at the wheel still in it.
Had this been the last Marx Brothers comedy ever made as intended, THE BIG STORE would have been a satisfactory conclusion. Distributed on video cassette in 1988 through Turner Entertainment, THE BIG STORE can be seen at no extra charge on Turner Classic Movies or as an over the counter DVD purchase, but don't expect this particular movie to be sold at Phelps Department Store. (**1/2)
Plot Summary: Hiram Phelps, founder of Phelps Department Store, established 1857, has died and Tommy Rogers (Tony Martin), his protégé, inherits half the store, with the other half going to Phelps' sister, Martha (Margaret Dumont). Tommy, once the toughest kid on the block, wants to be a musician. He promises his friend, Ravelli (Chico), a piano teacher to neighborhood kids at the Gotham Conservatory of Music, a new music school once he sells half of his fortune. Mr. Grover (Douglass Dumbrille), a crooked store manager who doesn't want to have his books examined, has a couple of bad guys, posing as store detectives, to do away with Tommy so Martha can obtain full inheritance. With that accomplished, Grover can marry Martha with the intentions of doing away with her within six months and marrying another (Marion Martin). Because Tommy was knocked out while riding in an elevator with lights suddenly going out, Martha decides to hire a detective to investigate and bodyguard her nephew. The sleuth she chooses picked from the telephone book is the down-and-out Wolf J. Flywheel (Groucho) and his silent partner, Wacky (Harpo), Ravelli's brother. Flywheel agrees to $500 from his asking price of $20,000 for the assignment posing as a undercover floorwalker. Once in the store, Flywheel, Ravelli and Wacky team up, making each department their own flying circus before exposing Grover.
The Musical Program: "If It's You" (sung by Tony Martin) by Ben Oakland and Milton Drake; "Sing While You Sell" (sung by Groucho) by Hal Borne, Sid Kuller and Hal Fimberg; followed by "Rock it, Baby" (sung by Virginia O'Brien); "Sing While You Sell," "Mama Yo Quiero" (piano playing by Chico & Harpo); "Renaissance Fantasy" (harp solo by Harpo); and "Tenement Symphony" (sung by Tony Martin).
For the only time on screen the Marx Brothers share their name above the title with a supporting player, singer Tony Martin, whom MGM was promoting to stardom. A straight man for the trio and love interest to Virginia Grey playing Joan Sutton, store clerk, he sings well enough for musicals but fails to capture any interest from the Marxes, whose comedy routines, ranging from high quality to bargain basement material, are the film's focal points. Key scenes include the introduction of Groucho's Flywheel whose office consists of clothes lines across the room, with Harpo acting as his secretary, chauffeur,and cook while preparing his breakfast while listening to the tune of "Sing Before Breakfast" being played on the radio; Flywheel's attempt in impress his new client (Dumont) in his overly-confident ways and pretending to be booked with offers from phony telephone calls and make-believe telegrams, yet the proud owner of a decrepit car with back payments going back twelve years; exchanging of insults with store manager (Grover: "What experience have you had in a department store?" Flywheel: "I was a shoplifter for three years."); the magic chemistry between Groucho and Dumont as they recite poetry to each other; and of course the climactic chase. Scenes involving the Marxes in the bed department who lose an Italian couple's (Henry Armetta and Anna Demetrio) twelve kids and acquiring a mixture of others is okay, while Groucho's six minute song number "Sing While You Sell" supported by forties specialty jive singers, Six Hits and a Miss, is somewhat handicapped by Virginia O'Brien's deadpan singing that must have been fine when she was a newcomer, but truly passé by the end of the 1940s. Chico has little to do this time around, while Harpo shines in one of his most imaginative harp solos as he daydreams himself back to early America in period costume. Of Martin's two songs, his large scale seven minute "Tenement Symphony" consisting of children's orchestra (Harpo and Chico harp and piano participation) is a bit overdone but lavishly staged. Other than that, THE BIG STORE improves from the previous two Marx Brothers efforts, saved by funny slapstick and witty dialog. Great character actor Charles Lane has an amusing bit as the finance man who dispossesses Flywheel's jalopy, having it tolled away with Flywheel and Martha and Wacky at the wheel still in it.
Had this been the last Marx Brothers comedy ever made as intended, THE BIG STORE would have been a satisfactory conclusion. Distributed on video cassette in 1988 through Turner Entertainment, THE BIG STORE can be seen at no extra charge on Turner Classic Movies or as an over the counter DVD purchase, but don't expect this particular movie to be sold at Phelps Department Store. (**1/2)