The Marx Brothers
Marxology - A Night In Casablanca

Mikael Uhlin's Marxology @ marx-brothers.org

This film started life as Adventure In Casablanca and was preceded by a short tour in August 1945 (principally in Army camps) to get routines in shape and to memorize the material. Filming started on 3 October and was finished in early December. The first version of the film ran for two hours. At the first proper preview in early January 1946, the film ran 113 minutes but was received unenthusiastically by audience and Marxes alike. Desperate cutting before the release on 10 May 1946 reduced the film to 85 minutes. Presented here are two of the cut scenes, Yellow Camel Taxi Service and

Desert View Motel

Source part 2 D.L. Ames' A Night In Casablanca - The Book of the Film]

Ronald Kornblow Groucho
Girl Ruth Roman?
Mr Shrak Abdullah
Arab Groom

1

Exterior desert, day. Only sand and sky are visible. Camera slowly pans to a hand-painted sign sticking in the sand, reading:

'FREE PARKING. This is the Desert View Motel - out of the High Tent District'

Inside, another sign reads:

'Please close your tent flap before leaving'

Close shot - office. Groucho is revealed recling on the mattress. He wears an ill-fitting white linen suite topped off by a red fez. Near him rests an elaborate oriental water-cooled pipe on which he is drawing, through a long corded tube. The pipe is rigged so that there is a cigar in the far attachment.
A giant Arab emerges from the tent marked "2".

Groucho Ah! Mr Shrak Abdullah!
[book: "Ah! Mr Shrak Siad"]
Checking out, eh?
Behind Mr Shrak a veiled, slim Arab girl emerges from the tent. Groucho bows
And Mrs Shrak Abdullah!
A second Arab girl appears, blushing And Mrs Shrak Abdullah!
A third follows And Mrs Shrak Abdullah!
This continues for a considerable number of Mrs Shrak Abdullahs, Groucho counting them on his fingers as they emerge.
Bungalow number 2, the bridal suite...
[book: Let's see, Tent no.2, the bridal suite]
Shrak Abdullah and twenty-eight wives for twenty-seven days

Mr Shrak No.

Groucho (corrrecting himself)...twenty-seven wives for twenty-eight days...

Mr Shrak Yes.

Groucho I'd have charge you for an extra wife if you weren't on your toes - and it takes quite a man to be on his toes with twenty-seven wives. I'd be on my heels.
[The last phrase appears in the book as well but is crossed out on the script and replaced with:
A guy's got to be charged up to have twenty-eight wives. That'll be a hundred and forty francs.]
Mr Shrak pays and stalks off, followed by his long retinue of wives.
I don't envy him. Remember, every one of those wives has a mother!

Groucho then finds a spare wife left sobbing in the bridal tent. He flings himself on the cushions beside her and consoles her.
Groucho Fine husband. He checks out of here and forgets you. Don't cry. I wouldn't worry about him. Men are ten cents a dozen...I wish women were.

Girl He'll come back for me.

Groucho Well, he'd better hurry. Remember, the management is not responsible for wives left over thirty days. He adds passionately Don't be a fool, come away with me.

Girl I'll never leave here. I'm a part of Africa, and Africa is a part of me.

Groucho Well, at least I'm seeing the best part of Africa.

2

Suddenly Mr Shrak is standing in the door of the tent.
Groucho What these tents need is a fire-escape. Groucho toys nervously with an hour-glass beside the couch, observes the running sand with sudden horror and slithers past Mr Shrak without pausing for further chit-chat.
Gad! Look at the time! A quarter to eleven!

At the Office a honeymoon couple (that is a couple of blushing brides, one handsome young Arab groom and a camel who probably wasn't one of the party) are waiting to book accommodation.

Groucho Honeymoon, eh? You can have No. 2. It's still warm. As a matter of fact it got too hot for me. It's a lovely tent, with a fine view of the ocean.

Arab groom I see no ocean.

Groucho We're working on that. So far all we've got is the beach.
Groucho indicates the Sahara Desert and the trio move off to the bridal tent.
What a lucky guy! Two wives. Any time he's in the mood he can play three-handed rummy.

Groucho receives a telegram from the Governor.
Groucho So they want me to take over the Casablanca Hotel! Why, I'll never leave this Motel! I built it up from nothing. It's my old-age annuity - as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar. Nobody can take it away from me.
A sound of wind appears, followed by a sudden desert storm. The tornado sweeps everything away - archway, office, tents. Like the camel beside him, Groucho is buried up to his neck in desert sand. He raises his eyebrows.
Groucho I've thought the whole proposition over very carefully. I'll take the job.