The Marx Brothers
Marxology - Go West

This film was originally developed in parallel with A Day At The Races by Irving Thalberg. The first outline was logged as early as 15 April 1936 by Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby and William Slavens McNutt. In this version, the Marx Brothers were entangled with a rodeo. A composite script by Kalmar and Ruby was ready on 19 August 1936, but the project was cancelled when Thalberg died. It is possible that the song Go West, Young Man, written by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby and performed by Groucho in Copacabana (his 1947 feature with Carmen Miranda) is a left-over from the original Go West. When MGM returned to the idea after At The Circus, it was Irving Brecher who wrote the script. In March 1940 the show went on the road, playing 103 performances from Chicago to Detroit.

A memorable moment from the stage version appeared in the end, where Harpo held a long but nonsensical speech, similar to a speech he held in Fun In Hi Skule. The speech ended:

"May I not have the rather unusual privilege of tending to you, my audience, the warm congratulations which are rightfully yours for the keenness and perspicacity which you have shown in recognizing true genius, accomplished artistry, and monumentomonumania. Thank you."

However, in keeping with his silent image, the scene was never shot. The trailer for the film presents an alternate angle where Groucho enters saloon and also features a short close-up that is not in the film, where Groucho says "It's just like a movie".