Forum - Groucho's Double"Why A Duck?" @ marx-brothers.org |
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Forum - Groucho's Double"Why A Duck?" @ marx-brothers.org |
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| Author | Topic: Groucho's Double |
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chris6931
unregistered |
posted 17 February 2000 12:43 AM
This is probably old news to all you Marxists, but maybe someone can explain. I was watching "Animal Crackers" on DVD the other evening. During the scene where Chico and Harpo are stealing the painting, the lights go out. Groucho and Margret Dumont enter in darkness, sit on the couch, and begin their dialogue. But Groucho's lines are obviously dubbed, and though it's dark, you can tell that the guy sitting next to her, even in the shadow, isn't Groucho. What's up with this scene? Anyone have the answer? Please e-mail me.
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Findolin
Cabinet Minister Posts: 6
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posted 28 May 2000 05:15 PM
Are you sure? I've seen the VHS, and I never suspected a Groucho double. (I'm probably wrong, of course) On the other hand, I've heard the DVD versions of the Marx movies have poor sound and picture, so you may want to rent the video. |
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srtallio
Cabinet Minister Posts: 9
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posted 22 June 2000 08:51 PM
Yeah, I watched "Animal Crackers" after reading this and I think that it's just an overdubbing of sound that was lost or too poor to use or something. But! I believe I've found something similar within their very first movie, namely "The Cocoanuts". It involves the "Why A Duck" scene, and if anyone has read something about it, Groucho himself admitted that Zeppo once filled in for him on stage when he was too ill to continue. He also admitted that the audience never knew the difference, as Zeppo pulled off a perfect imitation of Groucho. Now, if you watch the "Why A Duck" scene, "Groucho" has really slicked hair completely UNLIKE what he has in the rest of the movie; normally, his hair is flat on top and bushes out to the sides. What I think is that Groucho, being tempermental or sick or whatever, didn't attend the shoot that day, and so Zeppo filled in; this explains the slicked and greasy hair. It's kinda neat if you think about it. |
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crstager
unregistered |
posted 01 July 2000 05:38 AM
So I now I wonder if it is Zeppo doubling for Groucho, because I went back to the Animal Crackers DVD and I'm sure it's not Groucho. The actor doesn't move like him, and the way it's shot...so much in the dark with angles devised to obscure Groucho. Why go to all that trouble otherwise? |
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Electroboy
Cabinet Minister Posts: 2
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posted 10 July 2000 01:54 PM
I always thought that maybe it was just Groucho not made up and not "acting"; just delivering the lines. The scene is in the dark after all... The other thing I'd noticed in that scene was that when Harpo looks for the flashlight with the flashlight, the light he is using is a some kind of studio light with a handle and a cord. Probably because the flashlight was not strong enough to show up on the film. A possible way to determine if Zeppo is doubling for Groucho in the "Why a Duck" scene would be for someone to do a screen grab while Groucho is in profile and while Zeppo is in profile and do and "ear-dentification." No two ears are just alike. If someone could post the pictures, this might be fun to debate. I wish I could but I don't have the technology available.
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