MovieChat Forums > The Cocoanuts (1929) Discussion > The Harpo Scrunchy Face,

The Harpo Scrunchy Face,

posted 15 years ago by jmonholland-1
8 replies | jump to latest

While this isn't my favorite Marx Bros. film, I think this movie has some of my favorite moments (so far) of any of their films. I loved the early scene when Chico and Harpo are checking in (when Harpo starts devouring stuff, you can see Chico start to crack up), and when the lady flirts with Chico (and even funnier when she flirts with Harpo).

However, my favorite part is when they are dressed up spanish style and the characters begin making speeches. Everytime someone starts talking Harpo acts like he is bored or in agony and he gets up and makes this scrunchy face and shuffles off to the alcohol. He does this repeatedly (everytime he comes back, he is a bit drunker) and it just kills me everytime he does it. He revisits this look quickly in Animal Crackers. So, is it just me, or is this scene genius?

Man in Stadium Crowd: Hey Look! It's Enrico Pallazzo!

[–] drjohnhwatson 15 years ago

oh i love that face XD! i died watching it, man. i love that face of harpo's and also his sort of D:< face (like in a different movie of theirs when chico asks harpo to "get tough" and he makes the face)

i also like the scene where harpo comes back drunker and he and chico do their leg/arm thing. thats pretty cute to watch :)

[–] Mpudi21 15 years ago

You know, for a while I thought that scrunchy face was supposed to be a dysentery gag. Then I remembered the shot at the drink table.

Rock the Svenska!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVLJTFk4SeE

[–] mickeeteeze 15 years ago

If we are thinking of the same face (cheeks puffed, lips 'fished', eyes wide open), Harpo had a name for it. He (and all the Brothers) called it a 'g-o-o-c-k-i-e' In "Harpo Speaks" (autobiography, 1961), which I read as a teenager 30 years ago, there was the whole story of it's origin. I can't remember what it was, but early on in their stage career, if a scene was not clicking and they were losing the energy, one of the others might've whispered to Harpo, "Throw 'em a 'goockie' because it always got a laugh.
He makes that face at least once in most of their movies, if you look for it......

[–] SKG-2 14 years ago

According to the book "Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Sometimes Zeppo" by Joe Adamson, Harpo patented that look after a cigar store owner in his neighborhood who would make that face every time he was rolling up a cigar. Harpo became so fascinated with him that he learned to copy the face he made, and in every film the Marx Brothers did, he'd include a scene where he made that face.

[–] nycruise-1 13 years ago

I don't think you're referring to the "G-ookie" face (had to hyphenate since this darn website considers Harpo's description of his own face as "inappropriate").

I do think you're referring to the exact same face that Lucille Ball eventually took/stole and made it her own with the addition of sound: her classic Lucy "EEEEeeeewwwww..."

If you watch Lucille, you will notice she copied alot of Harpo's mannerisms (she credited him with having taught her alot during the filming of "Room Service").

"Don't call me 'honey', mac."
"Don't call me 'mac'... HONEY!"

[–] hayst1 11 years ago

I completely agree on the scrunched face being hilarious. In Horse Feathers Chico tells Harpo to get tough with the two hired football players. He uses the same scrunched up face and leans against the first player then leans against the second after which he stands between both of them and then gets knocked back on to the couch.

Although this movie isn't my favorite either I believe that this movie was essential to their career. You can see where they were feeling the waters and trying to determine what from their Vaudeville was acceptable for the screen and what wasn't. I could only hope that this movie taught them that over done musical numbers are something they could leave behind.

[–] philspectator53 11 years ago

It's interesting ting to hear people talk about this particular moment in Cocoanuts. I first saw the film at a university revival screening in 1971 with an audience mostly between 18 and 30. Even though it was considered an old film then I have never heard an audience laugh as long or as strong in the intervening years at a single sequence in any film. Just goes to show that a classic made 41 years before(at that time) is still a classic 41 years on from '71 based on peoples responses in this forum. On the other hand there was an awful lot of weed floating around back in '71 too I guess.

[–] montgomerydou55 9 years ago

Yeah? Well, I have always enjoyed the Marx Brothers' movies and have never touched weed. I am 65. So there.