MovieChat Forums > The Cocoanuts (1929) Discussion > Did Groucho drop an F bomb?

Did Groucho drop an F bomb?

posted 15 years ago by fictionalman
4 replies | jump to latest

It's one of the first scenes in the film when Groucho is standing on the stairs talking to his bell staff. Right after he invites them to the future wedding of his Aunt Fanny’s 8 lb baby boy he later on tells them (this is what I thought I heard him say.)” I want you to F-up” Naturally I repeated the scene several times and I heard the same thing.After over 70 years, am I only person who heard that? How could it have gotten past the censors back then?
Who can confirm this? Please tell me I did not mis-hear him?

[–] HunterSVonnegut 15 years ago

I can't speak with any authority (it's been a while since I've seen the movie) but I think taken within the context you describe it was probably "Fess up" (as in "confess"). Given the censorship of the time and Groucho's distaste for working "dirty", I seriously doubt you heard what you think you heard.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] bradford-1 14 years ago

I watched the movie two days ago. It's definitely "buck up." The sound recording is very bad, so several words are muffled or swallowed throughout the film.

[–] dmnemaine 13 years ago

You're correct that Groucho does not use the "F-Word" in that scene (by the way, it's actually "Buck up", not "Fess up"); however, this film was made in the pre-Code era. Censorship of Hollywood films was not really enforced until 1934.