Griping about the musical numbers in the MGM era

The difference I see is that the first two Paramount comedies were based on hit Broadway musicals, so it makes sense to include the music numbers, which really are an essential part of the overall work. The Marxes were musical comedy stars, of course, so it makes sense that they should continue to make use of that format in "Horse Feathers" and "Duck Soup" ("Monkey Business" is unique in not having any real music numbers, aside from the piano and harp solos).

The difference becomes very noticeable with the MGM films. "A Night at the Opera" makes extensive use of operatic numbers, although I personally think the other songs are fine. "A Day at the Races" is the one that gets really bogged down with the protracted "Water Carnival" sequence. Again, I like the other songs in the film, although it could be argued they detract from the overall pacing and framework of the comedy.

For me, it's the later films where the music numbers became obligatory song-plugging outlets rather than anything meaningful to the comedy. Of course, eliminating the songs completely would have meant no "Lydia the Tattooed Lady", which rivals "Hooray for Captain Spalding" as the most memorable Groucho tune. I can live with the songs in "At the Circus" and "Go West", but several numbers in "The Big Store" (especially the protracted "Tenement Symphony") really are carrying things too far.

I'd say anyone who gets bored with the musical comedy framework of the Marx Bros. pictures doesn't quite understand the show business background they were coming out of. I'm certainly sympathetic to viewers who don't care for some of the longer, more over-produced numbers found in the later MGM films, though.