MovieChat Forums > At the Circus (1939) Discussion > WAS THIS THE FUNNIEST FILM EVER, OR 2ND ...

WAS THIS THE FUNNIEST FILM EVER, OR 2ND FUNNIEST?

posted 14 years ago by drystyx
5 replies | jump to latest

You have to admit it's a toss up between this and the hysterical masterpiece of the Marx Brothers at their best, ROOM SERVICE. Of course, I won't belittle the other great comedies of all time, A NIGHT AT THE OPERA, A DAY AT THE RACES, A NIGHT IN CASABLANCA, HORSEFEATHTERS, THE COURT JESTER, THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY, BRAZIL, BLAZING SADDLES, HISTOY OF THE WORLD, MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL, CAT BALLOU, FATHER GOOSE, HIS GIRL FRIDAY, THE FRONT PAGE, ARSENIC AND OLD LACE, THE PRINCESS AND THE PIRATE, SORROWFUL JONES, LITTLE MISS MARKER, FAMILY VACATION, THE SMILING GHOST, JACK AN THE BEANSTALK, MARCH OF THE WOODEN SOLDIERS, and other classics we could name.

But either this or ROMM SERVICE was of course NUMBERO UNO in making us laugh, and the other FIRST RUNNER UP, so which one is it?

Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time
that's not funny!

[–] dmnemaine 13 years ago

"Funniest film ever" is a very subjective concept. In fact, I would say that one probably can't classify any film as "the ______ film ever" without personal experience, bias, and taste entering into the picture.

[–] Strazdamonas 13 years ago

you forgot word "least". it should go like this: was this the least funnies film ever or 2nd least funnies?

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"Common sense is not so common."
- Voltaire

[–] TopFrog 11 years ago

Neither this film nor Room Service even make the top five funniest Marx Brothers films. (Room Service isn't even in the top ten.)

[–] drystyx 9 years ago

Frog, you just don't like comedy. You must hate to see people laugh, cause this and Room Service are the two biggest "laugh yourself crazy" films ever.

Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!

[–] TopFrog 9 years ago

Duck Soup
A Night at the Opera
A Night in Casablanca
Horse Feathers
Animal Crackers

There you go, five Marx Brothers films that are hands-down funnier than either Room Service or At the Circus. (I'll add Monkey Business and A Day at the Races for good measure.) Unless your idea of laugh-yourself-crazy humor is watching Kenny Baker lead Florence Rice through a series of horse tricks, and watching Kenny and Florence sing their duet version of "Two Blind Loves" (twice!), I have no idea why you would think that At the Circus is funnier than any of the five films I listed above.