MovieChat Forums > The Flying Deuces (1939) Discussion > Did Harpo Play the Harp?

Did Harpo Play the Harp?

posted 18 years ago by snatchngrabster
10 replies | jump to latest

There's a scene in Flying Deuces where Stan Laurel plays his bedsprings like a harp, and we here music much like that played by Harpo Marx in most films by The Marx Brothers. I've always wondered whether it was actually Harpo playing the harp on the soundtrack.

The scene is supposed to remind the audience of similar sequences in Marx Brothers pictures (cf. Duck Soup, for instance). Stan Laurel and Harpo Marx had a similar sense of humor, and it's certainly possible they were friends.

[–] DMERCER8 18 years ago

Dear Snatchngrabster,
It's unlikely.In fact,Stan Laurel had said in print that he did not like the humor of the Marx Brothers.Mr Laurel had described Laurel And Hardy's humor was crazy humor,"but it was the quiet kind of crazy".
Duck Soup was directed by Leo McCarey who was largely responsible for the teaming of Laurel And Hardy.Mr.McCarey also used the Laurel And Hardy style of humor in this film in a Tit For Tat fight with Chico And Harpo's frequent enemy(in Duck Soup)- Edgar Kennedy(who had also been a frequent enemy of Laurel And Hardy's).Also Harpo does a scissors kick type jump in this film that was somewhat of a trademark Stan Laurel used in such instances as when his character was mad at Ollie.
Mr.McCarey also directed Laurel And Hardy.
Hope that helps your answer.
To Better Days,
BRAD

[–] Chesterfield_Invincible 17 years ago

In listening to the bedsprings---er I mean harp, it sounded as if the harp was tuned at concert pitch, and played by a trained harpist. Harpo, on the other hand a self-taught musician, tuned his harp like a guitar. Indeed, when Harpo tried to learn how to play the harp the "right" way, his instructor eventually suggested that Harpo give up on the lessons, and continue to play the harp "his" way. So to sum up, while it sounds like a romantic idea, sadly that wasn't Harpo dubbing for Stan on "The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise".

[–] caricatures 16 years ago

What I wondered when I saw that scene was whether it was a parody of Harpo Marx!

[–] Chesterfield_Invincible 16 years ago

Do birds fly? Do fish swim? Do your feet smell? Does your nose run? (if "yes" to the last two, then you were built upside down.) In other words---OF COURSE!

[–] PaperShredder 14 years ago

I wonder who wrote this in the trivia section?

"That harp music Stan plays in his cell sound familiar? It is the unmistakable Harpo Marx, who apparently also coached Stan on imitating his fingerings. It is one of the more amusing collaborations in film history."

[–] Chesterfield_Invincible 14 years ago

Someone is pulling our legs! From the moment Stan plucks each string, it's clearly in concert pitch. Anyway, that piece of trivia is gone now.

[–] Chesterfield_Invincible 12 years ago

Apparently, someone else (or maybe it's the same person) is pulling our legs again with the Harpo Marx story. Listen carefully to Stan in this movie, then listen carefully to Harpo. One can tell right away it's not Silent Red dubbing for Stan.

[–] sul-4 10 years ago

It's back in again. Where would be the source of whether or not Harpo dubbed the harp music?

[–] Chesterfield_Invincible 10 years ago

When you find out, let me know. It's all in the listening. Read my remarks of nearly seven years ago to understand why I am positive it is NOT Harpo.

[–] sul-4 10 years ago

Yes, I read your comment on it, interesting, but I don't have the ear to agree/disagree.