Go West (1940)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Edward Buzzell

Writer:

Irving Brecher (original screenplay)

Release Date:

6 December 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Western

Tagline:

JUMP INTO YOUR BOOTS AND SADDLES...IT'S ROUND-UP TIME IN THE WILD AND WOOLY WEST!

Plot:

The Marx Brothers come to the rescue in the Wild West when a young man, trying to settle an old family feud so he can marry the girl he loves, runs afoul of crooks.

Plot Keywords:

Deed | Gold | Train | Gold Prospector | Farce

Cast

Groucho Marx	...	S. Quentin Quale
Chico Marx	...	Joe Panello
Harpo Marx	...	'Rusty' Panello
John Carroll	...	Terry Turner
Diana Lewis	...	Eve Wilson
Walter Woolf King	...	Beecher
Robert Barrat	...	'Red' Baxter
June MacCloy	...	Lulubelle
George Lessey	...	Railroad President

Also Known As:

Marx Brothers Go West (UK)

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved | Portugal:M/6 | Australia:G | Finland:S | Germany:6 | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Red Rock Canyon State Park - Highway 14, Cantil, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The name of Groucho Marx's character, "S. Quentin Quayle", caused a stir when the film was first released due to the subtle but clear joke: the use of the term "San Quentin quail", which means "jail bait".

Goofs:

Continuity: When S. Quentin Quail falls down the saloon's stairs, he ends up flat out, with his head to the left. When the Panello brothers pick him up, he is lying upright and leaning towards the right.

Quotes:

S. Quentin Quale: I give you my solemn word as an embezzler I'll be back in ten minutes.

Movie Connections:

Featured in So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton & MGM (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

From The Land Of The Sky-Blue Water

Go West (1940) ***

GO WEST (1940) ***/****

I don't know. Since I've been watching these later Paramount Marx Bros. films before seeing the original early 30s classics that die-hard fans always rave about, perhaps I'm more unbiased and capable of enjoying them for what they are.

In GO WEST we have the opening sequence where Groucho tries to fleece Chico and Harpo, only to get a good screwing himself in the bargain. I also enjoyed the bit where Groucho and Chico attempt to woo a couple of gals as Harpo attempts to steal a deed from a safe in the next room. There were some very funny slapstick moments for the climactic struggle aboard the train to cap things off.

At first I was leery of going into a Marx Bros. comedy where the trio might be dressed in cowboy garb and thrust back into the unusual setting of the Old West, but it came off considerably well for what it was. Of course, nothing's perfect and you have to put up with some annoying singing now and then. Especially from one lady in particular who sounds like a guy.