The ultimate straight man was a woman! Margaret Dumont was the oh-so-proper hoity-toity upper-class grande dame the Marx Brothers revelled in levelling. Seemingly a constant fixture with the Marx Brothers, it is probably an essential part of her perfection that she never got a single joke the Marx Brothers ever made. And since they were usually at HER expense, that's probably just as well. I can see her now, bending over a hot stove. But I can't see the STOVE! Apparently she enjoyed working with the boys but she probably couldn't have told you why. Margaret Dumont was the great oak tree standing proudly in the forest while four ridiculous, manic woodpeckers flapped around her. Because one thinks of her solely in proximity to the Marx Brothers, it is somewhat shocking to realize that she actually appeared with a great many comedians of Hollywood's golden age including W.C. Fields, Abbott & Costello, Red Skelton and Jack Benny. Although she may not have understood the Marx Brothers' humour, you only have to look at her face to realize she's still having the time of her life. Surely she couldn't have been as stuffy as the characters she played. Dumont had a long career on the stage but film fans will always remember her for the Marx Brothers movies.
An interesting sidebar: the 1992 film "Brain Donors" was an out and out homage to the classic Marx Brothers films starring John "Barton Fink" Turturro in the "Groucho"-like role and Nancy "The Sopranos" Marchand in the Margaret Dumont-like role. While many thought "Brain Donors" fell flat, I personally think it's funny as hell. Of course, I doubt if Margaret Dumont would've gotten that film either. And that's why we love her!
CHARACTER ACTORS PART 8: MARGARET DUMONT.
Here are some reasons why I love her:
The Cocoanuts (1929)
Animal Crackers (1930)
Duck Soup (1933)
A Night at the Opera (1935)
A Day at the Races (1937)
The Women (1939) w/ Joan Crawford
At the Circus (1939)
The Big Store (1941)
Never Give A Sucker an Even Break (1941) w/ W. C. Fields
Bathing Beauty (1944) w/ Esther Williams & Red Skelton
The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945) w/ Jack Benny
Little Giant (1946) w/ Abbott & Costello
What a Way To Go! (1964) w/ Shirley MacLaine
The ultimate straight man was a woman! Margaret Dumont was the oh-so-proper hoity-toity upper-class grande dame the Marx Brothers revelled in levelling. Seemingly a constant fixture with the Marx Brothers, it is probably an essential part of her perfection that she never got a single joke the Marx Brothers ever made. And since they were usually at HER expense, that's probably just as well. I can see her now, bending over a hot stove. But I can't see the STOVE! Apparently she enjoyed working with the boys but she probably couldn't have told you why. Margaret Dumont was the great oak tree standing proudly in the forest while four ridiculous, manic woodpeckers flapped around her. Because one thinks of her solely in proximity to the Marx Brothers, it is somewhat shocking to realize that she actually appeared with a great many comedians of Hollywood's golden age including W.C. Fields, Abbott & Costello, Red Skelton and Jack Benny. Although she may not have understood the Marx Brothers' humour, you only have to look at her face to realize she's still having the time of her life. Surely she couldn't have been as stuffy as the characters she played. Dumont had a long career on the stage but film fans will always remember her for the Marx Brothers movies.
An interesting sidebar: the 1992 film "Brain Donors" was an out and out homage to the classic Marx Brothers films starring John "Barton Fink" Turturro in the "Groucho"-like role and Nancy "The Sopranos" Marchand in the Margaret Dumont-like role. While many thought "Brain Donors" fell flat, I personally think it's funny as hell. Of course, I doubt if Margaret Dumont would've gotten that film either. And that's why we love her!
2 comments:
That's What I'm Talking About ... Ms. Dumont was a veritable goddess! Why, she was the most beautiful woman I ever saw, which isn't saying much for her.
Say, did you know that Miss Coney Island was finally introduced to Minnie's boys and MD, just this past week?
THIS PAST WEEK?!?!?!? What sort of a mispent youth did she have that she hadn't seen them??!?!!?!? Shocking the depths our world has come to.
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