Classic Cinema: "A Night in Casablanca"

July 9, 5:57 PMClassic TV ExaminerDoug Krentzlin

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          Chico, Groucho & Harpo Marx in A Night in Casablanca (United Artists)

As has been well-documented elsewhere, the insane free-wheeling anarchy of the Marx Brothers’ early Paramount movies was neutered when they moved over to MGM in order to make them “more sympathetic.” Their 1946 comeback vehicle A Night in Casablanca, however, was a welcome return to the rudeness and irreverence of their earlier work and is, by far, the best of their later films.

The movie was directed by the very underrated Archie Mayo (his second-to-last film) and the screenplay was by Joseph Fields and Roland Kibbee, but the most important contributor was conspicuously missing from the credits. Former cartoonist and future director Frank Tashlin was hired to create the surrealistic sight gags that provide the film’s funniest moments.

Frequent Marx Brothers heavy Sig Ruman plays Nazi war criminal Heinrich Stubel who is searching for a fortune in stolen art treasures believed to be hidden somewhere in the Hotel Casablanca. In an attempt to gain management of the hotel, Stubel and his henchman have been bumping off the current managers one by one. After the latest manager bites the dust, the authorities decide to give the job to someone who is so incompetent that they won’t be missed if they too are murdered.

The candidate is, of course, Groucho as Ronald Cornblow. Chico is shifty opportunist Corbaccio who, knowing about the high mortality rate of the hotel mangers, offers to be Cornblow’s bodyguard. And Harpo is Rusty, Stubel’s much-abused servant who constantly looks for ways to torment his employer. (There is also the obligatory romantic couple, played by Charles Drake and Louis Collier, but thankfully they are only on screen the minimum amount of time necessary to establish their presence.)

A Night in Casablanca begins on the perfect note. The Casablanca police are rounding up the usual suspects after the latest murder. One cop spots Harpo leaning against a building and says, “What are you doing? Holding up the building?” Harpo nods yes, the cop pulls him away and the building collapses.

Other comic highlights include Groucho refusing to provide hotel rooms for a British couple named Smythe because he doesn’t believe they’re married (Smythe: “Sir, this lady is my wife! You should be ashamed!” Groucho: “If this lady is your wife, you should be ashamed.”), Groucho’s date with Stubel’s mistress Beatrice Rheiner (Lisette Verea) being ruined by Chico’s constant interruptions, the scene where the Marxes sabotage Stubel’s attempts to pack up his belongings and the grand finale in which Harpo takes control of an airplane after knocking out the pilot.