Today’s quick review: Go West. Joseph Panello (Chico Marx) and his brother Rusty (Harpo Marx) head west to seek their fortune in gold, only to end up with a worthless deed from an old prospector instead. But the brothers and their reluctant partner S. Quentin Quale (Groucho Marx) soon find themselves embroiled in chaos when they try to sell their land to the railroad, only to run up against Red Baxter (Robert Barrat) John Beecher (Walter Woolf King).
Go West is a classic Western comedy from the Marx Brothers. The plot this time around involves a patch of land that Terry Turner (John Carroll) tries to sell to the railroad so he can marry his sweetheart Eve (Diana Lewis). There are only two snags: the land now belongs to the less-than-responsible Panello brothers, and a pair of shady characters plan to stop the sale by any means necessary to force the railroad to buy the land they own.
This convoluted plot provides plenty of opportunity for the Marx Brothers’ characteristic style of mayhem. Slapstick, banter, and music abound, all against the backdrop of saloons, stage coaches, trains, and Indian encampments. The routines aren’t as memorable as the Brothers’ best, but they do have the same energy and sense of fun. Not all of the jokes are winners, but enough of them are to draw some honest laughter from the right viewer.
Watch Go West when you’re in the mood for something light and entertaining. The Old West setting is a perfect fit for the Brothers’ talents, and while teh script isn’t quite as polished as their best, it packs in enough humor to entertain. Steer clear if you’re not a fan of madcap comedy. For a Marx Brothers movie with similar amounts of slapstick, try Monkey Business. For one with a similar level of quality overall, try At the Circus.
6.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for a healthy mixture of classic Marx Brothers routines and new material for them to play with.