New Marx Brothers "Duck Soup" DVD EDITED

[reechie]

Everyone kept asking me why I was hanging on to my Image Marx Brothers DVD's with the new box set coming out next week. THIS is why: my favorite film of all time will be BUTCHERED in the name of political correctness in it's new DVD form.

This from the September 30th syndicated entertainment column by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith:

Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith ("Dish" Column)
Star-Ledger 10/30/04

SPEAKING UP FOR THE SILENT MARX BROTHER

Harpo Marx's son, Bill, is hoping that the fresh attention placed on the Marx Bros. will reignite interest in making a film biography or possibly a TV presentation about the legendary comedy team. That new attention is coming by way of the magic of DVDs, with Universal now releasing "The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection" box set - five movies plus a bonus disc - following the release of a two(sic)-movie Marx Bros. DVD set by Warners.

"Their humor and point of view is such that you could drop them into any situation whatsoever and it still works," enthuses Bill. "I believe there is a place for them in the 21st century."

Not coming into the 21st century with them - at least, not in the new "Silver Screen" box set - is the racially offensive material that has been deplored and debated in the "We're Going To War" production number in the Marxes' anarchic 1933 anti-war film, "Duck Soup." Kudos to Universal for that. This well-made edit makes the film a pure zany joy without an ugly blot in it to spoil the fun.

"That probably wasn't considered a racial slur back when they made it," comments Bill. "You know, they grew up in New York when it was a hotbed of people coming in from middle Europe, and ethnic humor of all kinds was very common. In their first act, Dad played an Irish kid...He was the most non-prejudicial, non-judgmental person in the world."

Bill has just finished writing his autobiography - going under the temporary title of "Son of Harpo Speaks" - which has given him a chance to share his personal view of the beloved rubber-faced funnyman.

With reports by Stephanie Dubois and Emily Feimster

[JonUrban]

Good Grief. Are we trying to change history here?

[reechie]

Considering all the racial stereotypes that were left in the MGM DVD set, this cut seems particularly ridiculous.

I thought having Duck Soup on the National Film Registry was supposed to protect it from this sort of thing.

And shame on Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith for treating these cuts as though they were a good thing.
:realmad:

[Drifter]

Hmmm...I don't remember any racist material in "Duck Soup", can anyone help me get an idea what was in the uncensored version? I'm almost considering cancelling my order with Amazon - I had big hopes for this collection. :shake:

So much politically correctness these days - why can't they just put disclaimers before all these great films that seem to be getting chopped up by the PC police lately? :sigh:

[Jamie Tate]

Sounds like Bill was for it too. :(

Maybe George Lucas can put in some digital animation too. How about a new character named Sloucho that he can overly onto Zeppo's body? Then we can colorize the flick and re-record the score and foley and mix it to 5.1. The kids will love it!

[Jamie Tate]

By the way, that last post was sarcastic. I know that seems obvious but I don't want to give anyone a chance to think I approve of these edits.

[Jamie Tate]

... why can't they just put disclaimers before all these great films that seem to be getting chopped up by the PC police lately? :sigh:

They tried to edit the Charlie Chan DVD's but all they had left was the opening and closing credits so they put a disclaimer on the packaging. It's as if they think we're stupid. We know what in the movies, that's why we buy them. If anything is in there that offends us we don't buy it.

[Drifter]

They tried to edit the Charlie Chan DVD's but all they had left was the opening and closing credits so they put a disclaimer on the packaging. :laugh:
It's as if they think we're stupid. We know what in the movies, that's why we buy them. If anything is in there that offends us we don't buy it. Yes, it's ridiculous. Classics like "Song Of The South" will probably never be released on DVD because somebody thinks we are going to turn into something evil by watching these classic films in their original form, and other classics like "Duck Soup" get trimmed for our "safety" :sigh: too. :realmad:

[Oatsdad]

Let's wait until the DVD arrives to proclaim that the changes indeed exist. Sometimes notes like this come out but are incorrect. I hope to have my set mid-late next week.

I'm not tremendously well-acquainted with the flick - saw it on DVD a few years ago but won't recognize particular changes. Can someone point out what I should look for to note probable cuts?

[JonUrban]

Is it "Holiday Inn" or "White Christmas" that has the objectionable song about Abe Lincoln setting people free? I wonder if that is (or has) been removed from the film. I haven't seen it in years.

[pdenny]

And they leave the whole "blackface-in-the-barn" scene in DAY AT THE RACES?? Ugh and double-ugh.

[Evan L]

Better hold on to my VHS version....



Evan

[Michael]

How do we stop this in general?

Thankfully, I still have my Image DVD!

[JohnG]

Glad I still have my original DVD plus VHS copy if this is true.

[reechie]

I'm not tremendously well-acquainted with the flick - saw it on DVD a few years ago but won't recognize particular changes. Can someone point out what I should look for to note probable cuts?

The offending scene comes right before the climactic battle scenes. Firefly (Groucho) has just had war declared on Freedonia, and goes in to a production number, "The Country's Going To War". As a part of this song, there's a portion where the four Marx Brothers do a mock minstrel show type of song called "All God's Chillun Got Guns":

"They got guns, we got guns, all God's Chillun Got Guns", etc.

They then pick up banjos and sing, to the tune of "Oh, Susanna": "Hail Freedonia, oh don't you cry for me. I'll be comin' 'round the mountain with a banjo on my knee."

The Marxes do not appear in blackface or anything of that sort, they just imitate a stereotypical minstrel show number, ala Jolson.

There's also another line that I wouldn't be surprised to see gone. Groucho has a little speach about how "My father was a little headstrong...my mother was a little Armstrong! The Headstrongs married the Armstrongs and that's why Darkies were born."

[Drifter]

As a part of this song, there's a portion where the four Marx Brothers do a mock minstrel show type of song called "All God's Chillun Got Guns":

"They got guns, we got guns, all God's Chillun Got Guns", etc.

They then pick up banjos and sing, to the tune of "Oh, Susanna": "Hail Freedonia, oh don't you cry for me. I'll be comin' 'round the mountain with a banjo on my knee."

The Marxes do not appear in blackface or anything of that sort, they just imitate a stereotypical minstrel show number, ala Jolson.
Without a doubt that would have set race relations back about 100 years if they had not censored it to protect us all. :rolleyes: :shake:

[Oatsdad]

Is it "Holiday Inn" or "White Christmas" that has the objectionable song about Abe Lincoln setting people free? I wonder if that is (or has) been removed from the film. I haven't seen it in years.

It's in "Holiday Inn". It's still in all versions I've seen, including the DVD - a two-fer with "Going My Way" - that came out a few years ago.

[Oatsdad]

The offending scene comes right before the climactic battle scenes. Firefly (Groucho) has just had war declared on Freedonia, and goes in to a production number, "The Country's Going To War". As a part of this song, there's a portion where the four Marx Brothers do a mock minstrel show type of song called "All God's Chillun Got Guns":

"They got guns, we got guns, all God's Chillun Got Guns", etc.

They then pick up banjos and sing, to the tune of "Oh, Susanna": "Hail Freedonia, oh don't you cry for me. I'll be comin' 'round the mountain with a banjo on my knee."

The Marxes do not appear in blackface or anything of that sort, they just imitate a stereotypical minstrel show number, ala Jolson.

There's also another line that I wouldn't be surprised to see gone. Groucho has a little speach about how "My father was a little headstrong...my mother was a little Armstrong! The Headstrongs married the Armstrongs and that's why Darkies were born."

Thanks for the info. Somebody else here may get their set before I do - Universal's PR is spoty about getting me titles pre-street - but I hope to have this by Thursday. I'll check out "Soup" ASAP when it arrives and report what I see - or don't see.

[fjhuerta]

I'll have to watch my Marx box set to see if that version has the number. I don't remember it...

[Michael]

If this comes to pass, will we see a huge "Duck Soup" Image DVD price increase on ebay? :) Oh yea!

[reechie]

I'll have to watch my Marx box set to see if that version has the number. I don't remember it...
If it's got the version of the film put out by Image in the 90's, it's definitely there.

[pdenny]

In a related story, the upcoming special edition of THE AL JOLSON STORY will be 11 minutes long.

:D :realmad:

[peterC]

Funny isn't it.

Most fans (including me) fast forward past the musical numbers but are incensed if any of them are edited!!

(BTW that's not a criticism, just a comment on human nature :) )

[Bobo U2]

Yikes......
Well since no one here has seen this "edit" we should wait and see. I would like a company like Universial take a movie that has in their opinon non "pc" content, show it to a group of people that they think might be offended(black,asian...ect) and see if they are.
I hope I'm not crossing the "racial" rule on the fourm

[BILLONEEG]

I once called a movie studio up about a song that was edited out of the DVD version of the film. They told me that at times there can be multiple versions of a movie. They are: The theatrical version, The TV version & The home video version. If a movie is released on video, I think it MUST be the complete theatrical version. We the DVD buyers should not be asking if the DVD we bought is the complete version. If the studios want to continue this ridiculous habit, I think there should be a law to force them to label the packaging as such. That way it becomes our choice to buy an altered version or not. Also, if the studios secretly alter these films & sell them without telling us, doesn't that qualify as false advertizing?---Bill