The well-known explorer and hunter Captain Spaulding has just returned from Africa, and is being welcomed home with a lavish party at the estate of influential society matron Mrs. Rittenhouse when a valuable painting goes missing. The intrepid Captain Spaulding attempts to solve the crime with the help of his silly secretary Horatio Jamison, while sparring with the anarchic Signor Emanuel Ravelli and his nutty sidekick The Professor.
Acting
Groucho's verbal machine gun; Harpo's silent chaos.
Writing
Dense wordplay that rewards attention — no fat, all wit.
Director
Victor Heerman
Groucho Marx
Captain Jeffrey T. Spaulding
Harpo Marx
The Professor
Chico Marx
Signor Emanuel Ravelli
Zeppo Marx
Horatio Jamison
Lillian Roth
Arabella Rittenhouse
Margaret Dumont
Mrs. Rittenhouse
Louis Sorin
Roscoe Chandler
Hal Thompson
John Parker
Margaret Irving
Mrs. Whitehead
Kathryn Reece
Grace Carpenter
Robert Greig
Hives
Edward Metcalf
Hennessey
Robert Allen
House Party Guest (uncredited)
Donald MacBride
House Party Guest (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The 'Hooray for Captain Spaulding' song became Groucho's signature tune for his TV career decades later.
This was the Marx Brothers' last Broadway-to-Hollywood adaptation before they demanded original screenplays that broke cinematic convention entirely.
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