The Big Store
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Singer Tommy Rogers (Tony Martin) has inherited a large department store. He plans to sell the store so he can build a new music conservatory for his friends "The Professor" (Harpo) and Ravelli (Chico). Mr. Grover (Douglass Dumbrille), the manager of the store, has been cooking the books and plans to off Tommy before he can make the sale. Once Tommy is deceased, his aunt Martha Phelps (Margaret Dumont) will inherit the store. It is Grover's plan to then marry Martha and take control of the store himself.
Martha Phelps fears for her nephew's life, so she hires private investigator Wolf J. Flywheel (Groucho) to protect him. Along with his sidekick Wacky (Harpo), Flywheel takes the case.
While there are not many truly memorable scenes in this film, it is still quite a hoot. Harpo is charming in an imaginary sequence where he dons Louis XIV gear and plays a chamber music concert with two mirror images of himself. Also, the chase scene near the end of the film is quite a riot, if you politely ignore the fact that it is obviously contrived and employs numerous "tricks" to get the gags across.
This film was intended to be the Marxes' swan song. Harpo was to retire, Groucho to concentrate on his radio career, and Chico planned on putting a big band together. The brothers would get together for two more films, but not until U.S. involvement in World War II had come and gone and several years had passed. This was the last of the nine shows and movies in which Margaret Dumont would appear with the Marxes.
WOLF: Martha, dear, there are many bonds that will hold us together through eternity.
MARTHA: Really, Wolf? What are they?
WOLF: Your Government Bonds, your Savings Bonds, your Liberty bonds.
General
Groucho Marx | Wolf J. Flywheel | ||
Harpo Marx | Wacky | ||
Chico Marx | Ravelli | ||
Margaret Dumont | Martha Phelps | ||
Douglass Dumbrille | Mr. Grover | ||
Tony Martin | Tommy Rogers | ||
Virginia Grey | Joan Sutton | ||
William Tannen | Fred Sutton | ||
Marion Martin | Peggy Arden | ||
Virginia O'Brien | Kitty | ||
Henry Armetta | Giuseppi | ||
Anna Demetrio | Maria, Giuseppi's wife | ||
Paul Stanton | George Hastings | ||
Russell Hicks | Arthur Hastings | ||
Bradley Page | Duke | ||
Charles Lane | Finance company man | ||
Dewey Robinson | Detective | ||
Adrian Morris | Piano mover | ||
Edgar Dearing | Store commissionaire | ||
Clara Blandick | Customer seeking record | ||
Pierre Watkin | Bedding Department manager | ||
All Hill | Gangster | ||
George Lloyd | Gangster | ||
William Newell | Press phtographer | ||
Milton Kibbee | Press phtographer | ||
Charles Holland | |||
Harry Bradley | |||
Six Hits and a Miss | singing group |
Director | Charles Reisner (credited as Charles Riesner) | ||
Written by | Hal Fimberg | ||
Ray Golden | |||
Sid Kuller | |||
Nat Perrin (story) | |||
Cinematography | Charles Lawton Jr. | ||
Art director | Cedric Gibbons | ||
Stan Rogers | |||
Set decorator | Edwin B. Willis | ||
Editor | Conrad A. Nervig | ||
Musical director | George E. Stoll | ||
Songs "Sing While You Sell", "Tenement Symphony" | Hal Borne (music) | ||
Sid Kuller (lyrics) | |||
Hal Fimberg (lyrics) | |||
Song "Where there's music" | performed by Tony Martin was recorded, but deleted from the final cut | ||
Song "If It's You" | Artie Shaw (lyrics) | ||
Milton Drake (lyrics) | |||
Ben Oakland (music) | |||
Musical Adaptation | Earl K. Brent | ||
Vocal and orchestrations | Leo Arnaud | ||
George Bassman | |||
Herb Taylor | |||
Robert Van Eps | |||
Dance director | Arthur Appell | ||
Recording director | Douglas Shearer | ||
Assistant director | Sandy Roth | ||
Producer | Louis K. Sidney | ||
Production company / Distribution | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (Loew's Inc.) | ||
Runtime | 83 min. | ||
Release date | 20 Jun 1941 | ||
New York opening | 26 Jun 1941 | ||
Spanish title | Tienda de locos | ||
French title | Les Marx au grand magasin | ||
German title | Die Marx Brothers im Kaufhaus | ||
Swedish title | En dag på varuhhuset | ||
Italian title | Il Bazar delle follie | ||
Finnish title | Päivä tavaratalossa |
Posters and Lobby Cards for this movie. Click to enlarge.
Performed by | Comments | ||
---|---|---|---|
Main Title | |||
![]() view | If It's You Music and lyrics by: Ben Oakland, Artie Shaw and Milton Drake | Tony Martin | |
Sing While You Sell Music by: Hal Borne Lyrics by: Sid Kuller, Hal Fimberg | |||
Harpo & Chico play Piano | |||
Mama Yo Quiero | |||
Piano Theme | |||
Harpo's bazar | |||
Classical Excerpt Music by: Bach | |||
![]() view | Tenement Symphony Music by: Hal Borne Lyrics by: Sid Kuller, Ray Golden | Tony Martin | |
End Title |
The Marx Brothers - Los Hermanos Marx - האחים מרקס -
マルクス兄弟 - Les Freres Marx - 마르크스형제 -
Братья Маркс -
Bröderna Marx - برادران مارکس - I Fratelli Marx - Братята Маркс - Bracia Marx -
Germans Marx - الأخوة ماركس - 馬克思兄弟 -
Αδελφοί Μαρξ - Irmãos Marx