greysaddler Posted September 3, 2003 Share Posted September 3, 2003 Can someone please tell me what the hilarious black and white film was that we saw before Hotel Berlin Tuesday night Sept 2 before 8:00 p.m. CST? I was in stitches... greysaddler Link to post Share on other sites
zeker427 Posted September 3, 2003 Share Posted September 3, 2003 Battle Circus (1953) was listed as scheduled before the movie you mention. Link to post Share on other sites
greysaddler Posted September 3, 2003 Author Share Posted September 3, 2003 Unfortunately what I watched the half hour before "Hotel Berlin" came on was anything but "Battle Circus". I know "Battle Circus". The movie preceding "Battle" was about as slapstick as one can get. I guess TCM was playing a joke on me. Is TCM in the habit of doing this kind of thing? If I had only caught the beginning and/or would have paid greater attention to names of characters, etc... The movie was almost Marx Brotherish. Black and White, 1930's, something about a woman having to sell a hotel and these three guys (a la Marx and Stooges) were so blooming funny when trying to help her. All searches on the net have rendered me nothing. Scottie Link to post Share on other sites
coffeedan1927 Posted September 3, 2003 Share Posted September 3, 2003 From your description, I'm certain that it's HOTEL ANCHOVY (1934), the first film appearance of the Ritz Brothers (Al, Jimmy, and Harry). And you're right, it's one of the maddest movies ever made -- I busted a gut watching it the first time. Link to post Share on other sites
greysaddler Posted September 3, 2003 Author Share Posted September 3, 2003 Thank you so much, coffeedan, for your information. I only saw the last twenty minutes, and I was laughing out loud at it. It was hilarious. I shall now look to see if I can find it. Have a good day. greysaddler Link to post Share on other sites
alix1929 Posted September 6, 2003 Share Posted September 6, 2003 Which set of "brothers" came first in the movies--Marx or Ritz? Did they both originate in vaudeville, or were they movie inventions? Given my choice of the two, I'd choose Marx Bros. over the Ritz. Link to post Share on other sites
coffeedan1927 Posted September 6, 2003 Share Posted September 6, 2003 The Marx Brothers came first -- all or in part, they had been in vaudeville and on Broadway for about 20 years before they made their first movie, THE COCOANUTS, in 1929. By contrast, the Ritz Brothers came up through the night-club circuit with a song-and-dance act in the early 1930s by the time they made HOTEL ANCHOVY for Educational Pictures in 1934. They were signed by 20th Century-Fox in 1936, and their first feature SING, BABY, SING incorporates substantial portions of their night-club act. I blow hot and cold on the Ritzes -- their brand of low comedy can be overbearing at times, but I love watching them sing and dance. Check them out in ON THE AVENUE (1937) and THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1939), two of their best films. Link to post Share on other sites
alix1929 Posted September 6, 2003 Share Posted September 6, 2003 Thanks, Coffeedan, for the info on the two Bros. I knew the Marx Bros. used to plan out their movies and take them on the road to work on their gags and the like, but didn't know if they started there, or just used vaudeville as their gigantic rehearsal. I think you hit the nail on the head about the Ritz Bros. They ARE overbearing. It's just too much. I have not seen either of the two movies you mentioned as their "best" movies, so perhaps I need to check them out. Link to post Share on other sites
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