The Big Store Reviews

Five was a magic number for the Marx Brothers. This was their fifth and last film for MGM, and they also made five for Paramount. It wasn't their finest, nor was it their lowest, but even medium Marx is better than no Marx at all. Groucho is hired to guard the body of Tony Martin, owner of The Big Store, a department store whose manager is Douglas Dumbrille, a villain who would like to get rid of Tony. That's about the plot; the rest is Mack Sennett-type chases, a turn on the harp for Harpo, a little piano for Chico, some leering at Margaret Dumont by Groucho, and the movie is over. Just when you think they can't slap the stick any louder, they do it. Tony Martin sings "Tenement Symphony" --all about "The Cohens and the Kellys," and what it is doing in this movie is beyond us, but it's a nice number and Martin is a good singer. Married to Cyd Charisse for almost 40 years, Tony Martin (born Alvin Morris, his father and uncle were also in show business as musicians) was also married to Alice Faye. Writer Hal Fimberg also wrote IN LIKE FLINT years later, and writer Sid Kuller continues to be one of Hollywood's best special material writers.