Back to Work

I began a sunny day with cereal, strawberries, and the Fleischer Brothers Superman cartoons. Superman and superhero comic books were all the rage in the early 40s and during World War II. Paramount capitalized on their popularity with Superman's first outings on the big screen. This was a huge challenge for the Fleischers. No one one had done animation that revolved around drama and pure action before. As it turned out, the shorts would the the Fleischers' last hurrah - they lost their studio mid-way through the making of the series.

Thankfully, the turmoil didn't effect their quality. These shorts are amazing, far more so than the shoddy prints on my public domain set would indicate. The art deco design is incredible, the scores are worthy of an epic three times longer, and the colors are gorgeous. I prefer the somewhat lighter shorts on the first disc, before the war and Paramount took over (and the depictions of the Japanese got offensive). If you're a fan of Superman or the superhero cartoons this inspired (like the 90s Batman and Superman animated series and Justice League), a full set of these are a must-have.

I wish I didn't have to return to work. First of all, it was really nice again today, slightly warmer but otherwise beautiful for late June. Second, we were on-and-off busy, and a lot of the crowds were cranky or refused to help with their orders. Third, the back tire on my bike was loose. It kept rubbing on the frame of my bike. By the time I figured out what the problem was, I had no time to fix it. I was almost late for work and had to walk the bike home. I did tighten the tire when I got in, and that seems to have solved things for now.

Finished out the Superman cartoons as I made Blueberry Muffins. Ran Duck Soup while my dinner of salmon, pan-fried potatoes, and snap peas cooked. The Marx Brothers move from the high seas to the high courts as they make fun of the ultimate lunacy - war. Mrs. Teasdale (Margaret Dumont) will only loan money to Fredonia if Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho) is put in charge. She gets her wish and promptly wishes she hadn't, as he proceeds to make a shambles of the government and upset just about everyone in firing range. Meanwhile, Chico and Harpo are spies for the country of Sylvania, hired by Sylvania's ambassador to find out just what Firefly's up to. When things go too far, the Brothers find themselves in the middle of battle without a pun to their names...or slapstick to spare.

Most people regard this as the Brothers' magnum opus. I just thought it was weird, even for this crowd. Politics and stagy decorum make for an uneasy combination, and it doesn't always mix well with the slapstick. The lack of sympathetic characters doesn't help. I believe this is the only Marx Brothers movie where no one finds time to play the harp or the piano, too, which should tell you something. There's enough classic gags (including the mirror scene and the running rivalry between Chico and a lemonade seller) to keep Marx fans happy, but newcomers will want to start with the movies before this one or the one after it (Night at the Opera).