Marx Brothers and Mirror Images -- Mimetic Theory and Literary Study

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Date Posted: 17:25:20 04/29/08 Tue
Author: Janelle
Subject: Marx Brothers and Mirror Images

In their masterpiece "Duck Soup" the Marx Brothers use the idea of imitation brilliantly. In the movie, Groucho is Rufus T. Firefly the dictator of the country of Freedonia; meanwhile Chico and Harpo work as spies for hire, who are willing to shift sides as the power and money shifts sides. At one point Chico and Harpo dress up as Groucho, grease mustache and all, in order to fool the members of Groucho's cabinet and his secret service so that they may steal his war plans. The brothers, though not that similar in appearance normally, are very convincing when they assume Groucho's appearance. At one point Harpo tries to escape from the house but in the attempt runs into a wall and breaks a mirror. In order to resist being caught by Groucho, Harpo assumes the place of the mirror, which has become a doorway, and assumes the role of Groucho's reflection. The sequence that follows is cinematic gold. Groucho, in an effort to defeat Harpo, attempts to move so bizarrely and spontaneously that Harpo will not expect his movements and thus fail to imitate him. What is great is the fact that though Groucho knows Harpo is not his reflection, he has entered into a game that he must play by Harpo's rules to win. In effect, they are competing to see who can be the best Groucho and Harpo actually gives Groucho a run for his money. The game is only lost for Harpo when Chico interferes, still dressed as Groucho, and is physically caught by Groucho. If Chico hadn't lost the game for Harpo, it is hard to tell how long the game could have and would have gone on, Harpo is that convincing of a Groucho...except...you know...for the fact that he doesn't talk. Here is the clip on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUZ1hjn_9Ds

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