Room Service

William A. Seiter worked with the greatest of comedians. He directed Sons of the Desert, one of the best Laurel and Hardy films, which I discussed here. He also directed the Marx Brothers in their 1938 comedy, Room Service.

Working with comedians like these require a certain "get out of the way" attitude. He certainly did that in Sons of the Desert, letting Laurel and Hardy work their magic, often in slow, quiet gags, such as when a washtub is hurled from one room, we hear an "Ohhhh!" from another room, and then a cut to Hardy, his head impaled through the bottom of the tub, looking forlornly at the camera.

Room Service is far less successful. The film has the distinction of being the only one that the Marx Brothers did that was not written expressly for them. It was based on a play about a theatrical producer trying to put on his show while also trying to avoid paying his hotel bill.

The role suits Groucho, who is in his usual form, though at a much more sedate nature than usual. Part of the problem is that the action is almost entirely limited to the hotel room--a plot point requires them all to stay in the room lest they not be allowed to return. But the script really has hardly anything for Chico and Harpo to do. There aren't any complicated scenes of dialogue for Chico to mangle, and hardly any physical gags for Harpo. The only thing I laughed at in this film is when Harpo, after going several hours without food, sits down to eat, the fork in his hand working like a metronome between the plate and his mouth.

Also in the film are very young Lucille Ball and Anne Miller, though Ball isn't allowed to show any of her comic ability. I'm not sure if this is the worst Marx Brothers movie--there are some films late in their career which can be punishing to watch, but it's close.