Tuesday, April 28, 2009

MASH and the Marx Brothers

A pair of favorite questions.

Gwydion asks,

"Which is your favorite episode of M*A*S*H and why?"
Dear Sigmund. I loved the character of Sydney Freedman, the psychiatrist who was an occasional character. On the one hand, it was introspective and thoughtful, speaking the truth that was generally pointed to by the show. But it was also funny, it was one of the practical joke episodes and those were always my favorites.

Hanno asks,
"What is the funniest scene in the Marx Brothers, and post the clip..."
This is toughie and Hanno and I have been batting it back and forth for a couple days now. It is hard not to go with the obvious -- the mirror scene from Animal Crackers, and then there is the best Groucho scene (either the introduction of Captain Spaulding or his conversation with Rosce W. Chandler), the best Chico scene (in Tarrantino's office in Duck Soup), the best Harpo scene (the lemonade stand in Animal Crackers or the end of A Night at the Opera), and the best Zeppo scene (Jamison, take a letter). But the funniest Marx brothers scene would be when they pretend to be the aviators in A Night at the Opera. Unfortunately, there isn't a complete clip on YouTube that getsChico's speech and Groucho's comments.