Monkey Business
Four anarchic brothers turn a transatlantic voyage and gangster feud into a whirlwind of verbal wit, evasive slapstick, and unlikely heroics.
Overview
A chaotic adventure unfolds on the high seas as unlikely heroes rise to the occasion.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Breakneck
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- irreverent
- frantic
- classic comedy night
- marx brothers marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly admire the Marx Brothers' precise, expertly choreographed comic performances and fast-paced anarchic energy.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Groucho's fast-talking exchanges and the brothers' coordinated interruptions repeatedly destabilize authority figures and social decorum.
The stowaway sequences aboard the ocean liner rely on barrels, cramped ship spaces, evasions, and precise group timing.
The ocean liner functions as the opening arena where the brothers evade the crew, immigration officials, and gangsters before the plot moves ashore.
The brothers' stowaway status, evasion of authorities, and entanglement with rival gangsters reflect the film's unapologetically transgressive pre-code comic sensibility.
Films like Monkey Business, and why
Horse Feathers
shared anarchic ensemble comedy, rapid-fire verbal wit, physical slapstick, and pre-code irreverence
Duck Soup
shared Marx Brothers absurdity, comic disruption of social institutions, and tightly choreographed physical gags
A Night at the Opera
shared shipboard setting, farcical escalation, musical-comedy energy, and screwball ensemble performance
Movie Details
- Director
- Norman Z. McLeod
- Release Date
- 1931-09-19
- Runtime
- 77 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (225)
Cast
- Groucho Marx
- Harpo Marx
- Chico Marx
- Zeppo Marx
- Rockliffe Fellowes
- Harry Woods
- Thelma Todd
- Ruth Hall
- Tom Kennedy
- Ben Taggart
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- YouTube TV
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Monkey Business about?
- Four anarchic brothers turn a transatlantic voyage and gangster feud into a whirlwind of verbal wit, evasive slapstick, and unlikely heroics.
- What is Monkey Business like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Monkey Business as breakneck, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Monkey Business violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Monkey Business as mild.
- What did critics think of Monkey Business?
- Critics broadly admire the Marx Brothers' precise, expertly choreographed comic performances and fast-paced anarchic energy.
- Which films are like Monkey Business?
- Films with a similar feel include Horse Feathers, Duck Soup, and A Night at the Opera.
- How long is Monkey Business?
- Monkey Business runs 77 minutes.
- Where can I watch Monkey Business?
- In United States, Monkey Business streams on YouTube TV.
