Director
Leo McCarey
Leading Actors/Actresses
Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx, Zeppo Marx
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Margaret Dumont, Louis Calhern
Genre
Comedy, War Movie
Language
English
Awards
Selected for preservation inthe United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress
Date of Release
November 11, 1933
Producer
Herman J. Mankiewicz
Setting and Context
The fictional country of Freedonia, as they are bankrupt, and under threat of annexation by the neighboring nation of Sylvania
Narrator and Point of View
The point of view is that of Firefly as he takes on the role of leader in Freedonia
Tone and Mood
The tone is satirical and comedic.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Firefly is the protagonist; Trentino, leader of Sylvania, is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
The countries are on the brink of war throughout the movie and by the end, war has been declared.
Climax
War is declared after Firefly slaps Trentino.
Foreshadowing
Firefly's inadvertent slap foreshadows the outbreak of war between the two nations.
Understatement
No specific examples.
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
No specific examples.
Allusions
The entire film alludes to the political situations in various countries around the world where dictators and despots declare war at the drop of a hat over nothing in particular.
Paradox
The men are both seeking money from Mrs Teasdale who in an effort to protect Freedonia actually makes their situation more precarious because one of the reasons for the outbreak of the war is that both leaders are wooing her hoping to get their hands on her millions.
Parallelism
There is a parallel between both leaders in that they have warmongering personalities and are both looking to take Mrs Teasdale's money.
