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RUNTIME
Did you know
Tight 68-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Horse Feathers
"The Maddest Comics of the Screen!"
1932 1h 8m EN
👍
6.9
SOLID
🔥
97%
CERTIFIED FRESH
💯
83
METACRITIC
⭐
7.5
IMDB
★6.9TMDB · 260🍅97%Rotten Tomatoes●83Metacritic★7.5IMDB · 13,792
ComedyRomance
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
Quincy Adams Wagstaff, the new president of Huxley U, hires bumblers Baravelli and Pinky to help his school win the big football game against rival Darwin U.
“The Maddest Comics of the Screen!”
Cast
Groucho Marx
Professor Wagstaff
Harpo Marx
Pinky
Chico Marx
Baravelli
Zeppo Marx
Frank Wagstaff
Thelma Todd
Connie Bailey
David Landau
Jennings
Bobby Barber
Speakeasy Patron (uncredited)
Reginald Barlow
Retiring Collage President (uncredited)
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Norman Z. McLeod
- Writers
- Harry Ruby, Bert Kalmar, S.J. Perelman
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 7
ERA
Did you know
94 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 7
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Norman Z. McLeod, shot by Ray June. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 7
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Bert Kalmar. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 7
CAST
Did you know
Groucho Marx and Harpo Marx and Chico Marx carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 7
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "The Maddest Comics of the Screen!".
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 7
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt0023027 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Norman Z. McLeod directs. Ray June behind the camera. Bert Kalmar scores. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Tight 68-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
- 294 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
- 3Directed by Norman Z. McLeod, shot by Ray June. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 4Original score by Bert Kalmar. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 5Groucho Marx and Harpo Marx and Chico Marx carry the top of the cast.
- 6Marketing tagline: "The Maddest Comics of the Screen!".
- 7IMDB entry: tt0023027 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 8Classified under 9 themes, including "sports", "widow", "professor", "american football".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Ray June
- Original score
- Bert Kalmar
- Runtime
- 68 min · 1h 8m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- NR
- Rotten Tomatoes
- 97% 🍅 Fresh
- Metacritic
- 83/100
- IMDB rating
- 7.5/10 · 13,792 votes
- MPAA
- Approved
Awards
2 wins & 2 nominations total
Also by
Norman Z. McLeod
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
Paramount Pictures
US
Key crew
- ProducerHerman J. Mankiewicz
- LyricistBert Kalmar
- LyricistHarry Ruby
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- sports
- widow
- professor
- american football
- college
- musical
- black and white
- pre-code
- exuberant
Release history · US
When it landed
- Premiere1932-08-10NR· New York City, New York
- Theatrical1932-08-19NR
Also known as
International titles
- Blühender BlödsinnDE
- Die Marx Brothers - Blühender BlödsinnDE
- Die Marx Brothers in der UniDE
- Die Marx Brothers Bluehender BloedsinnDE
