Sep 19, 2021
The Marx Brothers’ 3rd feature film was released on 19 September 1931.
Monkey Business is considered to be the first Marx Brothers film written directly for the screen and not an adaptation of their stage show, but some of the scenes are directly taken from their stage act. Will B. Johnstone and S.J. Perelman were hired to write the screenplay, but Groucho hated their initial draft. At least 10 other writers were brought in to work on the screenplay, including producer Herman Mankiewicz and director Norman Z. McLeod. It was McLeod’s first film as director.
The film was a commercial and critical success, and is considered one of the best American comedies ever made.
