A Day at the Races (1937) Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

The Marx Brothers are one of the most recognizable comedy teams in history. Who doesn't know Groucho, Harpo, Chicho and Groucho. During their film careers The Marx Brothers brought chaos to the west, the stores, the sea, the institutes of higher learning and more.

In 1937 The Marx Brothers would head to the racetracks for A Day at the Races. It is hard to believe that this film is 87 years old. But Warner Archive Collection are restoring and preserving classic films on Blu-ray. And this Marx Brothers films is the next to receive a deluxe release!  

Dr. Hugo Z. Hackenbush (Groucho Marx) -- MD, PhD, RFD, MC, PDQ, BYOB and none of the above is dispensing horse pills and quips with equal glee. Chico, Harpo and favorite foil Margaret Dumont join the fun of this thoroughly thoroughbred comedy. Enjoy tootsie-frootsie ice cream, Dumont's medical exam, Harpo's pretty-girl pantomime sketch, wallpaper wackiness and wall-to-wall hilarity the Marx way.

I have always enjoyed The Marx Brothers, but needless to say not all Marx Brothers films are created equal. Pretty much everyone believes that producer Irving Thalberg was the driving forces behind the best Marx Brothers films. But sadly Thalberg died during production of A Day at the Races. So this film really is The Marx Brothers swan song of the golden era of their movies.

Warner Archive Collection have transferred this Marx Brothers classic to Blu-ray in 1080p. The film is presented in its original 1.37:1. The audio is a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. There is also the option for English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.

I have this film on DVD and when I watched this film in comparison, the picture quality is a very nice upgrade. The picture is crisp and clean for the most part. There is a scene or two that is a little less than stellar, but that is a minor complaint. The audio is clear with no hiss or pops. 

Now a really nice picture upgrade is not all that A Day at the Races Blu-ray has going for it! Not by a longshot! Warner Archive added some really great bonus feature. Take a look at what is included on this disc.

* Audio Commentary by author/film historian Glenn Mitchell
* On Your Marx, Get Set, Go! A making of featurette in which we hear from Dom De Luise, Maureen O’Sullivan, writers Irving Brecher, Carl Reiner, and Larry Gelbart, and historian Robert Osborne 
* A Night at the Movies (1937) A man (Robert Benchley) and his wife (Betty Ross Clarke) have a less-than-enjoyable time at the movies.
* 3 Classic M-G-M cartoons
Old Smokey (1938) The fire house is replacing the horse Old Smokey with a new engine. But when things go wrong its Old Smokey to the rescue.
Mama's New Hat (1939) The boys buy mama a new hat for Mother's Day but end up ruining it. So, they swap the bad hat with one that a nearby horse is wearing.
Gallopin' Gals (1940) Time for the big horse race. A lonely horse named Maggie who has never won a race in her life and suffers from hay fever. Can she overcome the odds and win? 

* Audio-only treasures: 
Groucho Marx radio performance of "DR. HACKENBUSH" (written for film but unused)
Musical outtake "A Message from the Man in the Moon"
Leo is On the Air Radio Promo
* Original Theatrical Trailer

I love the addition of classic cartoons, but throw in a Robert Benchly short, a making of featurette and more. This goes from a nice upgrade to a must own release for classic comedy and Marx Brothers fans.

If you love the zany antics of The Marx Brothers as much as I do, you need this new edition of A Day at the Races on Blu-ray in your collection. Head over to MovieZyng and order your copy today!



Out of 4 film Reels (4 being the best) the Blu-ray release of A Day at the Races receives....