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Straight Lady:
The Life and Times of Margaret Dumont, “The Fifth Marx Brother”
“The Marx Brothers exploded on the scene and screen in the 1930’s. Their vaudevillian antics brought needed comedic relief during the crushing weight of the Great Depression. The boys took the usual slapstick routines and amped up their deliveries with snide comments, slurs and sarcasm. Groucho and the boys needed a foil for their routines. Veteran actress Margaret Dumont was brilliant in that role.
Her portrayals of oblivious dowagers were a perfect fit for the madcap Marx Brothers, in particular, the ad libbing sardonic Groucho. She appeared in all of their biggest hits; ie., “Duck Soup”, “A Day at the Races”, A Night at the Opera”. Her role was to be oblivious to the taunts hurled at her character. In other words, a straight lady.
Collier magazine featured Margaret in 1937. She had received an Actor’s Guild Award for Best Actress for her performance in “A Day at the Races”, which grossed 5 million, an astonishing figure at the time. The headline for the article was “Lady Who Assists the Homicidal Comedy of the Marx Brothers”.
Margaret Dumont had a complete life; Enss and Kazanjian’s research fill in all the voids. “The Straight Lady” digs deep and produces an revealing chapter in the amazing early success of the movie business. For those readers who enjoy a fascinating story, this book will fit the bill. For those who love Hollywood history, it is a must read.
To learn more about Margaret Dumont read Straight Lady
