Evengyny Thanks for the memories!

Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

ActuallyGlimmer The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Deanna There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

SanteeFats This is another good one by the Marx Brothers. A young singer, named Tommy Rogers, inherits a department store. This store is up for sale by him and the proceeds will help to build a conservatory for young kids. The store manager is a crook who is planning to kill the inheritor, marry Martha Dumont since she will get the store after the murder, kill her off and get the store for himself. Oh there is a bleached blonde tart but she does not realize she is superfluous to the plan. The scene in the store with the Italian family with all the kids is excellent. So funny,IMO. Of course it is politically insensitive by today's standards. This makes it even funnier to me. I am so tired of the PC people. Laugh at life because it laughs at you. Anyway this is a good flick and of course as typical for the time the good guys win again.

Bill Slocum Only a dozen years had passed since the Marx Brothers established themselves as the talkies' premier comedy team, yet "The Big Store" was billed in advance as a farewell appearance, and in terms of producing comedies at a steady clip, it was. From that, and the raspberries directed at it from Groucho on down, you might well expect worse then you get here.Young singer Tommy Rogers (Tony Martin) is about to inherit half of Phelps Department Store, but slimy store manager Mr. Grover (Douglass Dumbrille) plots to do away with him. Protection of a sort comes in the form of Wolf J. Flywheel (Groucho Marx), a private detective whose street window advertises "Bloodhounds Transfused/Finger Prints Manicured/and Gin Rummy". Wolf of course is aided by a couple of brothers, Ravelli (Chico) and Wacky (Harpo).The Marx Bros. may have been on their way out, but they seem in fine fettle here. Groucho is still doing high leg kicks (albeit on his back), Harpo's pantomimes are still sharp, and Chico is even more of a gas than usual at the piano. The script is several cuts below S.J. Perelman, and Charles Reisner's direction is so-so, but the film showcases the Brothers' recognizable style of humor in an amusing enough manner."If you're a detective, I'm a monkey's uncle," the manager tells Flywheel."Keep your family out of this."Or else Flywheel romancing a rich woman played by the evergreen Margaret Dumont: "There are many bonds which will hold us through eternity. Your government bonds, your savings bonds, your Liberty Bonds..."Some of the comedy lags noticeably, like some protracted business of children disappearing inside convertible beds and an ending that tries for sustained thrill humor and winds up a fuzzy goof. But even some lesser-thought-out moments play decently almost in spite of themselves. Tony Martin has a musical interlude singing "If It's You" that's actually rather nice, and the giant musical number "Sing While You Sell" justifies its long running time with Groucho's vamping and the stone-faced swing of see-her-to-believe-her Virginia O'Brien.Marx Brothers films seldom delivered coherent stories along with the comedy, and "The Big Store" is no exception. Mention is made of a professor in the opening scene as if he is a central character, but we never hear a word from the guy. A woman is sent by Mr. Grover to lead Tommy astray, but disappears without further mention after a scene where Harpo secretly makes off with the back of her dress.It's not "Duck Soup" or even "The Cocoanuts", but as Groucho says here, "They're not writing that kind of stuff anymore." The musical interludes are still ever-present, and delivered with more comic pizazz for the most part, although a gargantuan production number where Martin sings something called "Tenement Symphony" exhausts much of the good will gained from Chico and Harpo's hilarious piano duel and a harp number from Harpo (backed by his mirrored reflections) that doesn't stop everything dead for once.In the end, watching the Marxes and Ms. Dumont being literally towed off into the sunset, it seemed the team had more than enough gas left in the tank to stay active through the war years, rather than retire until 1946. No, "The Big Store" is not that special, but it's a pleasure more often than not, and shows the Marx Brothers still capable of delivering fine comedy even without a solid script.

MartinHafer The sad fact about the Marx Brothers is that after the movie A NIGHT AT THE OPERA, their career was all downhill. While A DAY AT THE RACES and ROOM SERVICE were still very good, their subsequent efforts were painfully ordinary and generally unfunny. It was like they were playing lethargic caricatures of themselves. And, from what I gathered, the Marxes WERE very content to just collect a paycheck at this point in their lives.Some of the blame for the static nature of this film also must be given to MGM--a studio that had a history of ruining good comedians when they came under DIRECT MGM control (Laurel and Hardy's films were distributed by MGM but were created by the independent-minded Hal Roach Studios). If you don't believe me, look at all the Marxes films from the late 30s on as well as Buster Keaton's films of the 30s--they rely on an MGM formula and lack all the frenetic intensity of the comedians' earlier non-MGM efforts.The film is a by-the-book effort where the Marx Brothers work at a department store. The usual music by the Marxes is supplemented by dull songs. So, instead of original and funny material, we are treated to MORE MUSIC!! My advice is see their earlier Paramount films or their first two MGM flicks then avoid the rest unless you are a die-hard fan.UPDATE: I just re-watched this film. This time I wasn't quite as negative about it but STILL was frustrated that the film seemed like a musical in which the Marx Brothers were tossed instead of a Marx Brothers film. Too often, plot was secondary and singing got in the way. One annoying singer was a zombie-like woman who sang some song about lullabies--which was NOT pleasant. Some of Tony Martin's singing is very nice (and I really liked Chico and Harpo's music) but that and the total number of songs in the film make it one of their weakest efforts. Worth seeing but that is all.

classicsoncall There are enough song, dance and Harpo routines in "The Big Store" to classify it as a musical, and that's just including the numbers done by the Marx Brothers. Throw in some additional tunes by co-star Tony Martin, and you've probably got more minutes of music than not in this 1941 frolic. The story involves Martin's character Tommy Rogers and his inheritance of half of the Phelps Department Store, and his intention to sell that share so he can pursue his musical career and marry his love interest Joan Sutton (Virginia Grey). Store Manager Grover (Douglas Dumbrille) has other plans though, and they include doing away with anyone who'll get in the way of his taking over the entire enterprise. Pretty serious stuff, but with the Marx Brothers on hand, it'll take more than a couple of inept goons to win the day.Serious fans of the Marx Brothers will find this film to be one of their weaker entries, but this viewer managed to find it entertaining enough. The movie offers the only time when Harpo and Chico perform a piano duet in a movie together, and Harpo's three way mirror routine on his signature instrument is done with a series of effective double takes. However the action that I was more than willing to rewind for was Virginia O'Brien's rendition of "Rock It, Baby", a highly energetic song done in complete deadpan style. I can't recall ever having seen a routine like it before, and it's hilarious.Rounding out the cast is perennial foil Margaret Dumont as Martha Phelps, widow of the deceased department store owner. She tries to balance her affections between the conniving Grover, and Groucho's character Wolf J. Flywheel. It probably doesn't matter much that Groucho's character is a detective, when reducing the store to shambles with the help of Ravelli and cousin Wacky (Chico and Harpo) is just a matter of time. Gags, one liners, music and destruction - what else could you ask for in a Marx Brothers movie? - it's all here!