AFI (2007) • AFI-085
A Night at the Opera
1935 • Sam Wood
AVAILABLE EDITIONS
Physical
Digital
You May Also Like
No related films listed.
No editions listed.
ABOUT THIS FILM
RUNTIME
96 min
FAMOUS QUOTE
“Well, who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?”
The Marx Brothers deliver one of their most celebrated comedies in this fast-paced musical farce set in the world of opera. Groucho Marx plays a scheming manager who tries to help two young opera singers achieve success while outsmarting greedy producers and wealthy patrons. Alongside the chaotic antics of Chico and Harpo, the brothers unleash a series of wildly inventive comic routines. The film features some of their most famous sequences, including the legendary stateroom scene where an absurd number of people crowd into a tiny cabin. Blending slapstick humor with musical performances, A Night at the Opera remains a classic of comedy.
Why it matters
- A defining work in the AFI canon, it showcases the craft of classical Hollywood storytelling (or its modern evolution) at a high level.
- Its influence shows up in later films—through structure, tone, or visual language—making it a useful reference point for how the medium developed.
- It endures because its core conflicts feel human and repeatable, letting new audiences find fresh meaning in familiar moments.
Watch for
- How the opening establishes tone and stakes—often more is set up visually than in dialogue.
- Key scenes where performance choices (pauses, glances, timing) do the emotional heavy lifting.
- Editing and transitions: notice what the film hides, what it reveals, and when it decides to do each.
Vibe
ComedyMarx Brothers ChaosOperatic FarceAnarchic WitBackstage MischiefClass MockeryMusical MayhemComic PrecisionStateroom MadnessPrewar Escapism
AFI RANK
1998: —
2007: #85