Fredonia will hold the annual “Freedonia Marxonia: Marx Brothers Film Festival and Symposium,” on Thursday, Oct. 1 and Friday, Oct. 2, the birthday of the Groucho Marx.
The festival celebrates the link between the village of Fredonia and the 1933 Marx Brothers’ film “Duck Soup,” which is set in the mythical country of Freedonia. Despite the lukewarm reception the film received in 1933, it enjoys widespread appeal today and is considered a classic political farce. “Duck Soup” holds the No. 5 position on the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 funniest American films of all time.
Activities will kick-off with the opening of the “Freedonia Marxonia” exhibit in Reed Library on Thursday at 3 p.m. Welcoming remarks will be followed by the traditional “Freedonia Marxonia” group photo (Groucho glasses will be provided). There will also be cake celebrating the 125th anniversary of Groucho’s birthday. The exhibit will be on display until Sunday, Oct. 25. It provides background on the festival, the Marx Brothers, current events of the 1930s, etc., as well as a focus this year on "Music and the Marx Brothers."
On Thursday evening in McEwen Hall Room G24, the movie, “Duck Soup,” starring Groucho, Harpo, Chico, and Zeppo, will be held at 7 p.m. There will be popcorn and lemonade.
On Friday, Oct. 2 at noon, the first in this semester's "Lunch with The New York Times" series will feature Douglas Canham, a 1987 Fredonia alumnus who led the efforts to create “Freedonia Marxonia.” He will discuss the origin of the festival and his experience here at Fredonia. Lunch will be provided in the Garden at Reed (Library).
At 7:30 that evening, in partnership with the 1891 Fredonia Opera House, the Marx Brothers' 1935 movie, "A Night at the Opera," will be shown at the opera house, with support from the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation. Attendees are welcome to come dressed as one of the Marx Brothers. There will also be a Marx Brothers trivia contest.
There is still time to enter the “Freedonia Marxonia” Art Contest, where anyone of any age or skill level from the campus or community is invited to create an original rendition of one or more of the Marx Brothers. Entries are due Sept. 25. $75, $50, and $25 cash prizes will be awarded. All submissions will be displayed as part of the library exhibit.
Fredonia’s inaugural Marx Brothers festival, launched with the help of a committee of students in 1987, attracted international attention and hundreds of visitors. It was revived in 2009 and has been staged annually under the sponsorship of the Hahn Family Freedonia Marxonia Fund of the Fredonia College Foundation.
All activities are free and open to the public. For more information on the event, contact Cindy Yochym at cynthia.yochym@fredonia.edu.
