Get yourself a mirror and start doing your eyebrow exercises because Groucho Marx is about to make a comeback. Based on Steve Stoliar’s memoir Raised Eyebrows: My Years Inside Groucho’s House, the film stars Geoffrey Rush as comedic legend Groucho Marx. Oren Moverman (Bad Education, The Messenger) will direct the Raised Eyebrows movie. He also co-wrote the script with Stoliar. Also set to star in Raised Eyebrows are Sienna Miller (American Sniper, The Lost City of Z) and Charlie Plummer (Looking for Alaska, Lean on Pete).
Per Deadline, Moverman’s Raised Eyebrows movie is set between 1973-1977, The film follows Steve (Plummer) as he enters Groucho Marx’s house for his dream job of working for the aging, frail comedian, under the watchful eye of Erin Fleming (Sienna Miller), a younger woman who had taken over the Marx brother’s personal and professional life. Marx and Fleming had a controversial relationship in his twilight years, she was his devoted girlfriend turned manager. The power struggles result in a comedy of horrors in which obsession, love, celebrity, mental illness, family, and Hollywood are taken to task and brought to a boil in an anarchic way that could only be described as ‘Grouchian’.
“It’s a pleasure and an honor and responsibility and probably something else to work with this amazing cast on a story I hope will reintroduce the genius of Groucho Marx in a new, provocative, entertaining way all these years later. Steve Stoliar has given the world incredible insight into a bygone era. Done right, we will screw it up royally,” said Moverman.
Added Bailey, “After many years diligently working to get Steve’s brilliant, true story adapted for the screen, I’m thrilled that we found the perfect ensemble of actors to portray these rich yet complicated characters that Oren will, no doubt, masterfully bring to life. Even in a world that tells us ‘never meet your idols,’ Steve’s friendship with Groucho Marx, while filled with moments of heartbreaking humanity, proved to be an overwhelmingly positive and life-changing experience for him – an essence we hope to capture for our audience.”
Oddly, Raised Eyebrows was first announced in 2015 with Rob Zombie set to direct. I imagine that Zombie’s take would have been wildly different from Moverman’s, and I’m kind of sad that we’ll never get to see it. Even some test footage would have been cool to see. Oh well.
Julius Henry “Groucho” Marx was considered a comedic genius by his peers and dedicated fanbase. He made 13 feature films with his siblings the Marx Brothers and even enjoyed a solo career comprised of several radio and television gigs. He was also the beloved host of the game show You Bet Your Life. As a master of quick-wit comedy, Marx was known to improvise on the spot, often resulting in hilarious takes that made it to the final cut. His distinctive appearance, which included spectacles, thick, Eugene Levy-like eyebrows, awkward posture, a stylish mustache, and exaggerated movement, made him a mesmerizing subject for the camera.
Believe it or not, I’m actually a fan of the Marx Brothers. I’ve seen several of their films thanks to a close friend of mine, and each one has been a delight. Yes, the humor is certainly a product of its time, but that’s part of what makes it so charming. I’ll be interested to see Rush’s version of Marx when Moverman’s Raised Eyebrows movie comes to cinemas.
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