The defence The Sentimental Softie
“Sincerity is not manipulation.”
The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.
Back to trending 
The Cocoanuts
Comedy · Music · 1929
During the Florida land boom, the Marx Brothers run a hotel, auction off some land and thwart a jewel robbery.
Movie details
The Cocoanuts
“Paramount's All Talking Musicomedy Sensation”
1929 Comedy · Music 1h 33m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.5 / 10
Community rating
During the Florida land boom, the Marx Brothers run a hotel, auction off some land and thwart a jewel robbery.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over The Cocoanuts?
For the defence
The Sentimental Softie
“You came to feel something, and you will.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Cool Ironist
“Feeling things is a little embarrassing.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
The Big Store
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The story of the rise and fall of the Pre-Fab Four.
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Who's Minding the Store?
Comedy · 1963
Norman Phiffer, a proud man in a humble life, doesn't know that his girlfriend, Barbara, is heir to the Tuttle Department Store dynasty. Mrs. Tuttle, Barbara's mother, is determined to split the two lovers, and hires Norman in an attempt to humiliate him enough that Barbara leaves him. Will she ruin their love, or will he ruin her store?
Room Service
Comedy · 1938
Broke Gordon Miller tries to land a backer for his new play while he has to deal with with the hotel manager trying to evict him and his cast.
Jim Gaffigan: Beyond the Pale
Comedy · 2006
The affable, towheaded comic demonstrates his hysterical brand of self-effacing comedy and deadpan delivery at two sold-out shows at Chicago's Vic Theater. It's OK to laugh at this pale white guy...'cause nobody's laughing at Jim Gaffigan harder than Jim Gaffigan!
The Twelve Chairs
Comedy · 1970
In 1920s Soviet Russia, a fallen aristocrat, a priest and a con artist search for a treasure of jewels hidden inside one of twelve dining chairs, lost during the revolution.
Mystery Train
Comedy · 1989
In Memphis, Tennessee, over the course of a single night, the Arcade Hotel, run by an eccentric night clerk and a clueless bellboy, is visited by a young Japanese couple traveling in search of the roots of rock; an Italian woman in mourning who stumbles upon a fleeing charlatan girl; and a comical trio of accidental thieves looking for a place to hide.
Where it lives
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Robert Florey · Joseph Santley
Written by
Morrie Ryskind · George S. Kaufman
Groucho Marx
Hammer
Harpo Marx
Red
Chico Marx
Pastrami
Zeppo Marx
Jamison
Oscar Shaw
Bob Adams
Mary Eaton
Polly Potter
Cyril Ring
Harvey Yates
Court is in session
Put The Cocoanuts on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Cool Ironist
“The strings are showing.”
Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.