Okay, bot as good as the Marx Brothers' earlier efforts, especially A Day At The Races and A Night At The Opera. Has hints of the brilliant slapstick they were capable of, but is mostly confusing, and unfocussed.

My least favorite Marx Bros movie. And yes, I'm counting "The Story of Mankind." I didn't laugh once the whole time. This has none of the flavor of the better Marx Bros movies. No memorable dialogue or creative gags. It's a generic cookie cutter B-level comedy of the 1940's that just happens to star the Marx Bros. The only life in the film comes from Douglas Dumbrille and the lovely Virginia Grey. The Marxes, Groucho in particular, seem to just be parodying themselves. Collect that paycheck boys! The great Margaret Dumont, in her last Marx movie, goes through the motions but is clearly having no fun. Tony Martin's insipid songs make me long for Zeppo. Be prepared to fast-forward through all musical numbers as they are just dreadful. There are some very generous reviewers here on IMDb who seem to like this one. To each their own but in my opinion this one really is the pits.

Tony Martin's "Tenement Symphony," although seemingly misplaced in the movie, was great, in that its melody was classic in tone, and Martin's voice only enhanced the overall effect. The "ditzy" chase scenes towards the finale of the film, although exaggerated, and obviously performed by stunt doubles, and stop-action, or jerky photography, were "over the top" for belly laughs. Harpo's mirror-reflection musical moment was a great deep breath of rest from his usual zaniness; it was magic, as was Chico's duet with him. For me, born in 1936, my viewing it at still a tender age of nine or ten only made this little boy happy and delighted with the film. If I were to be critical at the age I am today, I would say, the film doesn't come close to what the Marx Brothers films intended from earlier works...but just see it again through the eyes and heart of the child I was, and you'll agree that, gee; what a funny film the Big Store really was.

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!