Dear Editor: In the classic political farce “Duck Soup,” Groucho Marx plays Rufus T. Firefly, the self-serving leader of the nation of Freedonia. Predictably, he ogles women, belittles physical appearances, rashly fires his advisers, encourages violence, enriches himself, and antagonizes his neighbors to war. When trapped during the climactic battle, Firefly sends a soldier to break through the lines to gather help. “While you’re out there risking life and limb, we’ll be in here thinking of what a sucker you are!”
The film is hilarious, but its echoes of today are not.
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