A DAY AT THE RACES (1937) MGM Re-release 1960, Movie Poster, Daybill
Size AU Daybill Post-War (13" x 30")
A DAY AT THE RACES (1937) MGM Re-release 1960, Movie Poster, Daybill starring Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, Allan Jones, Maureen O'Sullivan and directed by Sam Wood is in Very...
A DAY AT THE RACES (1937) MGM Re-release 1960, Movie Poster, Daybill starring Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, Allan Jones, Maureen O'Sullivan and directed by Sam Wood is in Very Fine Condition.
Movie Poster and Condition.
Condition: This poster is presented in Very Fine condition with 2 Daybill folds as issued, staple holes in each corner, there are 2 small holes, 1 above the 1st fold towards the left hand side and the 2nd below the 'A' from the title and some edgewear and fold line wear on the 2nd fold, plus a small dog eared fold on the bottom right corner which has been flattened out and a small light stain on the horses neck. This authentic Australian Daybill movie poster for the classic Marx Brothers comedy remains highly presentable and displays beautifully. The poster features artwork created for the MGM re-release campaign of 1960, celebrating one of the most beloved comedy films of Hollywood's Golden Age. Collectors of Marx Brothers memorabilia, vintage cinema advertising and Australian movie posters will appreciate both the rarity and historical significance of this piece.
Movie Synopsis
A Day at the Races (1937) is one of the most celebrated comedy films ever produced and represents the Marx Brothers at the height of their popularity. Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and directed by Sam Wood, the film reunited audiences with the unforgettable comic talents of Groucho Marx, Chico Marx and Harpo Marx. Following the enormous success of A Night at the Opera, MGM once again paired the brothers with a polished production, larger budget and strong supporting cast.
The story centres on the financially troubled Standish Sanitarium, a health resort owned by Judy Standish, played by Maureen O'Sullivan. Facing mounting debts and pressure from businessmen seeking to take control of the property, Judy hopes that the arrival of the renowned Dr Hugo Z. Hackenbush, portrayed by Groucho Marx, will help save her establishment. Unfortunately, Hackenbush is not exactly what he appears to be. Rather than a respected medical expert, he is actually a veterinarian whose deception leads to a series of hilarious misunderstandings and outrageous situations.
As Judy struggles to save the sanitarium, she also attempts to support the romance between singer Gil Stewart, played by Allan Jones, and her patient Vivian. Meanwhile, the scheming villains attempt to force Judy into selling her property. Enter Chico and Harpo, whose chaotic antics create endless obstacles for the plotters while generating some of the film's most memorable comic sequences.
The film is packed with classic Marx Brothers humour, including rapid-fire wordplay, visual gags, absurd disguises and brilliantly timed physical comedy. Groucho delivers many of the witty one-liners that made him famous, while Chico's clever routines and Harpo's silent but energetic performance provide a perfect comic balance. The movie also features lavish musical numbers, a hallmark of MGM productions during the era.
One of the most famous scenes in the film is the exhilarating horse race finale, which combines suspense, comedy and expertly choreographed action. Another standout moment is the legendary "Tootsie Frootsie Ice Cream" sequence, a fan favourite that remains one of the most recognisable routines in Marx Brothers history.
Produced during Hollywood's Golden Age, A Day at the Races showcases the studio craftsmanship, production values and entertainment style that made MGM one of the most successful film studios in cinema history. The screenplay was developed by a talented team of writers including George Seaton, Robert Pirosh and George Oppenheimer, who helped shape the brothers' unique brand of humour for mainstream audiences.
Today, the film is regarded as one of the definitive Marx Brothers classics and remains highly influential among comedy filmmakers and performers. Its enduring popularity has ensured its place among the greatest comedy films ever made, making memorabilia associated with the movie highly sought after by collectors worldwide.
To find out more about A Day at the Races (1937) click here to go to IMDB.com.
Special Notes.
Images may have a small 'MPA' digital watermark and this does not appear on the poster. Posters are being held by magnets in the corners to take photographs, so you may see some magnet and shadows from the magnets in these areas. The magnets are not included in the sale of the item.
Postage, Insurance & Your Country Taxes
Postage costs are quoted for this item, include insurance up to AUD$100, but if you reside outside of Australia, the price does not include any import taxes/fees that you may be required to pay when the item reaches your borders. Please check with your local authorities for any additional taxes or fees. If you would like full insurance coverage for your purchase, please message me and I would be happy to quote the additional cost (estimate is AUD$2.50 p/AUD$100 or 2.5% of the item value, up to a maximum item value of AUD$5,000).
FAQ
At Movie Posters Australia, the love and conservation of movie posters comes first, and we like to share this passion. Our commitment to quality means we will provide high quality memorabilia to our customers. Posters are carefully chosen and authenticated to ensure originality and value. We want our customers to trust MPA, so we always try to be as open and transparent as we can, provide detailed condition information and images, to ensure customers are comfortable and confident in their purchase.
While the industry does have a few condition rating standards, there is no movie poster condition rating system that has become the accepted standard world wide. This unfortunately makes condition terms vary from movie poster dealer to movie poster dealer. Terms like Mint, Near Mint, Very Fine, Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor, seem to be universal to most condition rating standards, but most standards still lack definition about what and how many flaws/defects/damage defines a specific condition level. For more information on how Movie Posters Australia grades the condition of its movie posters, daybills, lobby cards and other ephemera please see out Movie Poster Condition and Grading page.
In the early days of cinema, posters were primarily hand-drawn and printed in various sizes, often tailored to fit the available space in theaters or promotional areas. In the United States, the "One Sheet" size (some times called '1 Sheet' or '1SH' approximately 27" x 41", became the standard during the 1930s. This size was manageable for theater display and suited the needs of a growing film industry.
Different countries developed their own poster sizes and styles, which also changed sometimes over the decades, and were influenced by local preferences and practical considerations, like available paper sheet sizes and how many posters could be printed on one sheet.
In Australia, the most popular size, the Daybill, has evolved over the decades. Australian Daybills sizes in chronological order are:
- Long Daybills (15" x 40"), from 1920's to pre-WW2 or pre-1941, were printed two to a sheet, longer than current Daybill versions. There were size variances in width from 14.5" to 15" and in height from 39.5" to 40".
- War Time Daybill (10" x 30"), during WW2, for a short time to conserve paper during a war time shortage, four Daybills were printed on one sheet. Information from Press Sheets also referred to these War-Time sizes as "New Size Daybills".
- Post-War Daybill (13" x 30"), this 13" x 30" Post-War size carried through until the 1980's, but also varied in size from 13"-14" x 29.75"-30.25".
- Post-80's Daybill (33cm x 66cm, or 13" x 26"), over a few years in the late 80's, the size changed again to a metric 33cm x 66cm, although these have also varied from 32-33cm x 64.5-66cm. New sizes from the late 80's were created, sometimes called a Mini Daybill or Mini Poster, in 9" x 12", 11" x 17" and 13" x 20".
In the UK, the somewhat unique 'Quad' poster, measuring 30" x 40", became popular, offering a larger landscape format that allowed for more elaborate designs.
In Japan, movie poster sizes were smaller, such as the "B2" (20" x 28"), which suited the more compact living environment of larger cities, smaller advertising spaces, and unique aesthetic sensibilities.
The 1970s and 1980s, witnessed the rise of the "six-sheet" (81" x 81") format, reflecting a trend towards larger and more visually impactful advertising.
Overall, the variation in movie poster sizes across different countries and decades highlights the interplay between technological printing advancements, paper resource availability, paper sheet size changes, cultural preferences, and the evolving nature of movie marketing.
At Movie Posters Australia we tag each poster we sell with a 'size' and 'condition' description at the very top of the page for our customers to easily see. There may however be some slight variations to sizes by up one inch due to variations in production and guillotine methods by printers over the decades.