Is Harpo Free?

The Marx Brothers’ antics and entertained audiences on the screen for decades and have certainly kept them guessing as to how they will succeed in whichever silly situation they find themselves in. However, Matthew Cipa’s recent work explores one particular question tied to the quietest brother: Is Harpo free?

Cipa’s Is Harpor Free? and Other Questions of the Metaphysical Screen examines the concepts of metaphysics and philosophical arguments tied to artistic expression. he argues that these portrayals help us understand ourselves, the world, and our function in it. This book also discusses this thought within the contest of films beyond the Marx Brothers’ output.

This book will interest classic film fans who are particularly intrigued by theoretical concepts and their application to the visual arts.


Is Harpor Free? and Other Questions of the Metaphysical Screen is available via SUNY Press.

About Annette Bochenek

Dr. Annette Bochenek of Chicago, Illinois, is an avid scholar of Hollywood’s Golden Age. She manages the Hometowns to Hollywood blog, in which she writes about her trips exploring the legacies and hometowns of Golden Age stars. Annette also hosts the “Hometowns to Hollywood” film series throughout the Chicago area. She has been featured on Turner Classic Movies and is the president of TCM Backlot’s Chicago chapter. In addition to writing for TCM Backlot, she also writes for Classic Movie Hub, Silent Film Quarterly, Nostalgia Digest, and Chicago Art Deco Society Magazine.
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