# Duck soup -- the expression not the film

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duck-soup-the-expression-not-the-film/589292>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 16, 2011, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duck-soup-the-expression-not-the-film/589292 "2011-07-16T23:09:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2011, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duck-soup-the-expression-not-the-film/589292/1 "2011-07-16T23:09:45Z")

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I’ve heard duck soup as an expression for something that’s very easy to do. And I want to know why the phrase was coined. If its directly referencing the Marx Brothers film, that’s fine, I’d just like to know who (in general terms) decided to coin the phrase based off that film. I suspect its older than that, and I’m wondering why the phrase was coined. FWIW, I have a grilled duck carcass that I intend to boil into broth tomorrow, and I don’t expect it will be that much easier than doing the same with a roast chicken carcass or beef roast bones. I guess duck meat is richer than chicken, so it will make stronger broth, is that the reason? Or were ducks easier to catch in farmhouse days than chicken were?

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2011, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duck-soup-the-expression-not-the-film/589292/2 "2011-07-16T23:17:40Z")

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Looks like [we don’t know](http://www.word-detective.com/back-c2.html).

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**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duck-soup-the-expression-not-the-film/589292/3 "2011-07-18T12:07:26Z")

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> [@Arkcon](#):
>
> … I have a grilled duck carcass that I intend to boil into broth tomorrow, …

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I can see you right now in the kitchen, bending over a hot stove. But I can’t see the stove

[/RTF}

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**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duck-soup-the-expression-not-the-film/589292/4 "2011-07-18T14:51:59Z")

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Why a duck?

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**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duck-soup-the-expression-not-the-film/589292/5 "2011-07-18T15:48:14Z")

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Wabbit Season!

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**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/duck-soup-the-expression-not-the-film/589292/6 "2011-07-18T18:41:24Z")

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In Tim Dirks’ review of the movie, he explains the phrase by quoting Groucho Marx:

> [@](#):
>
> Take two turkeys, one goose, four cabbages, but no duck, and mix them together. After one taste, you’ll duck soup for the rest of your life.