Politics

Polly Moran loves her new-found prestige as a political organizer. Though she's definitely got a low-level position, she has great visions of grandeur. However, the man she's supporting as mayor isn't doing a particularly good job, as he turns a blind eye to bootleggers and the crime associated with them. It all comes to a head when there is a shooting in one of these dives and someone familiar to Moran and her friend Marie Dressler is killed. So at the next political rally when the mayor asks for questions, Dressler confronts him about the bootleggers. He makes many excuses but the bottom line is that he won't do anything--at which point Marie makes an impassioned speech and is roundly applauded. Giddy with success, Polly urges Marie to run against the incumbent mayor--at which point the sexist men gang up on poor Marie. However, instead of giving up, the ladies dig in their heels for a battle of the sexes.

When I watched this Marie Dressler-Polly Moran film, I couldn't help but recognize the familiar plot. That's because in the television age this same plot was recycled many times--the most notable being on "The Andy Griffith Show" when Ellie ran for office and the men of Mayberry were against her simply because she was a female. You certainly can't blame the makers of this film, as the idea was fresh in 1931! The film isn't especially deep and won't change your life but it excels on a very simple level--it's fun light entertainment. Dressler and Moran made eight movies together and the surviving films from the series are all very pleasant and fun thanks to good writing and especially to Dressler's wonderful screen presence and charm. The only serious negative about the film is Roscoe Ates--a guy whose claim to fame in films was his stuttering schtick. Not only wasn't this "politically correct", but also wore out its welcome long before this film.

"This story is dedicated to women," according to the introduction, "who have been fighting for their rights ever since Adam and Eve started the loose-leaf system." When "Politics" was filmed, the Nineteenth Amendment, guaranteeing women the right to vote, was only a decade old. And, the film deals with the wielding of political power by women as a voting group. Advocating prohibition, and shutting down speakeasies, was a main concern for women at the time.

Good-natured Marie Dressler (as Hattie Burns) becomes politically active, after a young woman is shot and killed coming out of a speakeasy. She wants the liquor-selling joints closed; and, is drafted into a Mayoral run, after delivering a powerful speech at a women's rally. Ms. Dressler is supported by her tenants, best friend Polly Moran (as Ivy Higgins) and her stuttering husband Roscoe Ates (as Peter Higgins). Dressler's run for Mayor of Lake City draws opposition from men in town; so, Dressler orders the women to go on strike, denying them, "everything" in the "parlor, bedroom, and bath."

The film sounds much better than it turned out. The humor, frankly, isn't too good; and, it features some unfunny and moderately offensive situations ("You look like Madame Queen" refers to an Amos and Andy character). And, the mixing of shootings and slapstick doesn't mix well, this time. Producers might have considered making the film more dramatic, focusing exclusively on Dressler and the characters played by William Bakewell (as Benny Emerson) and Karen Morley (as Myrtle Burns).

**** Politics (7/25/31) Charles Reisner ~ Marie Dressler, Polly Moran, Roscoe Ates

Even tho this is a slight film, Politics is entertaining and moves along nicely. Marie Dressler was one of the very best star actresses of her time. She could swing from comedy to drama in a heartbeat. After a big comeback in late silent films, Dressler charged into talkies and became a top star. Teamed with Polly Moran in 3 starring roles, Dressler struts her stuff here as a widow who gets pushed into running for mayor in a town plagued by gangsters and speakeasies. Nothing special plot wise but solid performances by the stars. Karen Morley, Roscoe Ates, William Bakewell, Claire de Brey, Robert Dudley, John Miljan, and Joan Marsh co-star. But Dressler is the main reason to watch this 1931 comedy/drama, and she is tops.

This sprightly programmer, starring Marie Dressler, transforms the story to modern politics ca. 1931. Dressler and the women are anxious to close the speakeasies -- this was made during Prohibition. There is a strong cast of women, including Polly Moran, Joan Marsh and Karen Morley. The men are played by supporting comics, including Roscoe Ates, on whose voice Porky Pig was modeled.

Dressler was an interesting character. A big legitimate stage star, she was one of the leaders of the strike that formed Actor's Equity. By the late 1920s, she was washed up, until screenwriter Frances Marion wrote a role for her, and by 1931, she was MGM's biggest star. Her character was a fat, good-intentioned, foul-mouthed harridan, and she could tread the line between comedy and drama as surefootedly as anyone in the industry.

Charles Reisner directs without much visual flair in this movie. He relies mostly on cuts to move the story along, moving the camera only slightly to maintain composition.

POLITICS is pretty well dated, but it remains a fascinating film, if only for the performance of Miss Dressler.

Hard to believe that this dowdy old woman was one of the biggest box office draws in movies during those Depression Days. But ex- vaudevillian Marie Dressler was a very funny woman, especially when aided and abetted by Polly Moran as she is in Politics.

Dressler is a widow with daughter Karen Morley and her neighbor is Polly Moran and her husband Roscoe Ates. When a gangland shooting at a local speakeasy results in the death of a young woman hit with a stray bullet, Dressler goes on the warpath. It's good to remember that the 19th Amendment giving woman the right to vote was only 11 years old at the time and women were just starting to flex some political muscle.

Marie declares herself a candidate for mayor to replace pompous old windbag Tom McGuire. And the women get behind her candidacy and start a Lysistrata like effort to put her over.

The subplot here is that Karen Morley is in love with William Bakewell who was fingered falsely for the shooting. Bakewell was also slightly wounded and Morley has him stashed in her house attic to heal. I think I can safely say that that situation is also cleared up nicely and all is right with Dressler's corner of the world.

Politics is a wonderful satire on same and I think it could easily be remade today. Just think of the funny women of today as to who could replace Marie Dressler and Polly Moran.