Politics

"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

A stubborn widow creates quite a stir when she enters local city POLITICS to run for mayor.

MGM fashioned this pleasant little comedy/drama to showcase their surprisingly popular actress, Marie Dressler. She was beginning her meteoric rise to commence her reign as Hollywood's most popular star, a supremacy that was only cut short by her untimely death in 1934. Massive & shapeless, with a face that could stop a bus, Dressler embodied pure grandmotherly affection and the country gladly took her to their heart. She was also an excellent actress, equally adept at eliciting laughter or tears from her audiences, sometimes almost simultaneously. In the end, when cancer took her, the Mighty Marie proved utterly irreplaceable - truly one of Cinema's Grandest Ladies.

Receiving equal billing is Dressler's frequent comedy partner, Polly Moran. Diminutive & buxom, Polly was a fine comedienne in her own right, and MGM kept her very busy in the early 1930's. Acid-tongued & brash, Moran was adept at slapstick and in every way was an enjoyable sidekick for Marie. Here, gentle Dressler plays Moran's benevolent landlady, uninterested in Polly's political enthusiasms until sudden violence prompts Marie into galvanizing the women of the community, with Polly giving her full encouragement. Each is rewarded, as can be seen in the movie's final moments.

Stuttering Roscoe Ates appears as Polly's grumpy husband. Pretty Karen Morley is Marie's slightly duplicitous daughter, while William Bakewell is her wrong-side-of-the-law boyfriend; each are kept in the background to let the old girls shine. Also effective in very small roles are John Miljan as the local crime boss, Tom McGuire as Lake Port's corrupt mayor and lovely Joan Marsh as the tragic catalyst for the plot.

Movie mavens will spot an unbilled DeWitt Jennings in the role of the Police Chief. They will also notice the movie poster Joan Marsh gazes at in her first scene. It is for THE STOLEN JOOLS (1931 - aka THE SLIPPERY PEARLS). This was a comedy charity two-reeler in which more than 50 Hollywood stars appeared, including Polly Moran.

With a nod to Aristophanes' Lysistrata, the film's undercurrent is its sly look at the battle for equality between the sexes, as it explains in its preamble: "This story is dedicated to women - who have been fighting for their rights ever since Adam and Eve started the loose-leaf system."

"Politics" is a good comedy and drama that stars Marie Dressler and Polly Moran. They are friends, Hattie Burns and Ivy Higgins, the latter having moved in to share lodging in Hattie's home. A fine supporting cast include Roscoe Ates as Ivy's husband, Peter; Karen Morley as Hattie's daughter, Myrtle; and William Bakewell as Myrtle's boyfriend, Benny Emerson.

Ivy and Peter go at one another all the time, and Hattie's a good-hearted soul who tries to keep peace among them. Ivy is active in the women's league and thinks she'll be a bigwig in politics one day. But, after a shooting at a speakeasy that kills the daughter of a friend, Hattie goes to a political rally for Mayor Tom Collins. He's a consummate glad-hander and pleasing talker who says all the right things. But when Hattie asks a question that leads to the connection between the mayor and the speakeasy owner, Hattie speaks her peace.

Another woman jumps on the opportunity to declare Hattie their candidate for mayor. Well, there's a little more to the story, including balking by the men and then the women turning the tables on them. But the new candidate for mayor promises to clean up the corruption in the city. The humor is mostly light, but it's a decent film that comes out with a good ending for all but the crooks and speakeasy

In the end, Hattie makes good on her promise and makes Ivy the new commissioner of garbage. Here are some favorite lines from this film.

Ivy Higgins, "Oh, put that foot where it belongs." Peter Higgins, "If I did, you wouldn't be able to sit down for a month."

Ivy Higgins, "It's those foreigners that come over here and ruin our city." Hattie Burns, "Is it?" Ivy, "Mm hmm." Hattie, "Well if it hadn't been for a foreigner named Columbus you'd never of met Peter." Ivy, "Well, I'd be better off if Columbus had stayed at home."

Ivy Higgins, "That the kind of a mayor we want - somebody who won't take anything."

Ivy Higgins, "Oh, Hattie, stop that. Do you wanna sit in the mayor's seat with red eyes?" Hattie Burns, "Can't I blubber if I'm happy?"

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.