Directed: George W. Hill

Year: 1930

Nominated: Best Actress – Marie Dressler

Won: Best Actress – Marie Dressler

Plot in 25 Words: A hardened battleaxe takes in the daughter of a prostitute and gives her a better life and sacrifices everything to give her a better future.

In My Opinion: I didn’t particularly enjoy some of the plots, but I really did enjoy the film. I’m not even sure if that makes sense but it’s true!

Marie Dressler was brilliant. I haven’t watched any of the other nominees for best actress yet, but I’ll be surprised if any surpass her. A lot is made now about sexism in Hollywood and this film is a direct argument to that. Times have definitely changed.

She was a dominating force and played a wonderful character. I laughed and came very close to tears at her exploits.

I think my favourite moment had to be Min and Bill (Wallace Beery) fighting. She went for him like a thing possessed and it was wonderful. After however many films spent watching women be beaten, both verbally and physically, be judged for the same behaviour that men were celebrated for, it made a delightful change to wach Min take up arms and go to town on Bill!

And she definitely seemed to enjoy it!

Marie Dressler and Wallace Beery’s chemistry was obvious throughout. Their incredibly volatile yet wonderfully sweet relationship gives them film real heart. Some of the plot seems faintly ridiculous but the love conveyed by those two was wonderful. They more than saved the film.

Star Performer: Min and Bill might have won a best actress Oscar for Marie Dressler but she would have been nothing without Wallace Beery.

Overall: I liked it.  I won’t be rushing to see it again but it was definitely worth watching. Apparently the main stars chemistry was so good the studio ordered a sequel. That might well be worth watching.