Best Actress: Marie Dressler

Who doesn't love Marie Dressler? 

gif by me

Door's that way if you don't like her! Just kidding. Maybe. Another Canadian actress wins an Oscar, and the trio of Mary Pickford, Norma Shearer and Marie Dressler turns out to be the only three to have ever won (we've had multiple nominees, though!). 

Marie Dressler has such a commanding presence, you can't help but watch her on screen and get sucked into whatever world she's inhabiting. As the innkeeper Min, she's a force even if her motives are questionably actioned. 

Min and Bill is a robust dramady about an innkeeper named Min and a fisherman named Bill and the young girl Min cares for, Nancy. Nancy's mother is an alcoholic who ran off and left her in Min's care, and since then, Min's done everything in her power to raise Nancy as a respectable young woman. When her mother reappears years later, Min escalates. 

I won't spoil it too much if you haven't seen Min and Bill, but it's a great character showcase for Marie, who specialized in deeply human characters with a whiff of physicality. There's a prolonged fight scene with Wallace Beery that shows off her physical comedy and power; but there's also every heartfelt, well-worn expression on her face. You get the sense of how deeply Min cares for Nancy just by the look in her eyes or the set of her mouth. 

And while I don't necessarily agree with Min's tactics (some of them just feel like plot for plot's sake, rushed through filming and not really worrying about how sensical it's coming across), I can't deny Marie's performance.

That last walk away from the dock, knowing that she's succeeded in giving Nancy the life she felt she deserved, as that smile blooms across her face? That's Marie's gift. 

Marie was nominated against Marlene Dietrich (Morocco), Irene Dunne (Cimarron), Ann Harding (Holiday), and Norma Shearer (A Free Soul). Again, I definitely think she's the strongest performance in the category. 

DID I LIKE MIN AND BILL? The plot's a little thin, but it's still a great showcase for Marie, who had a tragically short career. There are so many great Marie films to watch! Emma (which earned her another nomination the following year) and Dinner at Eight both come to mind. 

__

Did you like Min and Bill? What are your thoughts on Marie Dressler's Oscar win? 

Keep up with all my Rewatching the Best Actresses posts here.