Min and Bill (1930)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

George W. Hill

Writers:

Lorna Moon (novel)
Frances Marion (scenario) ...

Release Date:

29 November 1930 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Min, the owner of a dockside hotel, is forced to make difficult decisions about the future of Nancy, the young woman she took in as an infant.

Plot Keywords:

Waterfront | Truant Officer | Fishing Boat | Fisherman | Speedboat

Awards:

Won Oscar.

Cast

Marie Dressler	...	Min Divot, Inkeeper
Wallace Beery	...	Bill, a Fisherman
Dorothy Jordan	...	Nancy Smith
Marjorie Rambeau	...	Bella Pringle
Don Dillaway	...	Dick Cameron (as Donald Dillaway)
DeWitt Jennings	...	Groot, Truant Officer
Russell Hopton	...	Alec Johnson
Frank McGlynn Sr.	...	Mr. Southard, School Superintendent (as Frank McGlynn)
Gretta Gould	...	Mrs. Southard

Also Known As:

Derelict (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

USA:66 min (Turner library print) | USA:69 min (copyright time)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Passed

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)

Soundtrack:

The Oceana Roll

Marie Dressler & Wallace Beery At Their Rambunctious Best

An old harridan, owner of a dockside dive, while fighting fiercely for the happiness of a young girl she's raised since an infant, still is caused constant problems by her boyfriend, the boozing captain of a fishing boat. But through violence & heartbreak, nothing can shake the true affection MIN AND BILL have for each other.

Marie Dressler was a phenomenon, almost a force of nature. Described once as having a face like the back of a bus, she nonetheless was Hollywood's greatest star the last three years of her life. She earned that position by her innate goodness, a quality that moviegoers could sense in all her roles. Here she gives her Best Actress Oscar winning performance and she is wonderful.

Equally memorable is Wallace Beery. Once characterized as having a body like an overstuffed laundry bag, he had the part of the lovable rogue perfected & patented. Very popular with the fans, with Dressler he created one of the legendary screen couplings.

The rest of the cast is really there to support the two stars, but Marjorie Rambeau does stand-out as a slattern who knows too many of Min's secrets.

A good representative of its era, this early talkie is sparked by the chemistry between Dressler & Beery. Some of the staging may be a bit stiff, but Miss D. & Mr. B. always fascinate. Location filming in an actual harbor also helps the movie considerably.