Min and Bill (1930)

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:

Featured in Some of the Best (1949)

Soundtrack:

The Oceana Roll

Back on the Waterfront

Seedy waterfront hotel proprietress Marie Dressler (as Min) lives with a pseudo-family she has created. Her "partner" is Wallace Berry (as Bill), with whom she exchanges "flirts" for free rent. Together, they are surrogate parents for schoolgirl Dorothy Jordan (as Nancy), who was abandoned by lowlife mother Marjorie Rambeau (as Bella). Problems surface during Ms. Jordan's adolescence; she begins to draw the attention of both suitors, and truant officers. Then, her sleazy mother returns to claim her…

If you're looking at the comments on "Min and Bill", you may be interested in sampling Dressler's "Best Actress" performance. IMO, although she did win the 1930/31 Academy Award, this is neither Dressler's best performance, nor the best acted role by a woman for the year. During the eligibility period, both the nominated Marlene Dietrich (in "Morocco"), and the non-nominated Sylvia Sidney (in "An American Tragedy") were more worthy. Dressler was certainly deserving of an award, however; she had given a series of flawless performances, leading up to "Min and Bill".

As "Min", Dressler uses an abundance of her manners and fidgets; she is obviously not as well-concentrated or well-directed as in other films; but, she is always entertaining. During one of her most over-the-top scenes, she takes an axe to Wallace Beery. Dressler's best moments occur during her beautifully rendered finale. Mr. Berry excels, but in more of a supporting role than the title implies; and, Ms. Rambeau is a terrific "gutter-rat" rival. See "Emma" for a more award-worthy Dressler performance. And, see "Tugboat Annie" for a superior Dressler-Berry team-up.

****** Min and Bill (11/21/30) George Hill ~ Marie Dressler, Wallace Beery, Marjorie Rambeau, Dorothy Jordan