Scanialara You won't be disappointed!

KnotMissPriceless Why so much hype?

Stellead Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

Ceticultsot Beautiful, moving film.

zardoz-13 Director Charles Reisner's battle of the sex's comedy "Politics" concerns a 52-year old woman's mayoral campaign in her hometown after she exposes the current candidate's corruption. Although Zelda Sears and Malcolm Stuart Boylan penned the screenplay based on Wells Root's adaptation, with Robert E. Hopkins providing the dialogue, the basis of this comedy is the famous Greek play Lysistrata about women who denied their husbands sex unless they outlawed warfare. At one point during her campaign, single-mother Hattie Burns (Marie Dressler of "Mim and Bill") advises her followers to stop doing anything for their husbands. Mind you, nothing about this early MGM comedy is subversive, though the source of all the trouble is a shooting in a speakeasy where the an innocent girl dies from a gunshot wound.After this initial burst of gangland violence, Reisner focuses on matronly Hattie Burns. She defies Mayor Tom Collins (Tom McGuire of "Steamboat Bill, Jr.") at a ladies campaign rally when he refuses to round up all the criminals who own the nightclubs and put them behind bars. The moment that she does this, Hattie wins the support of all the women. Meantime, what Hattie doesn't know could derail her campaign. As it turns out, Hattie's well-meaning daughter, Myrtle (Karen Morley of "Scarface"), has been secretly dating a guy, Benny Emerson (William Bakewell of "Gone with the Wind"), but her mother doesn't know anything about their romance. Benny and Myrtle are sitting quietly in the Lake City Park one evening when a beat patrolman spots them, and they discreetly leave before he can run them off the premises. As they are leaving, Benny and Myrtle encounter one of Myrtle's friends, Daisy Evans (Joan Davis of "Anna Karenina"), and she wants to accompany them on her way home. Benny has to drop in over at a speakeasy run by notorious gangster Jim Curango (John Miljan of "Apache Warrior"), who is Tom Collins' biggest supporter. Daisy tags along with Benny and Myrtle into Little Club. Curango has given orders to one of henchmen, Nifty Morgan (Kane Richmond of "Traffic in Crime"), to gun Benny down. Unfortunately, Daisy gets in the way of the bullet meant for Benny, and Nifty's second slug wounds Benny. Myrtle and Benny escape, and Myrtle decides to stash her boyfriend in the attic of her mother's boarding house without informing her mother of his presence. Curango orders Nifty to turn himself over to the police and tell them that he saw Benny shoot Daisy. The men of Lake City get fed up with Hattie's mayoral campaign because the ladies are more involved with Hattie than their husbands. Initially, the husbands ruin Hattie's first campaign rally after Hattie's campaign chairperson Ivy Higgins (Polly Moran of "Adam's Rib") bows to the wishes of her stuttering husband Peter (Roscoe Ates of "Freaks") convinces Ivy to quit the rally. The other wives rejoin their husbands and leave, too. Nevertheless, things turn out swell for Hattie in the long run. This 73 minute movie doesn't squander a second.

wes-connors "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

John Seal Women were still strongly represented in the guild of screen writers in the early thirties, and their influence shows in this proto-feminist comedy drama about a matron (Marie Dressler) who decides to clean up city hall by running for office in an effort to dispatch the corrupt incumbent (Tom McGuire). She coordinates her campaign with a housewives strike and snubs the local mafioso (John Miljan), who arrives at her home with a big bouquet of flowers. Though the film is mildly pro-Prohibition, its politics are clearly in the progressive LaFollette tradition, and modern day viewers will find it in turns refreshing and depressing. Some things never change! In addition to its enlightened screenplay, the film also looks terrific and was beautifully lensed by Clyde De Vinna, whose next film would be MGM's first swipe at Tarzan the Ape Man. Strongly recommended for all.

drednm 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.