Usual Magic

Torres | Usual Magic Jeffrey Torres [JT908@aol.com] Usual Magic Betty Lee. Marie Dressler: The Unlikeliest Star. University Press of Kentucky, 1997. (318 pages. $25.00) Ifone were to reflect on popular cinematic greats that emerged out ofearly Hollywood, stars like Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford and Marlene Dietrich would probably come to mind. Few would recall Marie Dressier. In the early 1930s, though, many—including executives at MGM studios— claimed that Dressier was "the most popular screen performer in the world." Indeed, the beloved actress drew more audiences to the silver screen than most movie stars ofher day. Dressler's fame, however, quickly faded after her death in 1934, and until recently little was known about her. That has changed with the publication ofMarie Dressier: The Unlikeliest Star, by Betty Lee. Utilizing various sources, including news archives and memoirs, Toronto Globe reporter Lee presents a thorough biography ofthe everywoman superstar. Marie Dressier was born in Coburg, Ontario, in 1868. The offspring of a loving mother and tyrannical father, she left home at 14 with her older sister to join a performing stock company. Together the siblings traveled the Midwest playing bit parts in small stage productions of popular musicals at a time when "touring entertainment" was booming. Shortly after taking to the road the elder sister married, but Marie found her passion in the theater. Dressier was an unlikely star, as Lee appropriately suggests in her subtitle. Overweight and homely, she suffered from stage fright throughout her life. Despite the odds, by the turn of the century the young actress was widely accepted as a skilled performer , best known for her comedie roles and slapstick humor. She appeared in numerous Broadway productions and vaudeville shows and often received rave reviews. A natural comedienne, Dressier made her screen debut in the silent film Tillie's Punctured Romance (Keystone Productions , 1914), starring funnyman Charlie Chaplin. Following the accomplishment of the "first full-length, six reel motion picture comedy" were other important roles, including films produced by Dressler's production company. An entrepreneur at heart, she also tried her hand at theatrical management, dairy farming, and amusement park concession . As committed as she was to personal success, the actress was also public-spirited. At the onset ofWW I she delivered inspiring speeches at war reliefrallies, devoted much of her time and finances to the sale ofvictory bonds, and by her own admission sold more than anyone else in the United States. She ardently gave herself to other causes as well, including women's suffrage and actors' rights. Lee observes that "theater historians have intimated that social and professional doors closed for the actress because of her militant involvement in die 1919 actor's strike." (She had been elected president of the Chorus Equity Association of America.) The author, however, fends offthe notion, instead offering other excuses for the her downfall. Seven years passed, though, before Dressier appeared in another motion picture. Her return to the screen in 1927 marked the start of a remarkable comeback, particularly for an aging, unemployed actress. Initially cast in small comedie roles, she made a bold career move when she took on dramatic characterizations which proved to be a huge success. In the 1930 film Anna Christie (MGM) Dressier played the part of a vagrant and Lee notes that her "artistry in depicting a woman who had retained her basic pride and dignity endeared the charactei to audiences everywhere." The movie also featured young starlet Greta Garbo—in her first talking picture—but it was the veteran's performance that received most attention. 76 I Film & History Regular Feature | Book Reviews Upon gaining recognition as a strong character actor Dressier was kept busy with an exhausting filming schedule and a host ofroles that sought to showcase her talents. Well into her sixties she made one movie after another—six in 1930 alone—including a tragicomedy titled Min and Bill (MGM), in which she was teamed with Wallace Beery. The film was a box-office hit and Dressler's outstanding performance won her the 1930-31 Academy Award for Best Actress . Another highlight in the aging actress's career was her appearance with John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore and Jean...