Friday, January 24, 2014

Old Dude, Old Movies - "Tugboat Annie"

This 1933 release was surprisingly touching. I stumbled across it one morning. It has heart and depth most movies today don't take the time to develop. Marie Dressler starred in it as the titular character. Her character is the emotional center of the story, and she does a great job with the shifting emotions required.

Wikipedia states the story was based on the life of Thea Foss. Her story was presented in a series in the Saturday Evening Post. Norman Reilly Raine. Raine was one of the screenplay's co-writers.

"Annie (Dressler)" and her husband "Terry (Wallace Beery)" own their own tugboat, plying their trade in a major port. Their son "Alec (Frankie Darro)" is bright and spunky. The parents see big things in his future, and Annie works hard to make sure Alec is prepared to achieve. She quizzes him on the ways of the sea, and also sprinkles in some Bible study. Annie is a doting mother, and resourceful when running the business and her family. While Annie is busy steering the tug and rearing Alec, Terry is nearby but not very effective. He's a happy-go-lucky drunk, but Annie's infinite patience and love hold him together. Their on-screen affection towards one another plays out genuine.

Before long, Alec grows into a ramrod-straight, polished seaman. Robert Young plays the adult Alec with style and a grim formality. He falls hard for "Pat Severn (Maureen O'Sullivan)", daughter of a rival tugboat skipper turned local industry leader (Willard Robertson as "Red). The young couple are overjoyed as Alec gets promoted to captain of a cruise liner, the youngest captain in the fleet. At the gathering to announce Alec's success, his parents are so proud. Annie joyfully embraces her son at the ceremony. Terry shows up late, boisterous and drunk. Oh, by the way, Terry is also missing his trousers...

There are a lot of weird moments like that throughout the movie. As Annie works her best to help her family, Terry comes along either in a drunken stupor or some misguided attempt at redemption to upset her plans. Despite his bumbling, Annie's loyalty to him is steadfast. Even when Alec proposes getting his mom a nice apartment so she can give up the tug and her husband, Annie immediately chastises her son and defends her husband & her choices.

Yeah, there's some romantic drama and late-in-the-movie danger, but anyone who knows about films of that era can anticipate the ending.

This was Dressler's penultimate movie role - she died of cancer the year after this film's release. In her day, she was one of Hollywood's biggest stars. This role is a great example of her talent. I enjoyed this movie big-time, and would watch it again

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