"Reducing" is a wonderful comedy and drama with Hollywood's biggest comedy actress during the first few years of sound pictures. Marie Dressler was not only a large woman, but truly a top comedienne of the cinema then. She got a late start in silent films and made only 31 movies, 18 of which were sound pictures. She was one of the first female academy awards winners, taking the Oscar for best actress in the 1930 film, "Min and Bill," a very good comedy and drama.
In her comedies, Dressler combined witty lines with facial expressions that alone would get laughs, and when the script added antics, she could be riotously funny. Some of her antics remind one of Laurel and Hardy, and she might well have been a case study for Lucille Ball in her later career.
In this film, Dressler is paired with long-time silent film actress Polly Moran. This is the first of three comedies they made together, and by far the best one. The two women are sisters. They both have characters with their real first names. Polly Rochay owns an upscale reducing parlor in New York. She has invited Marie Truffle and her hubby and family to come and live with her since they've had hard times in South Bend. Both of the ladies have grownup daughters, and Marie and Elmer have two younger boys.
Marie holds up the ticket line as she argues with the ticket agent, buying train tickets for her family. She takes the cheaper upper berths for sleeping arrangements for her family, and it's a real hoot watching this large woman trying to climb into her top berth. Then, when Polly and her daughter meet them at the train station, the women hug and hug, and Polly starts bawling with joy and huge streaks of mascara run down her cheeks.
But the comedy gets quite funny after Marie and her daughter, Vivian, go to work in Polly's reducing salon. Marie boggles much of the equipment, creates mayhem and almost destroys the place. She nearly electrocutes Polly and then sends her flying into the mud bath. It's a real hoot watching Marie leading a group of very heavy women in calisthenics.
It must have been fun working in films with Dressler. She stumbles, bumps into things, kicks things, and hits her head and arms on furniture and cupboards. One can imagine that all of this wasn't in the script but that when she had a mishap for which a studio would normally reshoot a scene with most actors, they just left it in as part of her comedy performance.
The funniest aspect of this film is the relationship of the two sisters. They start off all aglow, not having seen one another for many years. Before long they are at one another's throats and hurling insults back and forth. Then they are all lovey-dovey again, but not for too long when the epithets start flying again.
This film is partly drama, and that's what brings it to a nice conclusion. Here are some favorite lines and exchanges from this film.
Railroad ticket agent, "Where are you going?" Marie Truffle, "I'm going to visit my sister." Agent, "Well, where does she live?" Marie, "On Riverside Drive." Agent, "Madame, would you be kind enough to tell me what city you wanna go to?" Marie, "Oh, huh, huh, the city. Why isn't that silly of me? Yeah, I wanna go to New York." Agent, "You wanna go by Buffalo." Marie, "No, I don't wanna go by Buffalo. I wanna go by train."
Polly Rochay, "Is that your husband?" Marie, "Yeah, what's wrong with him?" Polly, "Nothing. Only he has such a peculiar expression on his face." Marie, "Where'd you expect him to have it?"
Marie, "You know, my shape isn't what it used to be. As a matter of fact, I don't think I'm very good for a reducing parlor." Polly, "Oh, nonsense! Your shape hasn't anything to do with it at all." Marie, "Hasn't it?" Polly, "Just look at the people who buy hair tonic from bald-headed barbers." Marie, "Hah, hmmm. I hadn't thought of that."
Vivian Truffle, "Well, Tommy isn't smart or sophisticated." Marie, "Aw, a woman doesn't want a husband who's too smart. A man that's a little dumb is a lot more restful."
Marie, "Oh, baby, listen. I don't want you to miss out on the biggest thing in life - real love. Romance!"
Polly, "I don't want the money. Whaddaya think I am, an Indian giver?" Marie, 'You're a whole reservation."
Polly, "Oh, I've been so terribly dumb." Marie, "Well, I don't know what you're talking about, but I agree with you."
