Prosperity

This movie has a propensity towards tedium and confusion. Also a propensity to omit comedy from nearly every situation that required it. It was dull and annoying and unfunny, and raises a cogent question; who wrote this mess?

Aha! a quick scan of the credits reveals that it was written by the sister of Irving Thalberg, Head of Production at MGM. The poor woman apparently had no feel for comedy or continuity, and they stuck Marie Dressler into the abyss, hoping she could make a silk purse out of this sow's ear.

Marie Dressler was one of our premier comediennes of the silent-into-sound era; she may have been The Best, and it's always a treat to see her, even in dreck like this. She got no help from one of her former sidekicks, Polly Moran, who was shrewish and strident in an unrewarding role. I am awarding my rating of four based on the welcome addition into the cast of the great Marie Dressler.