Middle-aged widow Hattie Burns becomes fed up when local small-town politicians ignore corruption and decides to run for mayor herself.Middle-aged widow Hattie Burns becomes fed up when local small-town politicians ignore corruption and decides to run for mayor herself.Middle-aged widow Hattie Burns becomes fed up when local small-town politicians ignore corruption and decides to run for mayor herself.
Roscoe Ates
- Peter Higgins
- (as Rosco Ates)
Frankie Bailey
- Extra
- (uncredited)
Nick Copeland
- Henchman
- (uncredited)
Claire Du Brey
- Rally Leader
- (uncredited)
Robert Dudley
- Husband Getting Haircut
- (uncredited)
Ann Dvorak
- Rally Audience Extra
- (uncredited)
Dorothy Granger
- Newlywed
- (uncredited)
Henry Hall
- Police Sergeant
- (uncredited)
DeWitt Jennings
- Police Chief
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWhen Hattie says Ivy looks like "Madame Queen" , audiences throughout the U.S. and Canada would instantly know this as a reference to a character in the "Amos n' Andy" radio series, where white actors played black characters.
- Quotes
Hattie Burns: You must be pretty proud of yourself, breaking up our meeting like that.
Peter Higgins: After that, you couldn't run for a streetcar!
- Crazy creditsThis story is dedicated to women - who have been fighting for their rights ever since Adam and Eve started the loose-leaf system.
- ConnectionsReferences The Stolen Jools (1931)
- SoundtracksA Bird in a Gilded Cage
(1900) (uncredited)
Music by Harry von Tilzer
Lyrics by Arthur J. Lamb
Sung a cappella by Marie Dressler as she plucks a chicken
Featured review
Dressler for Mayor
"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
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
- wes-connors
- Aug 11, 2008
- Permalink
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Hell Bent for Election
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 13 minutes
- Color
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