Best Actress 1927/28

1927/28 through 1997
Post Reply

Best Actress 1927-28 - Vote for the Best Actress 1927-28

Louise Dresser - A Ship Comes In
0
No votes
Janet Gaynor - Seventh Angel
5
29%
Janet Gaynor - Street Angel
1
6%
Janet Gaynor - Sunrise
10
59%
Gloria Swanson - Sadie Thompson
1
6%
 
Total votes: 17

Big Magilla
Site Admin
Posts: 19318
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 3:22 pm
Location: Jersey Shore

Re: Best Actress 1927-28 - Vote for the Best Actress 1927-28

Post by Big Magilla »

I hadn't seen it when I made that comment in 2009, but I've since gotten a copy of it that is no better than what is available on YouTube.

As I've said elsewhere, Dresser's performance is not all that impressive. Rudolph Schildkraut (Joseph's father) is the central character and gives the film's most commanding performance. Dresser is, however, the winner of my 1927 supporting actress award for her remarkable supporting performance in Mr. Wu in which Lon Chaney as a mad Chinese mandarin gives her "Sophie's choice". English matron Dresser's son (Ralph Forbes) had impregnated Chaney's daughter (Renée Adorée) whom Chaney kills because of the shame she brought to his house. He invites the unsuspecting Dresser to tea while at the same time has his thugs kidnap both Forbes and her daughter (Gertrude Olmstead). He then reveals what he has done and gives her one hour to decide which one to save from death or his henchmen will automatically kill the daughter after which Dresser's genteel English matron gets to show what she's really made of. The great Anna May Wong is also in it.
ksrymy
Adjunct
Posts: 1164
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 1:10 am
Location: Wichita, KS
Contact:

Re: Best Actress 1927-28 - Vote for the Best Actress 1927-28

Post by ksrymy »

Magilla, if you still need to see A Ship Comes In, it's right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkQhNe0 ... plpp_video
"Men get to be a mixture of the charming mannerisms of the women they have known." - F. Scott Fitzgerald
Big Magilla
Site Admin
Posts: 19318
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 3:22 pm
Location: Jersey Shore

Re: Best Actress 1927-28 - Vote for the Best Actress 1927-28

Post by Big Magilla »

I voted for Gaynor in Seventh Heaven at the time because I thought her performance was stronger in that, but not having seen either that or Sunrise in some time now, it's her performance in the latter that I recall more. Today I would vote for that performance.

Yeah, Dresser is barely in A Ship Comes In. The film is dominated by the legendary stage actor Rudolph Schildkraut whose son Joseph was already a more famous film star, having become a matinee idol in silent films before becoming a celebrated character actor in talkies. I suspect they voted for her in that because her really great performance of 1927 in Mr. Wu was released early in the year and likely missed the eligibility cut-off. If you've never seen that, you should. It was one of Lon Chaney's best films even if it was scandalously politically incorrect even by the standards of the day. In it, Chaney plays a Chinese Mandarin who kills his beloved daughter (Renée Adorée) when he discovers she has been become pregnant by her Caucasian lover (Ralph Forbes) who is Dresser's son. Chaney kidnaps both Dresser's son and her daughter and then invites the unsuspecting Dresser to tea during which he gives her Sophie's choice as to which one will live and which one will die. It's probably the only Chaney film in which another actor (Dresser) out-acts him. It's a truly stunning performance that is at least as good as her later, now better known work in State Fair and The Scarlet Empress.
Mister Tee
Tenured Laureate
Posts: 8637
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 2:57 pm
Location: NYC
Contact:

Re: Best Actress 1927-28 - Vote for the Best Actress 1927-28

Post by Mister Tee »

Well, my vote had been withheld all this while because I was missing Louise Dresser. Now, through the grace of YouTube, I've checked her off -- and all I can say is, god knows why she was nominated. She has a few "my world has crumbled" scenes -- when her son announces he's joined the army, when her husband is railroaded for a crime, when her son meets his fate -- but there's nothing outstanding about them, and apart from that she's barely in the picture. (The guy who plays her husband is the dominant character) The film itself is an odd mix. The title describes the opening scene, as the family arrives by ship at Ellis Island, and I thought I was in for a film about the struggles of immigrants. But it quickly jumps ahead several years, to the war and a major subplot about murderous anarchists. It also takes a weird/confused view toward the country: the husband, even when thrown into prison in error, maintains his "boy, I love this country" spirit, and the soundtrack offers The Star Spangled Banner and America the Beautiful -- but, in fact, the immigrant family isn't treated all that well, and I wonder what the filmmakers really wanted us to take away.

Anyway, with Dresser out of consideration, it's down to the other two actresses I saw long ago. Gloria Swanson is quite good in Sadie Thompson, at least what remains of it (the last reel consisted on stills only in the copy I saw -- is that everyone's experience?), and she might merit a vote were she not already my choice in 1950, and were this not such a staggeringly good year for Janet Gaynor. I could vote for Gaynor in either Seventh Heaven or Sunrise, but the quality of the film makes me choose to go Sunrise's way. (Though, mimicking the Academy that year, we should count all Gaynor votes as one and grant her the award by a landslide)
jowy_jillia
Graduate
Posts: 187
Joined: Sun May 10, 2009 12:38 pm

Post by jowy_jillia »

Big Magilla wrote:A Ship Comes In may be available as a bootleg. I've never seen it either.

My Best Girl should be available wherever you get your DVDs.

Thank you,
Big Magilla
Site Admin
Posts: 19318
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 3:22 pm
Location: Jersey Shore

Post by Big Magilla »

A Ship Comes In may be available as a bootleg. I've never seen it either.

My Best Girl should be available wherever you get your DVDs.
jowy_jillia
Graduate
Posts: 187
Joined: Sun May 10, 2009 12:38 pm

Post by jowy_jillia »

I voted for Janet Gaynors portrayal in Sunrise. I think she was great in 7th Heaven and Street Angel, but in Sunrise it's screen magic both for the film and her performance.

I also think Swanson in Sadie Thompson is great but nearly as great as Gaynor in Sunrise, though it's superior to both Gaynors other nominated performances.

I forgot to mention that Marion Davies in "The Red Mill" also deserved a nomination.

I've sadly never seen "A Ship Comes In". I should also want to se "My Best Girl" does anybody know where I can find these two especially the first one, can I buy it somewhere or?




Edited By jowy_jillia on 1244143125
Big Magilla
Site Admin
Posts: 19318
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 3:22 pm
Location: Jersey Shore

Post by Big Magilla »

I voted for Janet Gaynor in 7th Heaven. Sunrise is the greater film overall but her performance in 7th Heaven is stronger.

Biggest omission: Mary Pickford in My Best Girl, a lovely performance and so much better than her dreadful Oscar winning performance in the following year's Coquette.
jowy_jillia
Graduate
Posts: 187
Joined: Sun May 10, 2009 12:38 pm

Post by jowy_jillia »

I'm sorry instead of "Seventh Hevean" in mistake i wrote Seventh Angel" instead, Hope You don't mind. I



Edited By jowy_jillia on 1244139310
jowy_jillia
Graduate
Posts: 187
Joined: Sun May 10, 2009 12:38 pm

Best Actress 1927/28

Post by jowy_jillia »

Vote for your favourite, discuss the nominees and where there any omissions in this category 1927-28.

For Me the biggest omission was Norma Shearer for "The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg" also no nomination for Clara Bow in either "It or "Wings"

I am thinking of trying to do this with every year in the Best Actress category.
Post Reply

Return to “The Damien Bona Memorial Oscar History Thread”