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Reducing

(1931 b 77')

En: 5 Ed: 5)

A reducing parlor operator has her sister's family visit her in New York, where their daughters compete for an eligible millionaire.

Polly Rochay (Polly Moran) has a beauty parlor specializing in reducing. She tells her daughter Joyce (Sally Eilers) her sister's family is coming to stay with them. Marie Truffle (Marie Dressler) buys train tickets to New York and searches for money inside her dress. Marie, her husband Elmer (Lucien Littlefield), her daughter Vivian (Anita Page) and two boys noisily share two upper berths on the train. Polly greets Marie at the station, and Tommy Haverly (William Bakewell) gives Vivian a kiss. One of the boys gets his foot stuck in a cuspidor.

Marie thanks Polly for the job but says her shape is not a good ad for reducing. Marie breaks a glass screen. Polly puts on an electric belt and is dumped into the mud bath. Polly sent them $200 to get there, and she feels responsible for Vivian. Joyce is out with the millionaire Johnnie Beasley (William Collier Jr.), and Vivian is not happy with poor Tommy. Joyce invites Johnnie in, and he meets Vivian, saying she is beautiful. Johnnie offers to show Vivian New York. Tommy calls Vivian and asks to see her, but she says no. Johnnie calls Vivian and takes her to lunch. Polly gets locked in a steam-bath, and Marie tries to remove a plaster from a woman's back. At Polly's Joyce calls Vivian a sneak for trying to steal Johnnie. Marie and Polly quarrel. Joyce calls Vivian shameless. Marie slaps Joyce, and Polly tells them to get out.

Three months of quiet pass with the Truffles in their own place. Vivian tells Marie she is going to Johnnie's, and her mother tells her to be careful. Joyce visits Marie and asks her help, saying that Vivian must not marry Johnnie and crying. Alone with Vivian, Johnnie gets amorous. Marie takes a gun to go see Johnnie, who is kissing Vivian. Marie knocks the butler down, and Johnnie says that Vivian went home. Marie tells him to marry Joyce tonight, because there is a good reason why. Johnnie offers money. Marie says that Johnnie has a fine father, and Johnnie agrees to do it. Marie comes home late and asks Vivian about Johnnie. She says it was fun taking him away from Joyce. Marie tells Vivian they were just married. Polly calls Marie on Thanksgiving, telling of Joyce's marriage. Polly says that Vivian should have stayed in her own class. Joyce and Johnnie talk to Polly. Polly then calls on Marie to ask her to forgive her, crying. Marie does forgive her sister.

Starting out as slapstick comedy, this story becomes a dramatic lesson about responsibility in relationship.

Copyright © 1999 by Sanderson Beck

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