Wow! Such a good movie.

Waste of time

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

The movie is made so realistic it has a lot of that WoW feeling at the right moments and never tooo over the top. the suspense is done so well and the emotion is felt. Very well put together with the music and all.

Producer: Clarence Brown. Copyright 18 January 1932 by Metro Goldwyn Mayer Distributing Corp. New York opening at the Capitol: 5 February 1932. U.S. release: January 1932. 8 reels. 73 minutes. (Available on an excellent Warner DVD).SYNOPSIS: Emma, who in 1911 is the nanny of a famous inventor's large family by 1931 has married the inventor (Jean Hersholt), to his snobbish children's consternation. The only child who truly loves and understands her, Richard Cromwell, whom she had slapped into life after his existence was despaired of at birth twenty years before, is killed in an airplane accident. Loy is on hand as the meany daughter who tries to rob Dressler of inherited fortune and reputation by claiming in court that she dispatched her father under suspicious circumstances. But of course, Dressler triumphs in the end.NOTES: Another box-office triumph for Marie Dressler, this one was third at American ticket windows to The Kids from Spain and Grand Hotel in 1932. Miss Dressler was nominated for a prestigious Hollywood award for Best Actress, losing to Helen Hayes in The Sin of Madelon Claudet.Number 7 in the Film Daily's annual "Best Movies of the Year" poll of U.S. critics.COMMENT: This weepie was obviously designed solely as a star vehicle for Marie Dressler. If you like Miss Dressler, fine. Otherwise you're left with a rather sudsy story, against which the director's flowing camera-work can make little headway. However, it's unusual to find Myrna Loy as the heavy, even though she was playing such roles at this stage in her career. She plays a murderess who menaces heroine, Irene Dunne, in "Thirteen Women" (1932) for instance. No, I'm not spoiling that excellent movie for you. We know she's a killer in this thriller right from the start!

This is a totally outstanding film of a woman's devotion as a maid to 4 children, the youngest who adores her and the special relationship they endured, since she held him when his mother died in childbirth.Fast forward to years later when the 4 are now adults, the older 3 really miseries, stuck up to the core as their father (Jean Hersholt) has amassed a fortune.Hersholt marries Emma at the spur of the moment when she is leaving for a much deserved vacation to Niagara Falls. When he dies shortly afterward, the older 3 bring Emma (Marie Dressler at her finest) up on charges of murder. They were greedy and it's basically the same story of greed over-taking all. While Emma is vindicated, her beloved Ronnie dies in a plane crash on his way back to defend her.While the adult children to beg for her forgiveness, in a poignant scene, Emma tells them that she must leave them. Dressler is so convincing here is her comic-dramatic performance. Her scene in the make shift plane is outrageously funny and her final scenes evoke emotions beyond belief.This is certainly a film where one will need a box of tissues. For those who love these kind of films, I heartily recommend 1951's "The Blue Veil," with Jane Wyman and a phenomenal cast. See the film and you'll see somewhat of a connection.

Hefty housekeeper Marie Dressler (as Emma) becomes the surrogate mother to a wealthy Long Island family, after their mother dies, giving birth to Richard Cromwell (as Ronnie). While helping her prepare for a well-deserved Niagara Falls vacation, family father Jean Hersholt (as Smith) startles Ms. Dressler by proposing marriage; and, the trip becomes a honeymoon. Back home, only Mr. Cromwell, Dressler's favorite "son", celebrates the marriage. The three other Smith children (George Meeker, Myrna Loy, and Barbara Kent) are furious; they feel the ailing Mr. Hersholt married a mere "servant", who will steal the family fortune.This is Marie Dressler at her sentimental best; assisted by an apt MGM team, including Clarence Brown (director), Oliver Marsh (photographer), and Frances Marion (writer). Dressler won a "Best Actress" Academy Award" for a previous effort, "Min and Bill" (1930); however, her "Emma" is a stronger characterization. This more deserved "Best Actress" nomination became the Academy Awards' #2 choice for the 1931/32 eligibility period; in the voting, Dressler was just behind winner Helen Hayes (in "The Sin of Madelon Claudet"). Dressler should have won for "Emma", rather than "Min and Bill".Richard Cromwell and Jean Hersholt might have been nominated as "Best Supporting Actors"; but, the category was not introduced until 1936 (Dressler would have likely won the 1929/30 award, in this category, for "Anna Christie"). Parts of "Emma" have not aged well, especially some of the early, yet important, scenes. But, its strengths make up for these weaknesses. Watch for the scene in which Dressler throws her ungrateful step-children out of the house. This is followed by a scene with Dressler being "haunted" by the "ghosts" of the little Smith children; it's an extraordinarily touching "special effect". And, it all works so well due to Dressler.Dressler is unfairly called a "scene stealer"; most of the time, she was just very good. If you were good, you kept up with her. With material to work with, Dressler's co-stars are just as memorable. Note, how, in lesser roles, Cromwell and Hersholt compliment Dressler's "Emma" perfectly. Both Hersholt and Dressler play his "death scene" beautifully. And, Cromwell's one-word description of "Emma" is the film's most lingering. You won't forget it.********* Emma (1/2/32) Clarence Brown ~ Marie Dressler, Richard Cromwell, Jean Hersholt, Myrna Loy

This was an outstanding movie and Marie Dressler was at her best, as usual!!!! This was slightly different from other Dressler roles because this was more of a dramatic role, rather than her usual brand of comedy, although she does have comedic scenes within the movie.She has so much depth to her role as Emma, the housekeeper (and nanny), and one can actually feel the joys and happiness when she's working with the family, as well as the pain, suffering, and sorrow she feels when her husband (played by Jean Hersholt) passes away. The scene that really got me the most, though, was right after inheriting her husband's money, his grown children turned on her. (These are the same children whom she looked after from their childhoods.) After demanding they leave the house, Emma begins to feel saddened by seeing visions of these young children she helped to raise from infancy. That scene really got to me. I felt her pain, wondering "How could these children grow up and turn on her like that?" And when her beloved step-son, Ronnie, died, that was really the clincher! I basically predicted THAT would happen but, nonetheless, I could still feel her pain.When watching this movie, grab your popcorn AND a box of Kleenex, because you will need them!!!!