Bankhead was brilliant!

Rating: Null/10 (11 December 2005)

I can't imagine why anyone would consider Bankhead's performance "terrible" or "over-the-top." First of all, the role is obviously written as a very theatrical, flamboyant woman. She plays the part the way it's written, and the style of her performance in no way takes away from the other characters, who are also fairly stylized, such as Henry Hull's industrialist or William Bendix Brooklynese seaman. The character also goes through real changes as the movie progresses, losing all of her worldly possessions (typewriter, fur coat, diamond bracelet), losing her head to John Hodiak, and finally becoming just another one of the dirty, downtrodden survivors. Honestly, I don't know how she could have been better, and she probably should have won the Academy Award that year.