Roughly the next 6 posts should be highlighting best actor/actress winners and nominees as opposed to picture nominations.
Min and Bill (1930) - George W. Hill

When I first saw marie Dressler, I was convinced she was a man. I thought no female could be so hideously ugly. I was even more amazed to find that there was a time when she was the most popular star in Hollywood. Even more amazing was that her appearance in the first feature length comedy, gave her top billing over Charlie Chaplin. Finding Tillie's Punctured Romance one of the worst films ever made, I have never had a very high regard for Dressler. So I had a natural aversion to this particular picture, which won the ogre a best actress Oscar. Now this relatively short film is plagued with many of the flaws of early "talkies". Bad sound, akward camera placement, laughably attrocious rear projection, no score, and a thin plot. Wallace Beery plays his usual idiotic self and the role is somewhat fitting for Dressler's equally idiotic Min. In the films only funny line she says to him "I know you're telling the truth, you're too dumb not to." Dressler isn't bad here really, and once the film abandons some of its poorly conceived comedy some genuine emotions do come out. Unfortunately the plot is so poorly executed that you can't be too overwhelmed when anything important happens. I'm not saying that Dressler's Oscar is deserving, but its not a completly unjustified choice. 

*Min and Bill won best actress (Dressler)