Tugboat
Annie
From
"Dr. Bob's Nightmare"
Dr. Bob describes hiding his liquor from his
wife, Ann, on pages 176 and 177 of the "Big Book" of Alcoholics Anonymous.
On page 177:
“…I used also to
put it up in four ounce bottles and stick several in my stocking tops. This
worked nicely until my wife and I went to see Wallace Beery in “Tugboat Annie”.
After which the pant-leg and stocking racket were out!”
Tugboat Annie
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer(MGM)1933
Adapted from stories by
Norman Reilly Raine:
A woman tries to operate a tugboat business with her alcoholic husband.
Annie Brennan (Marie Dressler) helps her son Alec (Frankie Darro) with his
homework. Her husband Terry Brennan (Wallace Beery) asks her for money, but she
says no. Terry sells hawser rope in order to drink. Annie's boat races the boat
of Red Severn (Willard Robertson) for a job. Their hawser rope is too short, and
Annie loses the job. Young Alec tells Annie he doesn't want to go to school; but
she insists.
Years later Terry tells Annie he stopped drinking; but he drinks hair tonic. Captain Alec Brennan
(Robert Young) kisses his fiancée Patricia Severn (Maureen O'Sullivan) on his
steamship. Terry is so drunk he can't get his clothes on right. Annie is proud
of her son Alec and invites him and Pat to dinner. She hides the rum; but Terry
drinks and drops the soap in the sauerkraut. Pat, Alec, and Annie taste it.
Annie kicks Terry, breaking a bottle.
Alec invites his parents to a reception on his ship. Annie tries to keep Terry
from drinking the punch by taking his drinks, getting drunk herself. Alec got
Terry a job as wharf manager so that Annie can live on shore. Terry goes to Red
Severn drunk and quickly loses it. Annie fights with Terry. Alec tells Annie to
leave Terry; but Terry says he will go. Alec makes Annie choose, and she slaps
him.
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