I Remember Mama (1948)

User Rating:

8.2/10   

Director:

George Stevens

Writers:

Kathryn Forbes (novel)
John Van Druten (play)

Release Date:

17 March 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family

Tagline:

You'll just love...MAMA!

Plot:

The ups and downs of a Norwegian immigrant family, circa 1910.

Plot Keywords:

Immigrant | Love | 1910s | Uncle | Extended Family

Awards:

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Irene Dunne	...	Martha 'Mama' Hanson
Barbara Bel Geddes	...	Katrin Hanson
Oskar Homolka	...	Uncle Chris Halverson
Philip Dorn	...	Lars Hanson
Cedric Hardwicke	...	Jonathan Hyde (as Sir Cedric Hardwicke)
Edgar Bergen	...	Peter Thorkelson
Rudy Vallee	...	Dr. Johnson
Barbara O'Neil	...	Jessie Brown
Florence Bates	...	Florence Dana Moorhead
Peggy McIntyre	...	Christine Hanson
June Hedin	...	Dagmar Hanson
Steve Brown	...	Nels Hanson
Ellen Corby	...	Aunt Trina
Hope Landin	...	Aunt Jenny
Edith Evanson	...	Aunt Sigrid

Runtime:

134 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Norwegian | Latin | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

The previous play was produced on Broadway by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The film's producers purchased the rights for $2500 for each week of the play's run, up to $150,000, on the condition that the film would not be made until the play closed. The stage version ended up running for nearly two years. The original Broadway production opened on October 19, 1944 at the Music Box Theater and ran for 713 performances with a cast that included Marlon Brando in his Broadway debut.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the aunts are sitting at the table drinking coffee, Jenny is on the right and Sigrid are on the left. After Jenny asks, "Where are the children?" and gets up, she and Sigrid have switched places.

Quotes:

Martha 'Mama' Hanson: Being rich is like being ten feet tall. Good for some things, bad for others.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Enfant Terrible: A Conversation with Patty McCormack (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

Sovnen

7 Reasons Why This is A Special Film

Seven reasons why this has always been one of my all-time favorite films:

1) A movie filled with nice, ordinary people you can relate to.

2) The sweetness of Barbara Bel Geddes and her character. She narrates throughout and this story is as much hers as it is "Mama's."

3) The great facial closeups and general cinematography, directed by one of the all-time best, George Stevens.

4) Oscar Homolka's performance as the gruff-but-kindhearted "Uncle Chris"

5) An amazing supporting cast which help make this film so memorable: Ellen Corby, Philip Dorn, Edgar Bergen, Cedric Hardwicke, Hope Landin, Peggy McIntyre, Florence Bates, Steve Brown, Rudy Valley, Tommy Ivo, etc.

6) Some important life lessons in here for all viewers.

7) Nice touches of sentimentality, with the hard-working devoted mother (played stoically-yet-warmly by Irene Dunne) getting her due in the end.