I Remember Mama (1948)

User Rating:

8.2/10   

Director:

George Stevens

Writers:

Kathryn Forbes (novel)
John Van Druten (play)
(more)

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
Tommy Ivo	...	Cousin Arne
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stanley Andrews	...	Minister (uncredited)
George Atkinson	...	Postman (uncredited)
Lela Bliss	...	Head Nurse (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum	...	Man (uncredited)
Howard Keiser	...	Bellboy (uncredited)
Alice Kerbert	...	Girl (uncredited)
Peggy Kerbert	...	Girl (uncredited)
Peggy McKim	...	Girl (uncredited)
Constance Purdy	...	Fat Night Nurse (uncredited)
Cleo Ridgely	...	Schoolteacher (uncredited)
Ruth Tobey	...	Girl (uncredited)

Directed by
George Stevens

Writing credits
Kathryn Forbes		(novel "Mama's Bank Account")
John Van Druten		(play)
DeWitt Bodeen		(screenplay)

Produced by
Harriet Parsons	....	producer
George Stevens	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Roy Webb

Cinematography by
Nicholas Musuraca

Film Editing by
Robert Swink

Art Direction by
Carroll Clark
Albert S. D'Agostino

Set Decoration by
Emile Kuri
Darrell Silvera

Costume Design by
Gile Steele		(costumes: men)
Edward Stevenson		(costumes: women)

Makeup Department
Gordon Bau	....	makeup supervisor
Hazel Rogers	....	hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hollingsworth Morse	....	assistant director (as John H. Morse)

Sound Department
Terry Kellum	....	sound
Richard Van Hessen	....	sound

Special Effects by
Russell A. Cully	....	special effects
Kenneth Peach	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Fred Bentley	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Ralph Clement	....	grip (uncredited)
Gaston Longet	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Tholen Gladden	....	associate editor

Music Department
C. Bakaleinikoff	....	musical director

Other crew
Ivan Moffat	....	executive assistant
Richard Kinon	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• RKO Radio Pictures

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1948) (USA) (theatrical)
• Central Motion Picture Exchange (1949) (Japan) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1949) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1949) (France) (theatrical) (as RKO Radio Films)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• Silver Screen (2007) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)

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:

Was the basis for the last musical ("I Remember Mama"- 1979) that Richard Rodgers wrote, starring Liv Ullmann and George Hearn. The original Broadway production opened on May 31, 1979 at the Majestic Theater and ran for 108 performances.

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: [heaving a sigh of relief after doing the weekly household account] It's good - we do not have to go to the bank.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "My Mother the Car: I Remember Mama, Why Can't You Remember Me? (#1.17)" (1966)

Soundtrack:

Sovnen

Truthful

When I was a child I was taken to see this film and throughout my life my mother would often say "its good we do not have to go to the bank"and we always laughed about it. One Saturday afternoon in 1984 I saw the film was to be shown on T.V.I was going to go to my mothers house to tell her but couldn't be bothered as I had other things to do.Later that day I received a phone call to say she had a heart attack and a few hours afterwards died.I am now 61 years old and 8 weeks ago joined a writing course.Everyone was asked what inspired them to write.The others came up with lots of things but all I told them was this tale and most of all "I remember Mama" and I was in tears. It is the most beautiful film I have ever seen.It was funny, sad and the acting was absolutely brilliant.I wish they made films like that today.