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I Remember Mama (1948) More at IMDbPro »

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50 comments in total

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46 out of 48 people found the following comment useful :-
Truthful, 29 August 2004
Author: pat fawcett (patriciafawcett@blueyonder.co.uk) from tyne & wear, England

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.

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37 out of 37 people found the following comment useful :-
An amazing work of art., 14 September 2003
Author: (lrrap@juno.com) from Whiting, Indiana

The more time passes and the more inundated we become with the raunchy, violent, frenetic world around us, the more amazing this film becomes. My wife and I (both in our early 50's) just watched "I Remember Mama" again and were both deeply moved by its lovingly crafted, richly detailed story telling. It is an absolutely unique film, and DESERVES to be preserved on DVD --NOW!

I can think of no better example of brilliant direction--George Stevens obviously loved the experience---the actors are uniformly brilliant, and the story, despite the fact that ALMOST NOTHING REALLY HAPPENS throughout the 137 minutes it takes to tell it, pulls you in from the very first frame and holds you in its magical spell until the camera slowly glides out of the window and up into the tranquil night sky as the words "The End" appear.

There is a scene late in the film when, once again, barely anything really happens: the young Barbara Bel Geddes receives a rejection notice for one of her short stories in the mail, and the family discovers an article in the newspaper about a famous authoress who happens to be in town. Most any other director would have presented this scene in a straightforward, literal way in order to advance the plot. But George Stevens constructs the most imaginative, intricate and brilliant way of filming this scene, with the characters all moving between three different rooms in the house, with Papa teaching his son Nils a lesson about the true art of pipe smoking, the sisters dashing about, and a window under repair that refuses to stay closed ---- I am sure that all of this sounds quite incoherent, but it is only one example of the director's amazing skill that makes this remarkably UNeventful film a totally engrossing experience. The family's house, in fact, feels like a miniature enchanted castle, sometimes bright and airy, other times warm and cozy, as the director continually moves his cast, camera (and US!) through it.

And then there is the almost heartbreaking tenderness of the scene where Papa (Philip Dorn in a most lovingly understated performance) decides that daughter Katherine is grown-up enough to have her first cup of coffee, while Roy Webb's underscore plays what sounds like a poignant, sentimental Norwegian folk tune...... and the scene on the porch of Uncle Chris's country home, shortly after his death----another example of understated dignity and beauty that, like the entire film, rings SO TRUE to life.

If you truly value the art of filmmaking, you owe it to yourself (and your family) to own this movie. Believe me, we will NEVER see anything like it again.

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33 out of 39 people found the following comment useful :-
7 Reasons Why This is A Special Film, 15 April 2005

Author: ccthemovieman-1 from Lockport, NY, United States

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.

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22 out of 23 people found the following comment useful :-
Great, just wonderful, 8 June 2003
Author: trpdean from New York, New York

This is a classic. The title alone always caused me to not look it up - afraid that it was full of overdone accents and bathos. So, it was laziness, rather than anticipation that caused me not to turn to a different channel when it just came on television.

This is a profound movie - and not because every character is so good or lovable (as I expected). They aren't. However, it has so many truthful moments about families, so much warmth - and so much is going on at any given time that your interest is held very strongly. I was amazed to find tears coming down my face - that just doesn't happen when I watch movies. You're bound to be thinking of your own family growing up.

I can see why the book was celebrated, the play ran forever and this movie was nominated for so many awards. There's no question the play would run forever today - it contains too many moments of truth about family relations for people not to be telling their friends "It's really good - really".

Do see it - it's WAY better than you think - you'll be very moved.

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15 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
Affecting portrayal of family, 10 January 2005
Author: adalbertus from USA

This film beautifully--and honestly--captures the importance and dignity of family without ever resorting to platitudes or mawkish sentimentality (though there is quite a bit of very truthful and touching sentiment throughout). I am always particularly struck by the sensitive treatment of the climactic episode about the death of Uncle Chris: this truly is one of the best depictions of death in cinema, touching on all the anger, disappointment, humor, regret, etc., that are attendant on the experience of a family member's passing. The cinematography and lighting in this segment of the film are particularly striking, and the sequence is genuinely moving. "I Remember Mama" would be worth watching for this episode alone, but virtually every other element in the film is of the same high caliber.

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14 out of 14 people found the following comment useful :-
A Delightful Combination of Humor, Drama, & Family Life, 14 July 2004
Author: Snow Leopard from Ohio

Often amusing, often contemplative, and always enjoyable, "I Remember Mama" is about as good as any movie ever made about family life. The writing, the cast, and the characters make relatively commonplace events seem significant and interesting, the episodic style works very well, and the story-telling is well done. Without anything that seems forced or unnatural, the movie covers just about every aspect of family life, and always has something worthwhile to say.

Irene Dunne heads up a fine cast, and she gives one of her many quality performances as "Mama". The supporting cast are all good as well, and they complement each other nicely. Oskar Homolka is especially worthy of note as Uncle Chris, the kind of character who seems to be found in so many families. The portrayals of the characters and the selection of situations in their lives are both so good that you feel very much a part of things, almost from the beginning.

Everything is nicely conceived and carefully crafted, and it is also a good example of the ideal way to adapt written material for the screen. Without adhering strictly to the original, it captures the feel and the themes of the original stories, showing with talking pictures what Kathryn Forbes had said so well with words.

Both the material itself and the style of the adaptation are delightful, and this is the kind of movie that takes much more skill to produce than may seem to be the case. While this kind of thoughtful, deliberately-paced film has unfortunately gone out of style at the present time, "I Remember Mama" is enduring, enjoyable, and worthwhile.

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12 out of 12 people found the following comment useful :-
Just Superb, 9 May 2005

Author: drednm

Funny, warm movie about Norwegian family in San Francisco before WW I. How Irene Dunne lost the Oscar to Jane Wyman (Johnny Belinda) is a mystery. Dunne is so totally wonderful in this film--and what a film. Beautifully directed by George Stevens, he captures all the humor and life of this family. Stevens also uses techniques like fore- and background action--there's always several things going on in every scene. He also uses overlapping dialog 20 years before Robert Altman made it fashionable. And what a perfect cast. Irene Dunne (maybe her best performance ever) stars with Barbara Bel Geddes, Oscar Homolka, and Ellen Corby (heartbreaking yet funny as Trina)--all Oscar nominated. Then there is Philip Dorn, Edgar Bergen, Rudy Vallee, Hope Landin, Edith Evanson, Barbara O'Neil, Florence Bates, Cedric Hardwicke, and Steve Brown. The novel by Kathryn Forbes spawned this movie, a play, a TV series, and finally a Broadway musical. At one point Greta Garbo was considered as Mama, and even Marlene Dietrich sought the role. Thank goodness they gave it to Irene Dunne! The aunts as played by Corby, Landin, and Evanson are wonderful. And oh BTW, Homolka lost to Walter Huston for The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, while Corby and Bel Geddes lost to Claire Trevor for Key Largo.

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9 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
So much warmth, 20 December 1998

Author: Linda Stokes from Odessa, Tx

I finally sat down and watched this movie completely this morning and was completely astounded by the greatness of it.

I knew it was a good movie, but it was one of those movies I always thought was too good to be true, too sweet, too goody-goody.

Boy, was I wrong. It was a little bit of history, it was every family rolled into one movie.

I could identify with almost every scene in the movie and not because of the era but because of the feelings it provoked. There was so much warmth, so much hope and yet it wasn't the "perfect" family, it was just people living life on life's terms.

I'm so glad I finally took the time to watch "I Remember Mama"

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10 out of 12 people found the following comment useful :-
Self-sacrificing matriarch leads immigrant family to prosperity, 21 May 2005

Author: mdm-11 from United States

The timeless story of the sacrifices a mother makes to assure her family (especially her children) always have everything they need is a best selling novel, a charming Broadway Musical, and best-known as the star-studded 1948 movie classic.

Irene Dunne plays "Mama", the matriarch of a Norwegian immigrant family in early 1900's San Francisco. She and "Papa" are poor, but proud, raising several "American born" children. A repeated statement that they "won't have to go to the bank" eventually is revealed as a "white lie" told by Mama so the children wouldn't worry about the family's financial state. There really was no "bank".

The narrator is a teenage girl (wonderfully played by Barbara Bel Geddes), giving the viewer an insight into her extended family, often sharing funny moments, but also showing very touching scenes. A young Ellen Corby ("Grandma Walton") is wonderful as Aunt Trina, who is not taken seriously by her relatives, but gains respect when she is courted and wed by a man who loves and treats her well.

The film introduces each family member individually, then describes the person, until the viewer seems "at home", knowing everyone well. The film climaxes with the lead character (Bel Geddes) reading the introduction to her first published book ("I Remember Mama"). -- This film is a delight to watch from beginning to end. Be sure to keep a box of Kleenex within reach! This film has my highest recommendation!

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7 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
They Don't Make 'Em Like This Anymore!!!! - Pity., 30 March 2006

Author: marcusdrobinson from United States

Thirty years before Barbara Bel Geddes would achieve international renown for being "Miss Ellie", the dastardly J.R Ewing's mother on the queen of trashy nighttime soaps "Dallas", and nearly ten years AFTER Barbara O'Neal became a legend playing Scarlett O'Hara's mother in "Gone With The Wind", they got together and made this truly moving picture with Irene Dunne. You would think it was some little low-budget flick; it's got that feel to it. Who would've thought it cost three million dollars to make! Anyway, I'm a dude, see, and I'm not much into the melodramas and tear-jerkers though i do love old movies, but, one night when I couldn't sleep I caught this on TCM or AMC and decided to watch it. I was SURE it was going to be some boring old flick that would help me fall sleep. BOY WAS I WRONG! After 10 minutes, yo, I was hooked! (It's almost EMBARRASSING but oh, well). You find yourself loving each and every one of these characters - Mama is a priceless pearl (we need ten million like her in this day and age), the kids, Papa, the spinster aunt who gets married, the feisty older aunt who was bossy, Katryn is a doll baby who you want to just marry and take home to Mama, and as for Uncle Chris and Miss Jessie (Barbara O'Neal's character), oh, they did it for me. When Uncle Chris went...boy, it was hard to keep that facewater from flowing! That's GOT to be one of the best death scenes in movies! You felt like you were there. Check it out, this is a movie about real folks living real life without all of the sentimental garbage. You get real family emotion here! Can you dig it? Of course you can!

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