Wonderful character development!

This is How Movies Should Be Made

A waste of 90 minutes of my life

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

The storyline anecdotes a loving mother holding together her poor family in 1910 Norway with determination and caring. Ireme Dunne shines as the central character with many excellent supporting roles and real life trials and tribulations of many families going through the same in past Amerrican generations. A classic to be rembered and cherished by those lucky enough to experience it and to be a leaning tool for those curious about it. Fine supporting perfomrances by BarbaraBel Geddes, Rudee Valley and Oscar Homulka among others.

Producer: Harriet Parsons. Executive producer: George Stevens. Presented by Dore Schary. Copyright 11 March 1948 by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc. New York opening at the Radio City Music Hall: 11 March 1948 (ran six weeks). U.S. release: 17 March 1948. U.K. release: 23 August 1948. Australian release: 20 January 1949. 134 minutes. Cut by RKO to 127 minutes in Australia. SYNOPSIS: A Norwegian family, living very modestly (but not frugally) in San Francisco in the 1910s, struggle to make ends meet.NOTES: Nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Actress, Irene Dunne (lost to Jane Wyman in "Johnny Belinda"); Best Supporting Actor, Oscar Homolka (lost to Walter Huston in "Treasure of the Sierra Madre"); Best Supporting Actress, Ellen Corby (lost to Claire Trevor in "Key Largo"); Best Supporting Actress, Barbara Bel Geddes (lost to Claire Trevor in "Key Largo"); Best Cinematography, Nicholas Musuraca (lost to William Daniels for "The Naked City").Won, Golden Globe Awards, Best Supporting Actress, Ellen Corby!The play opened at the Music Box on 19 October 1944 and ran a colossal 714 performances. Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein produced (it was their first Broadway show) and playwright John Van Druten directed. Mady Christians played Mama, Joan Tetzel was Katrin, Marlon Brando made his Broadway debut as Nels, Oscar Homolka (who married Miss Tetzel in real life) was Uncle Chris. COMMENT: Those often misused adjectives "warm" and "human" could justly be applied to this meticulously realized and irresistible study of a working-class Norwegian family in turn-of-the-century San Francisco. The performances, with the possible exceptions of Barbara Bel Geddes' archly smug ingénue and Oscar Homolka's rather too blustery Uncle Chris, are faultless-especially Irene Dunne's restrained and sensitive portrayal of the lead role, her accent seemingly so natural (not phoney and theatrically forced like John Qualen's) we accept it unquestioningly as her own.The film is slow to get under way, but one is deftly drawn into the action and all our preconceived prejudices against a woman's picture soon melt away under the mastery of George Stevens' ultra-sensitive direction. Only the most mindless churl could possible resist Hardwicke's beautiful readings from "A Tale of Two Cities".

This is a great movie with fine acting and good life lessons. Irene Dunne ("Mama") makes the point several times that money isn't everything in life, that being a caring person and doing your best are what truly matter. The Oscar Homolka character (Uncle Chris) is the somewhat obnoxious but loving relative we all seem to have somewhere in our ancestry, as are the occasionally annoying aunts. This movie is sentimental without being corny, and very believable. I always feel better after watching I Remember Mama, and the movie helps to restore my sometimes cynical view of humanity. Life is not easy, and perhaps it's best to ignore a system that caters to the wealthy. Simply love your family and respect all people, and show interest and caring in the activity of others. Put your best foot forward and enjoy the marvelous results.

That's the best way to describe this movie. In words Mama herself used. There are so many things to like about his movie. It holds a mirror up to family life, depicting all the joys, triumphs, struggles, tragedies, and ultimately sacrifice. The script is superb storytelling at its very best. What makes it so good is that it's something all of us can relate to - FAMILY.Even though this is a very sentimental movie, it doesn't gloss over the fact that most of us have imperfect families with some very eccentric members. I think Uncle Chris captured this perfectly. It also reminds us that, ultimately, America is a country of immigrants - a fact that I think many of us lose sight of today. I loved the Norwegian accents and constant references to the "Old Country".All the casting was superb. Barbara Bel Geddes truly shines as the narrator/storyteller of the film. She doesn't strike one insincere note in her entire performance.This film is so rich with details, mood, setting, cinematography, atmosphere - I could go on and on. Each time I watch it, I pick up something new in the set or the dialogue, or in facial expressions, that I haven't noticed before. You will want to watch this again and again, so you too can "Remember Mama".