Wonderfully offbeat film!

one of my absolute favorites!

Good idea lost in the noise

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

I, like most people, have a sentimental spot for Lucille Ball. But unlike my Grandmother that thanks Lucy is fantastic even if she is citing Shakespeare, an unbiased look will tell you that this performance is as poor as a frog trying to play the part of a prince.Lucille Ball is approaching sixty-five years of age and is withered and smoke stained. The dance scenes are easy but poorly done, the singing canned and the camera is filtered beyond the point of fantasy- all this should make the most frantic fan notice that something is amiss. You must notice that something is just not right about this film. With your 'Lucy glasses' removed, it is easy to tell the weak link in this otherwise nice and entertaining story.Not to say there are not some great moments in this film. Ms Ball and and Bea Arthur have some nice lines and humorous quotes in the movie but it was not enough to save this film from collapsing like a house of cards. There was just too much fake about this film and it should be obvious to all.This could have been a great movie but now it lies as a testament that all things come to an end. Lucille Ball's theatrical presents tried to make the applause last just one more curtain call but proved that time is an enemy. Time is an enemy of us all.

Can I say firstly that I do admire he comic abilities of Bea Artur and Lucille Ball. There attempts at singing left me wanting to block my ears. I seen Lucille Ball in an early movie with the Marx Brothers and her voice wasn't always like that-excessive smoking did that too her. If only the pair could have listened to themselves properly but I'm told that self appraisal isn't sufficient enough , so they persisted with a box office turkey. Even today if this movie was redone with Sirley Maclaine and Cher, in the lead rolls and singing than maybe I might view the picture in another light because the musical numbers were not all that bad

In this musicalized version of "Auntie Mame," an orphaned boy shows up at the door of his rich, eccentric aunt, leading to heart-warming and hilarious comedy...at least that was the intent, but the execution is mostly lame. There's little rhyme or reason to the plot, as it rambles on and on for much too long. In her final film appearance, Lucy gives it the old college try, but she is just too old for the title character. The characters are cartoony and the film looks very cheap, more like a TV movie than a theatrical release. Saks (Arthur's husband at the time), who usually worked with Neil Simon, does little to enliven the film.

"You're invited to party hearty - and in fabulous style - with this lavish 1974 screen version of the beloved Broadway musical. Lucille Ball brings star sparkle to the title role, a high-living grande dame who's outlandishly eccentric and, when suddenly faced with raising an orphaned nephew, fiercely loving. Veterans of the New York stage original join her: Beatrice Arthur as best friend 'Vera', Jane Connell as prim governess 'Agnes', choreographer Onna White, and director Gene Saks. As Mame's husband 'Beauregard', Robert Preston sings 'Loving You', written specially for the film. Jerry Herman's songs, from 'It's Today' to 'We Need a Little Christmas' to 'If He Walked Into My Life', rank among the best show tunes ever. For a grand time, bring home 'Mame'," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.Let's try to be kind, since Lucy's "Mame" is all too obvious in its faults. After about an hour - if you can stay tuned (if not, fast forward to the coach arrival of Ms. Ball and Mr. Preston at his southern plantation), the film gets better. Ball hilariously meets Preston's family while impersonating "Scarlet O'Hara", goes fox-trotting on the horse "Lightning Rod", and participates in the film's best musical production number. The choreography and performance of the title song "Mame" is breezy and breathtaking; and, it serves as a sweet tribute to Ball, in her last feature film. These mid-movie sequences give the film a lift, and the next hour of the film is more enjoyable than the first. Still, there's no getting around the fact that the miscasting of Ball in the title role was a fatal flaw. Now, with Mae West as "Vera" and Desi Arnaz as "Beauregard", it might have worked… **** Mame (3/7/74) Gene Saks ~ Lucille Ball, Bea Arthur, Robert Preston