FamilyDrama

I Remember Mama

- You'll just love...MAMA!

Norwegian immigrant Marta Hanson keeps a firm but loving hand on her household of four children, a devoted husband and a highly-educated lodger who reads great literature to the family every evening. Through financial crises, illnesses and the small triumphs of everyday life, Marta maintains her optimism and sense of humor, traits she passes on to her aspiring-author daughter, Katrin.

Release Date : 1948-03-09

Language :FrenchNorwegianEnglish

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : RKO Radio Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Mama

Original Name : Irene Dunne

Gender : Female

Character Name : Katrin

Original Name : Barbara Bel Geddes

Gender : Female

Character Name : Uncle Chris

Original Name : Oskar Homolka

Gender : Male

Character Name : Papa

Original Name : Philip Dorn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Hyde

Original Name : Cedric Hardwicke

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Thorkelson

Original Name : Edgar Bergen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dr. Johnson

Original Name : Rudy Vallee

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jessie Brown

Original Name : Barbara O'Neil

Gender : Female

Character Name : Florence Dana Moorhead

Original Name : Florence Bates

Gender : Female

Character Name : Aunt Trina

Original Name : Ellen Corby

Gender : Female

Character Name : Aunt Jenny

Original Name : Hope Landin

Gender : Female

Character Name : Aunt Sigrid

Original Name : Edith Evanson

Gender : Female

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-07-09

The "Hansen' family arrive in San Francisco from Norway at the start of the twentieth century. Under the guidance of their matriarch "Mama" (Irene Dunne) the family set down roots and begin to live their lives in their new home - and for the next 2¼ hours we are immersed in a chronicle of their trials and tribulations. It is recounted largely from the perspective of the daughter "Katrin" (Barbara Bel Geddes) who regales us in a gentle and charming fashion as she, her father (Philip Dorn); Uncle "Chris" (Oscar Homolka) and an extended collection of "family" navigate their new surroundings. This film goes nowhere fast, like life itself it is not a pace fest, but the characterisations are richly presented with George Stevens taking his time to let them all breathe, to develop and explain their idiosyncrasies, loves and aspirations. It's a very personal character study this with Dunne, Homolka, Bel Geddes on top form and also featuring a delightfully nuanced contribution from Ellen Corby (whom I only ever really recall seeing as "Grandma" in "The Waltons") resulting in Oscar nominations for all four. It's a story to just let wash over you with dialogue that can be both intense and quite witty. It may trigger reminiscences of your own childhood or experiences and though I'd be fibbing if I didn't admit that it does drag at times, that oddly enough adds authenticity to what it's trying to do - and that is to be a plausible real life story where nothing much actually happens!