I Remember Mama

1948

2h 14m

IMDb RATING

7.1/10

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18 Images

Family

Drama

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.

Directors

George Stevens

Writers

DeWitt Bodeen(screenplay by)

John Van Druten(adaptation by)

Kathryn Forbes(novel by)

Stars

Irene Dunne

Barbara Bel Geddes

Oskar Homolka

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Photos18

Top cast

Mama

Katrin

Uncle Chris

Papa

Mr. Hyde

Mr. Thorkelson

Dr. Johnson

Jessie Brown

Florence Dana Moorhead

Ellen Corby

Aunt Trina

Hope Landin

Aunt Jenny

Edith Evanson

Aunt Sigrid

Directors

George Stevens

Writers

DeWitt Bodeen(screenplay by)

John Van Druten(adaptation by)

Kathryn Forbes(novel by)

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Featured review

7/10

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!

Geronimo196709 Jul, 2022