I Remember Mama

Director: George Stevens George Stevens

Overview

"George Stevens's charming film version of Kathryn Forbes' collection of short stories entitled Mama's Bank Account features Irene Dunne as Mama in one of her finest and most ingratiating performances. The film is narrated by Mama's daughter Katrin (Barbara Bel Geddes), recalling the trials and tribulations of her family in turn-of-the-century San Francisco. Mama tries to keep her house in order and her family on their toes as a motley assortment of eccentric relatives, boarders, and friends -- including Uncle Chris (Oscar Homolka), Mr. Hyde (Cedric Hardwicke), Dr. Johnson (Rudy Vallee), Mr. Thorkelson (Edgar Bergen) -- weave in and out of their lives."

Product Details

Release Date:	12/07/2004
UPC:	0053939683721
Original Release:	1948
Rating:	NR
Source:	Warner Home Video
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[B&W]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	2:14:00
Sales rank:	5,101

Special Features

Closed Caption;Theatrical trailer; Subtitles: English, Français & Español

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Irene Dunne	Mama
Barbara Bel Geddes	Katrin
Oscar Homolka	Uncle Chris,oncle Chris
Philip Dorn	Papa
Cedric Hardwicke	Mr. Hyde
Edgar Bergen	Mr. Thorkelson
Rudy Vallee	Dr. Johnson
Barbara O'Neil	Jessie Brown
Peggy McIntyre	Christine
June Hedin	Dagmar
Steve Brown	Nels
Ellen Corby	Aunt Trina
Hope Landin	Aunt Jenny
Edith Evanson	Aunt Sigrid
Tommy Ivo	Cousin Arne
Florence Bates	Florence Dana Moorhead
Lela Bliss	Nurse
Constance Purdy	Nurse
Stanley Andrews	Minister
Franklyn Farnum	Man,Man
Cleo Ridgley	Schoolteacher
George Atkinson	Postman
Howard Keiser	Bellboy
Cleo Ridgely	Schoolteacher
Ruth Tobey	Girl
Alice Kerbert	Girl,Girl
Roy Webb	Composer
Louise Colombet	l'infirmière
Gene Holland	Actor

Technical Credits

DeWitt Bodeen

Kathryn Forbes

John van Druten

George Stevens	Director
DeWitt Bodeen	Screenwriter
Harriet Parsons	Producer
Kenneth Peach	Special Effects
Russell A. Cully	Special Effects
Kathryn Forbes	Screenwriter
John van Druten	Screenwriter
Terry Kellum	Sound Effects

Editorial Reviews

I Remember Mama is the type of film that people mean when they talk about how Hollywood made "Family Values" films back in the good old days. Director George Stevens was occasionally taken to sentimentality in even his most dramatic films, and here, if no different, it is at least more appropriate. The film is impeccably cast, particular Irene Dunne and Barbara Bel Geddes as the title matriarch and her daughter. Interestingly, Bel Geddes would go on to portray one of American culture's most indomitable matriarchs on the long-running television series Dallas. This is another excellent example of how films centered on women became increasingly important in the post-WWII era. Nicholas Musuraca's cinematography captures the feel of turn-of-the-century San Francisco, and the production values are adequate without being showy -- somewhat better than average for an RKO picture from this era.