I Remember Mama -- Judi's Romance in Vintage Film Forum

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Subject: I Remember Mama

Author:
Judith
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Date Posted: 15:58:54 12/28/07 Fri

Carolee and I watched this on TCM, last night. She hadn't seen it before, and I had seen it, numerous times, but I never stop enjoying it. I do agree with Bob Osborne, that Mama was perhaps Irene Dunn's finest role. In fact, many times while watching, I forget that it is she...without much make-up, and with only a well-done Norwegian accent and her hair in braids, she truly became another person. This film is no colourful adventure, or exciting time, accept perhaps in the character of Uncle Chris, an alchoholic, unpredictably loud man with a heart of gold, or the scene where the teenage son is searching for a place to be sick, after his first pipe smoke, while little Dagmar walks in carrying a pile of puppies, and much ado happening all at once!
The rest is a quiet, poignant stroll through the lives of this Norwegian family, trying to make a go of it, in 1900 San Francisco (that line should have come first...haha) My absolute best scene...well I must set it up. (and if you want to see this for the first time, don't read on!!) The teenage girl asks Mama, when may I drink coffee (it was quite the ritual with the parents) and Mama says, your Father and I will know when you are grown up enough. Well, a sort of Gift of the Magi (but not quite) scenario occurs, and the teen (who's name I should know, but again...I'll look later!) learns a valuable lesson in what is important in life, and is in an emotional state. You see father look thoughtful, and his eye goes to the coffee cups...he rises slowly, and goes over to get the coffee pot, while Mama looks at him, first a bit shocked and surprised, and then, in pleased agreement. (see what I mean...this sounds so...bland in a way...but all those emotions washed like waves of light over Irene's face...superb acting.) The daughter still has her head down, as Dad pours a small amount into her cup...Mama motions, that is enough, and empties the remaining contents of the creamer, to fill it up...and they pass it to a very overwhelmed child. That's the emotional straw (even though a GOOD emotion) that breaks her, and after maybe one sip, she runs out of the room, in tears. Papa says, "And she is the dramatic one." Is good!

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Replies:

[> Subject: Typo...that's Irene Dunne..

Author:
J~
[Edit]
Date Posted: 17:46:41 12/28/07 Fri

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[> Subject: I really enjoyed the movie, though it was a little lessony at times. I really liked the scene in the hospital when Irene Dunne sneaked in to visit her daughter. The uncle was very amusing, quite loud and sometimes obnoxious, but somehow lovable! Do you know if the modern version is anything like the original?

Author:
Carolee
[Edit]
Date Posted: 17:45:10 01/03/08 Thu

>Carolee and I watched this on TCM, last night. She
>hadn't seen it before, and I had seen it, numerous
>times, but I never stop enjoying it. I do agree with
>Bob Osborne, that Mama was perhaps Irene Dunn's finest
>role. In fact, many times while watching, I forget
>that it is she...without much make-up, and with only a
>well-done Norwegian accent and her hair in braids, she
>truly became another person. This film is no colourful
>adventure, or exciting time, accept perhaps in the
>character of Uncle Chris, an alchoholic, unpredictably
>loud man with a heart of gold, or the scene where the
>teenage son is searching for a place to be sick, after
>his first pipe smoke, while little Dagmar walks in
>carrying a pile of puppies, and much ado happening all
>at once!
>The rest is a quiet, poignant stroll through the lives
>of this Norwegian family, trying to make a go of it,
>in 1900 San Francisco (that line should have come
>first...haha) My absolute best scene...well I must set
>it up. (and if you want to see this for the first
>time, don't read on!!) The teenage girl asks Mama,
>when may I drink coffee (it was quite the ritual with
>the parents) and Mama says, your Father and I will
>know when you are grown up enough. Well, a sort of
>Gift of the Magi (but not quite) scenario occurs, and
>the teen (who's name I should know, but again...I'll
>look later!) learns a valuable lesson in what is
>important in life, and is in an emotional state. You
>see father look thoughtful, and his eye goes to the
>coffee cups...he rises slowly, and goes over to get
>the coffee pot, while Mama looks at him, first a bit
>shocked and surprised, and then, in pleased agreement.
>(see what I mean...this sounds so...bland in a
>way...but all those emotions washed like waves of
>light over Irene's face...superb acting.) The daughter
>still has her head down, as Dad pours a small amount
>into her cup...Mama motions, that is enough, and
>empties the remaining contents of the creamer, to fill
>it up...and they pass it to a very overwhelmed child.
>That's the emotional straw (even though a GOOD
>emotion) that breaks her, and after maybe one sip, she
>runs out of the room, in tears. Papa says, "And she is
>the dramatic one." Is good!

[ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> Subject: Yeah, the hospital scene was great! Uncle Chris was Oskar Homolka (I did some research) whom Dad knew but I didn't know him, and as we found out, the shy aunt's suitor was Edgar Bergen. What really surprised me, was that the doctor was played by Rudy Vallee! Wish I'd known that, at the time. He had that small, funny, getting angry part, with Oskar. By the way, the eldest daughter's name was Katrin...as you know, played by Barbara Bel Geddes. Quite a big-name cast for back then.

Author:
Judith...didn't know they made a Christmas in CT remake, I'll look it up!
[Edit]
Date Posted: 10:16:21 01/04/08 Fri

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[> [> [> Subject:
On a more cynical note...one critic feels that mama was a martyr, making her kids feel badly that she never got her warm winter coat. I THINK the meaning was supposed to be, though, that she tried to protect them, by not letting them know that she had no (much talked about) bank account...so they wouldn't know how poor they really were. Must get on with my day now, ya think??

Author:
J*
[Edit]
Date Posted: 10:29:06 01/04/08 Fri

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>Carolee and I watched this on TCM, last night. She >hadn't seen it before, and I had seen it, numerous >times, but I never stop enjoying it. I do agree with >Bob Osborne, that Mama was perhaps Irene Dunn's finest >role. In fact, many times while watching, I forget >that it is she...without much make-up, and with only a >well-done Norwegian accent and her hair in braids, she >truly became another person. This film is no colourful >adventure, or exciting time, accept perhaps in the >character of Uncle Chris, an alchoholic, unpredictably >loud man with a heart of gold, or the scene where the >teenage son is searching for a place to be sick, after >his first pipe smoke, while little Dagmar walks in >carrying a pile of puppies, and much ado happening all >at once! >The rest is a quiet, poignant stroll through the lives >of this Norwegian family, trying to make a go of it, >in 1900 San Francisco (that line should have come >first...haha) My absolute best scene...well I must set >it up. (and if you want to see this for the first >time, don't read on!!) The teenage girl asks Mama, >when may I drink coffee (it was quite the ritual with >the parents) and Mama says, your Father and I will >know when you are grown up enough. Well, a sort of >Gift of the Magi (but not quite) scenario occurs, and >the teen (who's name I should know, but again...I'll >look later!) learns a valuable lesson in what is >important in life, and is in an emotional state. You >see father look thoughtful, and his eye goes to the >coffee cups...he rises slowly, and goes over to get >the coffee pot, while Mama looks at him, first a bit >shocked and surprised, and then, in pleased agreement. >(see what I mean...this sounds so...bland in a >way...but all those emotions washed like waves of >light over Irene's face...superb acting.) The daughter >still has her head down, as Dad pours a small amount >into her cup...Mama motions, that is enough, and >empties the remaining contents of the creamer, to fill >it up...and they pass it to a very overwhelmed child. >That's the emotional straw (even though a GOOD >emotion) that breaks her, and after maybe one sip, she >runs out of the room, in tears. Papa says, "And she is >the dramatic one." Is good!
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[> Subject: Typo...that's Irene Dunne..
Author: J~ [Edit]	Date Posted: 17:46:41 12/28/07 Fri [ Post a Reply to This Message ]