I Remember Mama (1948)

“Is good!” Actually it’s great! Based on a true story about a family of immigrants from Norway who settled in San Francisco at the turn-of-the-20th century this heartwarming comedy-drama features an unforgettable Academy Award nominated performance from (five-time Best Actress nominee) Irene Dunne as the titled Mama the center of this extended family and the film. It’s narrated by the biography’s author Barbara Bel Geddes (who would become known to TV audiences as Miss Ellie on the series Dallas) as the eldest daughter Kathryn Forbes whose character lovingly recalls growing up with her parents (Philip Dorn plays her father) and siblings.

Oscar Homolka plays Mama’s older brother Uncle Chris an outwardly tough character with a soft underbelly who visits occasionally; he was the first to travel to the “New World” of America where he became successful enough to do what he pleases (like live “scandalously” with another woman who’s not his wife!). Told through a series of vignettes the film’s story covers various hardships encountered by the family – financial struggles to afford schooling for the oldest son the loss of a pet an accident that puts one of the children in the hospital the “coming of age” of a daughter – and how their love and teamwork help them to deal with these events. All the while optimistic Mama and Papa impart some timeless values of unconditional love hope and perseverance which contribute to making this movie an essential family classic one that’s very much worth the 134 minute time investment it takes to view it.

In addition to Dunne Homolka received a lead actor nomination (his only) and Bel Geddes & Ellen Corby who plays Mama’s sister Aunt Trina received their only acting nominations competing against each other in the Supporting Actress category and losing to Claire Trevor and her performance in Key Largo (1948). Nicholas Musuraca also received his only Academy recognition when his black-and-white Cinematography was Oscar nominated. Cedric Hardwicke Edgar Bergen and Rudy Vallee (among others) appear in supporting roles. It was directed by George Stevens based on Forbes’s novel and the play by John Van Druten (Gaslight (1944)); DeWitt Bodeen wrote the screenplay.

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