I Remember Mama (1948)
Director: George Stevens
Honors:
This picture does not have an antagonist or an adventurous
plot, but relies on the spirit of the American dream, nostalgia, and and the
grit that would have engaged the heartstrings of families recently immigrated
to American or those that lived through the hardships of the Great Depression.
Starring Irene Dunne in the film’s primary matriarchal role, I Remember Mama was a feature about
family, close and extended, and recalling the bravery and determination it took
for those that made it through poverty to create happy and healthy lives. Well
received by many critics, and thrusting many of its players to bigger and
better things, the picture was in fact a letdown for the studio and a movie that
would fade in the memories of film viewers.
I Remember Mama is
a drama about a family of Norwegian immigrants and thier trails in turn of the
century San Francisco. Told in the style on flashback by the young writer
Katrin Hanson (Barbara Bel Geddes) recounts her days as the eldest daughter of
Norwegian immigrants and their four children, where her mother, Marta (Irene
Dunne), was the figure that helps keep the household together. From managing
the family’s meager expenses, raising the children, and attempting to give the children
every opportunity to succeed and be happy, Marta manifests sacrifice and love
to benefit her children to hopefully better lives than what her and her husband
(Philip Dorn) could afford.
Through a series of tales recounted by Katrin we learn how
she gained a shine towards literature due to a lodger of the family’s house who
took to reading classic works to his hosts, one day inspiring her to become a
writer. Among the various relatives that come in and out of their lives, Uncle
Chris (Oscar Homolka) leaves an imprint as a tough man who is revealed to have
a heart of gold secretly giving most of what he has to children battling leg injuries,
inspired by a handicap he himself suffered in his youth. Most of all we watch
as Marta gives of herself, whether it what little money she has, persistence,
or sacrificing personal treasures, for the happiness and well being of her children,
culminating in Katrin earning her first break as an author, the work revealed
to be this very tale that recounts her mother’s love and sacrifice.
The picture is a slow moving feature that rewards those able
to devote their undivided attention through what at first appear tedious, slow,
and perhaps simply boring story. A tale shared in a series of vignettes about an
immigrant family just getting by, managing there pocket books for what they little
they have to just survive while the children mature does start off rather slow
and soft for this major motion picture starring Irene Dunne. Through this the
film intricately shares the personalities and character building moments that manifest
the little things parents do to raise their children to become better than they
are. The picture is rather moreover anticlimactic with little confrontation, if
one can call it that at all, it builds to a moment that shares the gratitude towards
the mother and all the good she did to make her daughter into the person she
has become. For many parents this movie may bring a mist to your eyes, showing
how years of seemingly unrewarded work spills over in a deluge of gratitude and
love.
Albeit the production quality is simplistic, but under the
guidance of director George Stevens and decent budget, RKO turned what was a
successful Broadway play based on semi-autobiographical Kathryn Forbes’ novel
into sold production. The style is nothing fancy, but with part of production
actually taking place in San Francisco, there is authenticity delivered with
even rather standard dialogue taking place on the slopping roads of the bay area
city.
Despite not being a fan of Irene Dunne’s prior hit films, it
is easily observed the devotion she put into the role of Marta. Not relying on
her singing voice to carry herself through scenes, she embraces the role of mature
mother. She would cut back on her makeup and pad her clothing to make herself
appear older, softer, and more weathered, something a Hollywood actress at her
age of 49 with great pride would be reluctant to do. It is clear she is an
actress of an older style, trying hard with her minutely forced Norwegian accent,
she still conveys that love and compassion of a motherly figure that makes her
performance Oscar notation worthy that year.
Contractually the production of the picture was forced to wait
until the end of the Broadway run of “I Remember Mama,” and when it concluded a
lengthy, successful run only one of the original cast would win favor of RKO to
be cast in the motion picture, Oscar Homolka as Uncle Chris. The Austrian born
actor, long a veteran of stage and screen, brings great color to the screen in
this black and white feature with a performance that draws nearly all the
attention towards him every moment he is a scene. He loud and brash character
with a big heart would win himself critical acclaim as well with a an Oscar nod
for Best Supporting Actor.
25 year-old Barbara Bel Geddes was a newcomer to Hollywood
and had the brave task as the picture’s primary storyteller playing the eldest
daughter Katrin. Her character carries the most dramatic moments with star Irene
Dunne, the greatest being the segment of her wishing for a graduation gift only
to discover her mother traded one of her prized possessions to obtain it,
breaking her heart. The segment marks the film’s turning point as Katrin is for
the first time treated as an adult by her parents, teaching their daughter the
lesson of happiness vs. selfishness. At the time of production Bel Geddes had
recently moved from New York to Los Angeles at warnings of her friends back on
Broadway, but it turned out in this case, only her second screen credit, she
too would land an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. This honor may
be hasty praise as her performance is not spectacular, but her career would
lead down a long a impressively successful road, including as a member of the cast
of the wildly successful television show “Dallas.”
Bel Geddes would receive competition for the Academy Award
from her own cast in Ellen Corby who was praised for her performance as Aunt
Trina, a meek family member that marries an equally meek and loving man, Peter
Thorkelson played by Edgar Bergen. For Corby, who had long been a very busy
supporting actress in primarily small, uncredited roles, this was a breakthrough
in her on screen performance. For the first time she was seen as one that could
carry more weight on screen, albeit she usually landed like characters in small
service type roles throughout her career. She would not win the Oscar, but did
receive the honor from the Golden Globes for her performance. For Bergen, this
was his first on screen performance without his famed cast of ventriloquist
dummies. What is great about his performance is that you would never know that
was his primary craft was talking to inanimate objects he brought to life, allowing
him to manifest his own acting chops.
I Remember Mama
was built to be a success with Irene Dunne as the headlining star along with a fairly
good production quality. Many critics praised the picture; the acting is
particular, as the cast received four Academy Award nominations for their
appearances to go with the Best Cinematography (Black and White) nomination.
However, the picture did fail to turn a profit, essentially labeling the
picture a letdown. Despite being in the red at the box office, the cast would
all receive boosts in their careers, and I
Remember Mama should be remembered for that. Not a film to recommend for
the casual viewer, this feature does touch the sentimental cords for those that
give it the chance. The picture will not be one very repeatable, but it deserves
to be one remembered.
.jpg)
Thank you
ReplyDelete