Mama Irene

Katrin Hanson (Barbara Bel Geddes) reflects on her life with her Norwegian immigrant family in San Francisco. Her sisters, brother, father, aunts, uncle, and cousin are all recalled, but Katrin tells us, mostly, I Remember Mama (1948).
 
When asked several years ago to list five movies I would have with me on a desert island, I Remember Mama was one of my choices. Our group had not watched it in recent memory (though all but one member had seen it before), and when the opportunity arose to view it, we were thrilled. No matter how many times you see this film, it is one of which you will never tire.

I Remember Mama is a series of vignettes, all centered around the Hanson family. Mama Marta (Irene Dunne) and Papa Lars (Philip Dorn) came to the United States just after their marriage to join Marta's family - Uncle Chris Halvorsen (Oskar Homolka), and sisters Jenny (Hope Landin), Sigrid (Edith Evanson), and Trina (Ellen Corby). The children were all born in San Francisco - Nels (Steve Brown), Katrin, Christine (Peggy McIntyre), Dagmar (June Hedin), and Sigrid's son Arne (Tommy Ivo). The Hansons and Halvorsens are hard working people. They are not wealthy, but they are getting by, and Marta and Lars are working and saving so that their children can have a better life through education. 

There are many memorable performances. But the film must anchor itself on Mama, and Irene Dunne does not disappoint. She was not the first choice for the role - Greta Garbo was approached (and said no), Katina Paxinou was also considered (the family would have been changed to Greeks), and Marlene Dietrich campaigned for the part (she was deemed too sexy) (AFI catalog). When Irene Dunne was asked, she said yes, on the condition that the director was selected from a list she provided.  Luckily, George Stevens (his first film since he returned from Europe during World War II), who was already on the film was also on Ms. Dunne's list (TCM article). He guides her to a subtle, yet strong performance as the heart of this family. Perhaps the incident that most demonstrates Ms. Dunne's power is that of Dagmar's hospitalization. Ms. Dunne gives us a purposeful and wise woman who does what is needed to get to her ailing child. 

Philip Dorn is a low-key actor who is used to good effect. He seems at first glance to be nothing compared to Mama, but he is clearly a partner in the marriage. He's a calming influence - he is observant, supportive, and acts when necessary. Watch him when he realizes his son has begun smoking, or when Katrin makes what is a very grown-up choice. It's Lars who is the leader in those situations. 

His counterpoint is Uncle Chris. Oskar Homolka provides a brusk, noisy man who loves his family, but brooks no nonsense. His conversation with his nieces, who he discovers fear him, is a remarkable one. His care for his grand-nephew Arne is warm and understanding - the scene with young Tommy Ivo is handled beautifully. Uncle Chris is a man who likes to shock. Marta knows this - watch her attitude to Jessie Brown (Barbara O'Neill in another beautifully, subtle performance), which is why she is the only one of his nieces Uncle Chris can stand!

Barbara Bel Geddes has to age over a period of nearly 10 years and does it splendidly. When we first meet her, she is a grade school student; we see her through her teen years, as she advances in school and in maturity. One incident in particular shows her growth - as she and her mother travel by train to visit the ailing Uncle Chris, we see the girl staring out the window of the train, a sandwich in her hand, almost oblivious to the import of what is happening. But the narrative tells us what she, in retrospect, remembers of the event and the scenes that follow reveal the impact of her uncle's distress.

Ms. Bel Geddes started on stage, most notably as the original Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.  After well-received performances in six films (including Panic in the Streets), she was blacklisted. Eventually she was cast by Alfred Hitchcock in Vertigo; he included her in four episodes of his television show Alfred Hitchcock Presents, among them "Lamb to the Slaughter," perhaps the most wicked of all his teleplays. In 1978, she joined the cast of Dallas as Miss Ellie Southworth Ewing, the matriarch of the family; with the exception of a one-year break in which she was recovering from surgery, she played the part until 1990; at which point, she retired from acting. Married twice, with two daughters, she died of lung cancer in 2005. 

The number of remarkable character performances in the film is astonishing. Edgar Bergen has a rare dramatic part as the shy undertaker Mr. Thorkelson, He's paired with Ellen Corby, equally shy and perhaps the sweetest of Mama's sisters.  Sir Cedric Hardwicke uses his impressive speaking voice to bring dignity to Mama's boarder, Mr. Hyde, the man who brings literature to the family. Rudy Vallee, also in a dramatic role, is Doctor Johnson, physician who cares for Dagmar. And finally, the frequently underrated Florence Bates as Florence Dana Moorhead, a successful author and gastronomist, who meets Mama for "two glasses sherry."

Some portions of the movie were filmed in San Francisco, which adds to the verisimilitude of the story.  When it opened at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, Bosley Crowther's New York Times review was glowing. It was also #24 on the list of top grossing films for 1948 (Variety). It was nominated for 5 Academy Awards: Irene Dunne for Actress (she lost to Jane Wyman in Johnny Belinda); Oscar Homolka for Supporting Actor (lost to Walter Huston in Treasure of the Sierra Madre); Barbara Bel Geddes and Ellen Corby for Supporting Actress (lost to Claire Trevor in Key Largo); and Nicholas Musuraca for Cinematography. Ellen Corby did win the Golden Globe for Supporting Actress.

The story was based on the novel Mama's Bank Account by Kathryn Forbes, which became a Broadway play by John Van Druten. The play starred Mady Christians and introduced Marlon Brando as Nels - Oscar Homolka was the only cast member to appear in the film. Later, Irene Dunne, Oscar Homolka, and Barbara Bel Geddes reprized their roles for the Lux Radio Theatre production in August 1948. The story aired as a television series with Peggy Wood, which ran from 1949 to 1957.  In June of 1961, British ITV did a television play with Stella Bonheur as Mama. There were also two musical versions. One, Mama, featuring Celeste Holm in the title role, but closed in 1972 before it reached Broadway. In 1979, it was made into a Broadway musical (with music by Richard Rogers) I Remember Mama with Liv Ullmann as Mama. 

If you've never seen this film, please consider finding it. It is heartwarming, but in a good way. We'll leave you with this trailer:

Alexander Joins the Army

Successful novelist Paula "Polly" Wharton (Irene Dunne) and newspaper editor Max Wharton (Alexander Knox) are a happily married couple. Max is highly regarded at the New York Bulletin, the newspaper at which he is the chief editor. Though he is well Over 21 (1945), (39, in fact) he feels it is his duty to enlist in Officer Training School and serve in the military during World War II, much to the disgust of the paper's owner, Robert Drexel Gow (Charles Coburn), After successfully completing Basic Training, Max is off to Florida to attend Officer Training School, where Polly will join him as an Army wife. Both must adapt to a life that is alien to anything they have ever encountered.

This is an entertaining film with light humor and an interesting point of view. While most films focus on the man's adjustment to the military, Over 21 is more concerned with Polly. She's led a relatively privileged life; the career successes of herself and her husband mean that she's never had to do the "housewife" tasks - until now. Ms. Dunne plays Polly as a determined woman. She's succeeded in everything she's ever tried - she can surely prevail in this as well. Her goal is to be with her husband and support him in his efforts in the Army. Ms. Dunne avoids having the audience pity Polly - we laugh with her as she manipulates the peculiarities of her new housing and new life style. We also watch as she protects her husband from the intrusions of his former boss. Ms. Dunne was not the first choice for the role - Rosalind Russell was originally considered for Polly, but dropped out to appear in Sister Kenny (AFI catalog)

It's a bit harder to get involved with Max. He is convinced that he can only write about the war if he experiences it in some direct way. It's clear from the start that, at age 39, he does not expect to see combat, but he does wish to learn about what the men who are going into battle will face.  We appreciate his motives, but we get very little information about him; we know he is an intelligent man, who is lost as he tries to learn a new job. Mr. Knox doesn't get a lot of help from the script, with all the really good lines going to Ms. Dunne. As a result, Mr. Knox is left looking frustrated and unhappy. Any empathy you feel is because of Polly's devotion to him than to the depth of the character.  

Alexander Knox was born in Canada. His acting career started in Boston, with a repertory theatre, but when it closed, he returned to Canada to work as a reporter. After two years, he went to England, and appeared in several films. By 1940, he was on Broadway, first as Friar Lawrence in a production of Romeo and Juliet (that starred Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh), then in Jupiter Laughs, starring opposite Jessica Tandy. He'd already appeared in several Hollywood films, including The Sea Wolf (1941) and This Above All (1941), when he was offered the lead in Wilson (1944), which earned him a nomination for Best Actor. His film career ended abruptly, when he was unofficially blacklisted for his involvement with the Committee for the First Amendment (Actors on Red Alert: Career Interviews with Five Actors and Actresses Affected by the Blacklist by Anthony Slide). He returned to England with his wife, Doris Nolan (they were married from 1943 until his death in 1995), and worked there (and eventually back in the U.S.). He died in England of bone cancer.

Charles Coburn as publisher Gow is, as always, very good and very funny. But Gow's attitudes towards Max's desire to serve in the military are unpleasant; Mr. Coburn plays him as a completely selfish man, who would rather sell his paper than do the work necessary to make it a success without Max. While you laugh at his antics, a lot of head shaking occurs as he tries to manipulate Polly and Max.

I try to avoid spoilers in my reviews, but some of the best moments in the film occur at the end, when Polly decides it's time to intervene in saving the paper for her husband and for Gow. The look of sheer delight on Max's face when he discovers her work is something that really appealed to us. For that reason alone, this film is worth a viewing.

Over 21 is based on the Broadway play, which was written by and starred Ruth Gordon; it ran for 221 performances in 1944. The play's time-frame is 1943, and while the film does not give us a date we know that World War II is raging.

Over 21 opened at Radio City Music Hall to poor notices: here is Bosley Crowther's New York Times review. Several factors contributed to the reviews. The movie was released just after VJ-Day (TCM article), which greatly influenced its reception - it was seen as a relic, discussing issues that no longer needed consideration (Irene Dunne: First Lady of Hollywood by Wes D. Gehring). 

Another problem was the original Broadway play. Some criticisms at the time considered that Ms. Dunne's performance was too close to Ms. Gordon stage rendition. Finally, other reviews focused on  Mr. Knox's performance, stating that it was too reminiscent of his work in Wilson. (Military Comedy Films: A Critical Survey and Filmography of Hollywood Releases Since 1918 by Hal Erickson). 

None of that is relevant today, as it is not possible to see stage play.  We can also relate to Max's desire to do all in his power to stop another war from happening.  We'll leave you with this short clip from the film, and a suggestion that you give it a viewing:

Stuck on a Desert Island (with a DVD player)

In celebration of National Classic Movie Day, and as part of the Classic Film and TV Cafe's blogathon, I'm going to venture on choosing the five (!!) movies I want with me when I'm stuck on a desert island.  For someone with over 1,000 DVDs in her library, this is no easy task, but I'm going to give it a try with the caveat that the five I pick today may not be the same five I pick tomorrow!

I know that when forced to choose, I'm going to want to mix up the genres a bit, so I'm not watching the same kind of film over and over,.  Let's start with a musical, and my selection here is without equivocation.   Whenever Singin' in the Rain is on, I have to watch the whole thing.  I start out saying "I'll just watch this scene", and the next thing I know, the movie is over and I've re-watched it again.  I actually do that with a lot of movies, which is probably not a surprise to anyone reading this.  Regardless, Singin' in the Rain is special.  With great music, wonderful dancing (Donald O'Connor doing "Make 'em Laugh" is an especial favorite), and terrific actors (Jean Hagen as Lola Lamont - she is perfection!)  it has everything.  It also serves as an introduction to the beginning of talkies.  It's a film to which I frequently refer people, especially when they are puzzled as to why films look like they do in 1929 and 1930.  Plus, it's a film that you will finish with a smile on your face and a song in your heart.

If you've never see I Remember Mama, you are missing a wonderful film.  My pick for drama has several competitors (mainly A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Johnny Belinda and The Enchanted Cottage), but for this week, I'm going with Irene Dunne in one of her last films.  As the titular Mama, Dunne is perfect as Marta Hansen.  Sure, Mama at time seems without fault, but it's hard to care or even notice as Dunne is so unbelievingly convincing as this warm and loving wife and mother.  Narrated by the family's oldest daughter, Katrin (played beautifully by Barbara Bel Geddes), the story is a series of incidents in the life of the Hansen family over a number of years, which makes it perfect desert island viewing.  Each "story" can be watched as part of the whole progression of the film, or as an independent short story.  Especially poignant is an incident that revolves around the illness of the youngest daughter, Dagmar (June Hedin), and the inability of Mama to see her ailing child after surgery (hospital rules forbid any visitors for 24 hours post surgery.  Wow, have things changed with time!)  Dunne's heartbreak and guilt (she'd promised the child she would be there when she woke) in this segment reaches out from the screen and tears your heart.  Ultimately, it is the strength of the family and the care that the immigrant mother and father show to their children as they try to avoid "go[ing] to the bank" that you will remember.

There are some really great westerns, and I have to admit that I had trouble deciding on just one.  It came down to two:  The Searchers and Westward the Women (add to the mix, a friend suggested Shane and The Big Country.  Yes, my friends make my life harder).  Ultimately, I chose The Searchers since it is again one of those movies I fall into each time I see it.  John Wayne is exceptional as Ethan Edwards, a man driven to almost insanity by his hatred of Native Americans.  When Ethan's niece, Debbie, is captured by a group of Indians who murdered the rest of her family, Ethan and Martin Pawley, a young man of mixed heritage who was raised by Debbie's parents, go on a quest to recover Debbie from her captors.  But as the years pass and Debbie goes from childhood to young adulthood, it becomes clear to Martin that he must continue on the journey, no matter the cost.  For, if he abandons it, Ethan will surely murder the young woman he now sees as a squaw.  The story is intense, with Wayne creating a character that is impossible to like, but with whom the viewer feels a bond.  Also notable are Jeffrey Hunter as Martin and Ward Bond as the Reverend Clayton, both characters that act as counterpoint to Wayne's driven loner.  Finally, there are the magnificent vistas of Monument Valley, which director John Ford uses to tell his tale.  It's a film with so many layers that, with each viewing, you'll see something new. 

There are a number of comedies, especially romantic comedies which come to mind when asked to pick a desert-island selection: Victoria, Victoria, The Major and the Minor, Roman Holiday are just the tip of the iceberg.  But I decided to select Bachelor Mother, starring Ginger Rogers as Polly Parrish, the temporary employee of Merlin and Son Department Store.  When her job is about to come to an end, Polly goes out on her lunch break to find another job.  She sees a woman abandoning a baby at a foundling home.  Fearful the baby will roll from the stoop, Polly rushes in - and is mistaken for the baby's mother by the staff.  As a result, Polly finds herself saddled with a baby, as well as a suitor, in the form of David Merlin, the "and Son" of the department store.  The film is funny and sweet, the baby is adorable, and our romantic couple have a great chemistry.  But what I love about this film are the attitudes of everyone towards this seemingly unwed mother.  Sure, we, the audience, know that Polly is a "good girl", but the other characters don't, and uniformly they treat her with kindness and compassion.  I especially love Polly's landlady Mrs Weiss (played to perfection by Ferike Boros), who, rather than condemn the girl, goes and gets her adult son's baby things and becomes Polly's go-to baby sitter!  In an era where unwed mothers didn't exist, or were punished (usually by death) at movie's end, Bachelor Mother gives us a picture of a society that embraces the mistakes of a young woman, and ends by creating a happy family, all without violating the Code.

I'm not a huge horror fan, but I love suspenseful films.  The Spiral Staircase is one film that I considered for this category, but really there was no contest in the ultimate winner: The Uninvited.    It really does have everything - a phenomenal story, great cast, two ghosts, a really mysterious house, and a haunting musical score.  (In an earlier blog entry, above, you'll find a link to a You-Tube video of the magnificent theme, Stella By Starlight).  One of the problems with suspense films is that, once you know the answer, you don't always enjoy rewatching the film.  But The Uninvited still is a pleasure even when you know what is coming.  Much like Laura, it's the acting, and the relationships of the characters that keep you returning to this film.  Ray Milland is exceptional as Rick, the new owner of Windwood House, as is Ruth Hussey as his sister Pam.  But the person who steals the film from under everyone else is the ethereal Gail Russell, playing Stella Meredith, the object of Rick's love and the focus of the beings that haunt the house.  The Uninvited is a movie that will make you believe in ghosts.

As I said, this is a list that could change at a moment's notice, and you'll notice that the list lacks a few films that one might expect to see on a desert island list.  So, let's give a nod to To Kill a Mockingbird, Gone with the Wind,  The Best Years of Our Lives, The Thin Man, Casablanca, just a few in a list of "essentials" that film fans love.  These are wonderful; I own them, I would never give them up. I rewatch them regularly, but you all KNOW about these films.  With my list, I hope I may have brought up a few films that might not have made your own "essentials" queue.

The Ones They Love Belong to Somebody Else

Consolation Marriage (1931) is the story of two good, loving people in love with a pair of the most selfish, careless people on the planet.  Steve Porter (Pat O'Brien) is engaged to Elaine Brandon (Myrna Loy).  He has been out of the country, trying to build his career; he returns to find his great love has married a wealthy man.  Mary Brown (Irene Dunne) is in the same situation - musician Aubrey (Lester Vail) has found a patron interested in him in more than a business way, and he has consented to become her husband.  

Steve and Mary find  kinship, not only in their grief, but in their senses of humor.  On a lark, they decide to marry.  Each understands it is not a love-match, and they agree that should either become dissatisfied with the relationship, they will part, with no hard feelings.  But the business relationship quickly become more intimate, with the result being a young daughter, the light of both their eyes.  Only one problem - both Aubrey and Elaine are back, and they want to start over.

 

This is a very adult without being smutty;  it's obvious that Steve and Mary are intimate, and the end of the film, when Mary has to decided between Steve and Aubrey is the stuff of precode films.  But it is delicately handled, with our couple becoming supportive spouses, people that we as the audience genuinely liked.  

Like Mary and Steve's friends, we realize they are in love with each other, and that the image of Elaine and Aubrey they have concocted is an idealized version.  They are not able to see the reality of their lovers. John Halliday as their friend Jeff is just great here; he's a really good man who knows they are in love (he comments that only Mary and Steve don't know it), and does his best to keep them together.  We loved the scene where Jeff and Steve joke about Mary's Shoppé (with the accent on the final e!).  

We enjoyed seeing Myrna Loy again appear as the temptress.  She's even a blonde here.  It's not often one gets to see Ms. Loy doing the platinum thing.  But the golden locks fit her predatory, golddigger image.

The film very much reminded us of Smart Woman Again, we have a woman fighting for her marriage. And both have John Halliday as the supportive friend. We also have a film with a great wardrobe. The picture above will give you a peek at the lovely gowns worn by Dunne and Loy. Max Rée, who was the costumer here, worked as costumer and art director until 1935, then didn't work again until 1947's Carnegie Hall. You'll also get some great views of old New York. We enjoyed this one. We hope you do too. 

Irene Meets a Bachelor

Bachelor Apartment (1931) really stars Lowell Sherman as Wayne Carter, the owner of the apartment, which comes equipped with hot and cold running women.  One evening, while his is entertaining a recent conquest, Helene Andrews (Irene Dunne) arrives, looking for her younger sister.  Turns out, Carter's manservant has enticed the girl there, pretending to be the wealthy Carter.  Attracted to the out-of work Helen, he offers her a job in his organization - and help sister Lita (Claudia Dell) get a chorus job.  The course of true love does not, of course, run smooth.

We had seen Lowell Sherman before - playing the drunken director in What Price Hollywood?  We found him a lot more believable there, than as a roue being pursued by an endless number of women.  WHY they found him so attractive, was beyond us.  Our conclusion - he is quite wealthy, though that did not explain the constant presence of Agatha Carraway (Mae Murray), his former lover, who is now married and eager to restart their affair.  Either he is the world's greatest lover, or something else is going on here.  Regardless, the film, as a result, is very risque, amusingly so. We particularly enjoyed the scene where Helene appears in a bathrobe to protect Carter from Agatha's irate husband.

The costuming, especially Dunne's business clothing is quite impressive.  The wardobe for Murray is very over-the-top, but it perfectly matches her rather loud persona.  It is worth noting that our star, Lowell Sherman is the director here as well.

While not a great film, this is a fun one, and is worth a view.  Certainly an opportunity to see Dunne at the start of her impressive career is always welcome.  And while Sherman is not our idea of manly beauty, he is an amusing actor.  Here's a scene to whet your appetite: