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:

Ronald Has Amnesia

The first World War is ending, but for John Smith (Ronald Colman), it finished prematurely. Wounded in battle, he was discovered by the enemy, and eventually sent back to his country in an exchange. John will never return to the war - he has lost his memory, doesn't know who he is or where he came from, and is virtually unable to speak. But he desperately wants to leave the hospital and resume some kind of normal life. So, when an opportunity presents itself, he walks out of the hospital, and is befriended by Music Hall performer Paula Ridgeway (Greer Garson). We'll be discussing Random Harvest (1942) this week.

While we endeavor to keep spoilers to a minimum, Random Harvest has so many twists and turns that it is next to impossible to not reveal something in any discussion of the film. So, if you've never seen it before, you might want to watch it before reading our discussion. Or at least be aware that a number of important plot points occur and characters are introduced because of surprise changes in the storyline.

The movie is based on the novel of the same name by James Hilton, the author of Lost Horizon (that highly successful 1937 film featured Ronald Colman) and Goodbye, Mr. Chips (the film that in 1939 introduced Greer Garson to American audiences). The book is significantly longer than the film, and has a narrative voice that does not appear in the film. And one of the surprises that appears early in the film is saved for the final page of the book. Otherwise, the screenplay is faithful to the book.

Ronald Colman (while a bit old for the character) is absolutely amazing. He really has to play three characters in the film: the shell-shocked John Smith, the loving Smithy, and the aristocratic Charles Rainier. While I'm not fond of the scene in which Dr. Jonathan Benet (Philip Dorn) bring Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd (Charles Waldron and Elisabeth Risdon), the parents of a missing soldier, in to see if John might be their son, Colman gives it just the right level of hopefulness. It also establishes John's desperate need to leave the asylum - without a family to go to, it seems likely that he will molder in the hospital until his will to fight is gone. Mr. Colman was nominated for an Oscar for his performance - he lost to James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy - as well as by the New York Film Critics. As two recent pictures had not done well - Lucky Partners (1940) and My Life with Caroline (1941) - this film (along with Talk of the Town (1942) put Mr. Colman back on top of the box office. (TCM article)

Greer Garson is radiant as Paula; like Mr. Colman, she too has to go through several "personalities," though not as drastic as his. With her warm smile and easy grace, it's no wonder that Smithy trusts her instantly. That he could ever forget about her is perhaps the only puzzle of the movie (though we are not at all stunned that even Dr. Benet is in love with her). Ms Garson gets an opportunity to sing in this film (wearing a the shortest kilt on record!). She does an impressive job, and imitates Sir Harry Lauder to boot in the "She's My Daisy" number.  Ms. Garson was not nominated for an Oscar for this role, but it's not all that surprising given that she WON that year for her impressive work in Mrs. Miniver.

Susan Peters, as Rainier's step-niece Kitty, does an excellent job in a role for which Donna Reed was initially considered (AFI catalog). She has to age from approximately 15 to 25, and also make us understand that her attraction to Charles is more than a schoolgirl crush. She achieves this ultimately when she decides they are not destined for each other. Her sympathy for Charles, combined with her understanding of her own needs as a woman endear her to the viewer. Ms. Peters was nominated for the Supporting Actress Oscar (she lost to Teresa Wright in Mrs. Miniver), and she won the Supporting Actress award from the National Board of Review.

Ms. Peters had a sadly short career, appearing in only 24 films and television shows (much of her early work is uncredited). Three years after the release of Random Harvest, Ms. Peters was out hunting with her husband, Richard Quine and some of their friends. She reached down to pick up a rifle; it discharged into her stomach, the bullet logging in her spine. Though MGM supported her through her hospitalization, the realization that she was wheelchair-bound impelled them to pay out her contract. She did work after that, but rarely. Her most notable roles were in The Sign of the Ram (1948), in which she was the villain, and a television series Martinsville, U.S.A. as a lawyer (years before Raymond Burr was a hit as a wheelchair-bound detective in Ironside). She was also able to get some stage work - Tennessee Williams notably altered The Glass Menagerie to accommodate her injury. However, with her marriage ended (it has been said that she divorced her husband because she didn't want to hinder him), she became more and more depressed. She died at age 31, from starvation and dehydration.

The supporting cast, all in very brief roles is impressive: Una O'Connor as the Tobacconist, Henry Travers as Dr. Sims, Rhys Williams as Sam, Reginald Owen as "Biffer", Margaret Wycherly as Mrs. Deventer, Alan Napier as Julian, and Arthur Shields as the Chemist. Having such impressive talent as support for the leads adds immeasurably to the viewing experience.

Though it was not nominated for its cinematography, it should have been. The film makes you believe that it is in color. Some of it is dialogue - discussions of Paula's hair being the "color of a copper penny" and blue beads being the color of her eyes help, but the pink/white tree in front of their house, the warm browns of Biffer's pub, and the lush greenery of the Smith's little town make you forget you are watching a black and white film. It's exquisite work.

Pauline Kael's antipathy towards the film in later years (she said she preferred Carol Burnett's 1973 spoof "Rancid Harvest" because "it was shorter.") nonwithstanding, Random Harvest was a huge hit, earning $4.5 million and breaking attendance records at New York's Radio City Music Hall. It is today #36 on AFI's 100 Years, 100 Passions, and in his tribute to Greer Garson, was cited by Keith Carradine as being his favorite of her films. It was nominated for seven Oscars (including Picture, Director, Screenplay, Black and White Set Direction, and Score).  Mr. Colman and Mr. Garson would reprise their roles twice for the Lux Radio Theatre, in January, 1944 and April 1948.

Random Harvest is a real treat, and one that you will revisit over and over again. Yes, it is a melodrama, but WHAT a melodrama, with performances par excellence. We'll leave you with the film's trailer:

Joan Fights the Nazis

Our film this time is the 1942 anti-Nazi film Reunion in France. Released in January of 1942, this would have been produced before the United States entered World War II, but while our hero Pat Talbot is flying for the RAF, he is clearly an American - played by John Wayne!  Here, Ms. Crawford plays Michele de la Becque, a spoiled aristocrat whose world turns upside down when the Nazis invade France.  Her family dispersed (we learn her parents have escaped to Lisbon), Michele struggles back to Paris, only to find that her fiance, Robert Cortot (Philip Dorn) is a Quisling.  Thus, Michele begins her own form of resistance, first by walking out on the promised easy life that Cortot would provide; then by helping downed flyer Talbot get back to his unit in England.

This is the only film in which Wayne and Crawford ever appeared.  They are actually quite good together.  Their unique acting styles come together nicely; but is it surprising that Crawford looks good next to a strong male co-star?  Billing-wise, Crawford came first in list, with Wayne and Dorn listed side-by-side under Ms. Crawford.  And while we might expect Wayne to be the romantic interest, he is, in fact, only a trigger to the action.  We won't say more than that, because this movie is more than just an anti-Nazi propaganda film, and more than a romance. It is an espionage film as well.  Who is working with the Nazis? Who is working for the Resistance? Watch the film - you will be pleasantly surprised by the way director Jules Dassin makes the action unfold.  

Some nice supporting work here as well - we were especially pleased to see Natalie Schafer as the snooty wife of a German officer, and John Carradine as a Gestapo official.  We very much enjoyed the scene in the dress shop, where Michele and the dress shop staff try to keep Frau Schroeder (Schafer) from discovering money hidden in a coat that Frau Schroeder covets.

This is an interesting movie, like some of the others we've viewed, rather underrated.  We think you might find this a good selection.  Here's a trailer: