I Remember Mama (1948)

I Remember Mama
Directed by George Stevens
Written by De Witt Bodeen from the play by John Van Druten based on the novel “Mama’s Bank Account” by Kathryn Forbes
1948/USA
RKO Radio Pictures
First viewing/Netflix Rental

Katrin Hanson: [reading the novel that she’s just finished] “For long as I could remember, the house on the Larkin Street Hill had been home. Papa and Mama had both born in Norway but they came to San Francisco because Mama’s sisters were here, all of us were born here. Nels, the oldest and the only boy, my sister Christine and the littlest sister Dagmar but first and foremost I remember Mama”.

Now this is the kind of sentimentality that brings a tear to my eye.

The story begins as Katrin Hansen (Barbara Bel Geddes) looks back at her life in a Norwegian immigrant family living in San Francisco around 1910.  The family’s heart is practical Mama Martha (Irene Dunne) who manages the family’s finances in such a way that they never have to break into the account at the bank.

The story is richly humorous with stories involving the rather scary, blustery Uncle Chris (Oscar Homolka), timid bride-to-be Aunt Trina (Ellen Corby), and perennial boarder Mr. Hyde (Sir Cedric Hardwicke), who entertains the family every night by reading from his vast collection of English literature.  Our hearts are tugged when little Dagmar must go to the hospital – Rudy Vallee has a nice bit as her doctor – and when, in his turn, Uncle Chris gets ill.

The supporting performances in this one are especially good.  Homolka chews the scenery but is so endearing in his ferociousness that we don’t mind.  Irene Dunne can’t help but be good but her accent (she is the only one in the film with such a pronounced one) is spotty, lapsing off into an Irish brogue at points.  This might not be for everyone but I liked it a lot.  Recommended.

I Remember Mama received Academy Award nominations in the following categories:  Best Actress (Dunne); Best Supporting Actor (Homolka); Best Supporting Actress (Bel Geddes); Best Supporting Actress (Corby) and Best Cinematography, Black-and-White (Nicholas Musuraca).

Trailer