Auntie Mame

This is one of the best films I have EVER seen, and I watch a lot of films, as I am sure most of you do. First, it is an excellent adaptation of the book. They managed to follow the story line extremely well. Yes, somethings were left out, but all and all, they did a great job. Second, Rosaline Russell rocks! It doesn't matter what character she plays, she is fantastic, but she IS Mame, nobody can do it like her. Forget about the musical version (MAME) with Lucille Ball ( who is a great actress in her own right, but certainly not in the same ballpark with Ms. Russell). Third, it is not only funny, but heartwarming. The relationship between Mame and Patrick speaks volumes about what love should be, completely accepting of who the other person is, even if you don't always agree with them or like what they do. Fantastic family film, fun for everyone.

With a perfect match between character and actress, Rosalind Russell's unforgettable performance as "Auntie Mame" is almost enough to carry the whole movie by itself. The story is also interesting, if quite contrived, and most of the supporting cast helps out when needed. The variety of settings and situations also helps to make the movie an effective portrait of a life.

The story works best when taken as an appreciative but light-hearted portrayal of a memorable character. Many of Mame's adventures are stylized, and they work best when not taken too seriously. Given that, there are plenty of amusing sequences, and just enough thoughtful moments to maintain some balance.

Russell herself is in her element. With a character whom it is almost impossible to overplay, she gives the role plenty of energy and charm. She also works very well with the other characters, giving believable (given the character) and usually interesting reactions to what they say and do.

In the supporting cast, Forrest Tucker and Peggy Cass make good use of their scenes, and Fred Clark works well as Mame's frequent adversary. Coral Browne gets some good moments as Mame's old friend. The filming was approached in a rather stagy fashion, yet much of the time this seems appropriate. All told, the movie has a number of strengths, yet the memory most likely to remain is Russell's portrait of Mame herself.

"Auntie Mame" is a comedy for all time. It was released in 1958, and it remains a cinematic treasure for all to enjoy. Rosalind Russell gives the performance of her lifetime. She remains quick and witty throughout the film as Mame Dennis, the delightfully funny aunt of Patrick Dennis whose deceased father puts her in charge of his life. The author, also by the name of Patrick Dennis, deserves kudos for this excellent film adaptation. One of the more memorable characters, Agnes Gouch, played by Peggy Cass, provides the audience with comic antics that make you chuckle for days after viewing this picture. It is a perfectly delightful comedy that must be in the serious collector's film library. Don't miss it.

From the cartoon kaleidoscope opening to the last walk up the staircase for Mame Dennis, this comically-contrived and highly theatrical movie version of the celebrated Broadway success is nevertheless pleasing in almost every sense. Director Morton DaCosta, who also helmed the stage version, uses the theatricality of the piece to his advantage, giving the proceedings the shiny look and feel of a holiday bauble. The movie takes off running, bursting with chatter and frivolity, and Rosalind Russell is a great crazy-quilt hostess, often going in three directions at once. The story of an orphaned lad in 1928 who goes to live with his batty aunt in New York City started life as a book by Patrick Dennis, with Russell playing the lead once it was turned into a play. The film-version doesn't try to disguise the stage origins, but then it doesn't really have to; DaCosta keeps the pacing so brisk, with characters entering and exiting rapidly, that initially the viewer may feel as though something important may have been missed. The picture isn't loaded down with artificial charm. On the contrary, the romantic sub-plot between Russell and oil tycoon Forrest Tucker (which, again, is quick--in and out) is genuinely sweet (this is Tucker's triumph as much as it is Russell's) and the supporting players are impeccably well-cast, bouncing off each other like frenetic ornaments. While the plot does slip into an episodic structure (and does feel a bit lengthy), the smooth maneuvering of characters and quirks and hang-ups and hang-overs is an awful lot of fun. As for Russell, she gives shading and feeling to this woman; her exuberance can be taken as a put-on (for laughs), yet we never lose sight of Mame Dennis as a ballsy, bright lady, and she never lapses into bitchiness. Mame may have been real, or maybe just a literary confection, but she isn't a phony. She believes life is a banquet, and gets us to believe it too. *** from ****

Sometimes you see a movie and you know that the actor or actress in it was born to play that part.

Clark Gable in Gone with the Wind

Bette Davis in All About Eve

Barbra Streisand in Hello, Dolly

Rosalind Russell in Auntie Mame

I love Russell and the parts she played. She was a liberated woman before the rest of the world knew that women needed to be liberated.

But in Auntie Mame she reached her peak. Mame is so vibrant and alive. She flaunts every one of Mame's eccentricities without stepping over the line into caricature. She also brings alive Mame's decency, compassion and tolerance. When I watch it, I almost feel ashamed of myself for being such a stick in the mud.

I enjoyed the musical with Lucille Ball, but all the way through it - I wanted it to be Rosalind Russell playing the part. It takes very little imagination on my part to hear her singing the songs. Rosalind, you are "just sensational" as Mame.