Mame (1974)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Gene Saks

Writers:

Patrick Dennis (novel)
Jerome Lawrence (play)

Release Date:

27 March 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Musical

Tagline:

She'll coax the blues right out of your heart!

Plot:

The musical revolves around the antics of Mame Dennis, a fun-loving, wealthy eccentric with a flare for life and a razor sharp wit...

Plot Keywords:

Friendship Between Women | Remake | Christmas | Aunt Nephew Relationship | Based On Novel

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes.

Cast

Lucille Ball	...	Mame Dennis
Bea Arthur	...	Vera Charles
Robert Preston	...	Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside
Bruce Davison	...	The Older Patrick
Kirby Furlong	...	Young Patrick
Jane Connell	...	Agnes Gooch
Joyce Van Patten	...	Sally Cato
Doria Cook-Nelson	...	Gloria Upson (as Doria Cook)
Don Porter	...	Mr. Upson
Audrey Christie	...	Mrs. Upson
John McGiver	...	Mr. Babcock
Bobbie Jordan	...	Pegeen (as Bobbi Jordan)
Patrick Labyorteaux	...	Peter
Lucille Benson	...	Mother Burnside
Ruth McDevitt	...	Cousin Fan

Runtime:

132 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:G | UK:A (theatrical) | UK:PG (video rating) | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Bob Hope Airport - 2627 Hollywood Way, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

American Broadcasting Company (ABC)

Trivia:

The first image seen of Lucille Ball, the b/w portrait seen in the den preceding the main titles, is a shot taken during the "Open A New Window" segment at the burlesque theatre, which takes place later in the movie. She's in the same dress, hat and fox wrap, and even has her hands in a bag of popcorn.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Mame, Agnes, Ito, and Patrick are preparing to dine with Beau, Mame remarks, "I never thought Santa Claus would look so much like Rhett Butler." This part of the movie is set in the early Great Depression, well before Gone with the Wind (1939) or even the book (1936) was released.

Quotes:

Mame: Could you be persuaded to have a drink, dear?
Vera Charles: Well, maybe just a TINY triple!

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 80th Annual Academy Awards (2008) (TV)

Soundtrack:

We Need A Little Christmas

Ghastly

This is a terrible movie, and I'm not even sure why it's so terrible. It's ugly, for one, with that trendy 1970s visual style that maybe seemed like a good idea at the time but which now enables one to instantly recognize a film from that time period as being a 70s product. The film retains the story and songs that made the stage version of the musical such a hit, but the songs sound lifeless on screen. But mostly, the movie sucks because of the wan performance of Lucille Ball, who you'd think would be able to make something of this larger-than-life character if anyone could. She sleepwalks through the movie like a terrified actress choking on her opening night, and the film sinks with her. Even Bea Arthur, who I bet was hilarious in the best friend role onstage, can't breathe any life into this stinker.

Avoid at all costs.

Grade: D