Pros: Rosalind Russell is utterly divine as Mame Dennis, a sort of bohemian former actress living in New York City when she inherits her young nephew, Patrick (first Jan Handzlik, then Roger Smith) whom she immediately adores. The plot is also solid on how Mame lives an eccentric and varied lifestyle while her brother has only traditional, conservative plans for Patrick and the dinner scene toward the end is utterly brilliant.
Cons: Based on a stage play, it is portrayed in a similar fashion with fade outs and spotlights as the scene is preparing to change which is such a shame. The one scene with Mame and her editor, Brian O'Bannion (Roger Hughes) is also borderline assault. Those are my only problems with the film, as this is one of the few that actually includes an epilogue.
Recommend: Yes
Grade: A-
Side Notes:
-This was daring for showing what is believed to be an unmarried, pregnant woman, Mame's former secretary, the geeky Agnes Gooch (Oscar-nominated Peggy Cass, great), though as it turns out, she didn't dream her wedding after all.
-Tuna is already puréed, it doesn't need to be blended again.
-Going to school in the nude is always bizarre.
-Sure, Mame tried to upstage her friend, Vera (Coral Browne), but their friendship was stronger than that.
-Despite Mame being an educated, worldly woman, she fails at several entry-level positions, though to be fair, being a switchboard operator is terribly confusing.
-Once we saw Patrick with Pegeen (Pippa Scott), Mame's new secretary, we knew it was all over with his fiancé, the brassy Gloria (Joanna Barnes), and thank goodness.
-This film also touches a bit on anti-Semitism and how Mame is appalled by that and how she exacts her revenge.
-I'm glad Mame wrote a book, she certainly lived a crazy and interesting and worthwhile life.
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