Plot Details: This opinion reveals no details about the movie's plot.

It's easy to pass this movie off as sappy Hollywood schmaltz and to some degree it is. However you need to watch this movie keeping in mind the time in which it was made. In spite of it's saccharine coating it has a genuine quality that is difficult to discount. It is designed as a "tear jerker" and should be enjoyed as an example of the genre.

"Mama" is a the story of an immigrant family from Norway now living in San Francisco and their experiences making the transition from the old to new world. The story is written from the perspective of the oldest daughter (Barbara Bel Geddes) who is an aspiring writer and is full of adolescent angst which is sure to resound with audiences of any generation. Katrina struggles to understand her parents, their funny old ways and to find her place in this "modern" world while seemingly saddled with old world customs and values which she sees as being in conflict with her life's ambitions.

This is not an epic movie or great movie on the scale of the Godfather, which ironically shares some of the same themes, but it is a brilliantly acted and directed character study faithfully adapted from a well-crafted short story. It illustrates that there is no substitute for the trinity of good writing, good acting and good direction.

It is a shame that the title has been parodied as "I Dismember Mama" and this title has stuck in the minds of many people thus immediately trivializing the original and becoming a joke in spite of the fact that they have never seen it.

The majority of American families today enjoy the fruits of the labors of not too distant ancestors like the family depicted in this movie. This is a great movie for preteen kids and some not-to-jaded teens and twenties who might like to better understand what their grandparents and great-grandparents were experiencing.

On the performance level every single character is an unforgettable gem including Uncle Chris, Aunt Trina, Mr. Torkelson and little Dagmar.

Why not pull out some of those old black and white family photos with faces that no longer have names. Tell your kids what old stories and legends you remember about your family, then make a bowl of popcorn and imagine that "I Remember Mama" represents the home movies of those nameless faces. Whether you are descended of Scandinavian, European or Asian immigrants the story underlying the details will be the same.

I give this movie 3 eyeballs because you should watch it with your kids and grandma.






Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12