AUNTIE MAME REVIEWED
“Auntie Mame” is older theater kid fodder. It seems that went “Rent” came on the scene, this is one of the musicals that fell out of favor. It’s kind of odd as this film always felt coded. Sure, surface level reads suggest that it’s just an independent woman breaking societal norms in the 20s-50s. After watching the film for about the 10th time, I always wondered if it was meant to be about an old NYC queen. The material reads the same for eccentric rich lady and flamboyant gay dandy. Plus, it helps to make Patrick’s dad’s estate’s concerns matter more for the era.
There’s also the later stuff when Patrick grows up and his emerging family can’t understand the influence of Mame. He seems ashamed by it and tries to fight the influence of his Aunt upon his own family. Layers upon layers of material just smack me in the face after seeing this classic too much. Rosalind Russell deserved the Oscar nomination, but it was a tough year to win. Pick it up during the Holidays and see who ends up digging it.
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Isolated Score Track
- Trailers
A/V STATS
- 2.35:1 1080p transfer
- DTS-HD 2.0 MONO
[…] are a fan of 1950s drama that gets closer to the source material, then check out our review of the original movie. Somehow, the 1970s version lacks any real bite for some odd […]