Review of Auntie Mame (1958) by Anna L — 04 Dec 2011

I can see why someone would revere the performance of Rosalind Russell in this performance. Virtually every scene shows her a nice eccentric spouting off words a mile a minute. Another performance adapted from the stage, Rosalind brings all of the dynamic shouting needed to carry a theater into a Hollywood studio. She's fun-loving in times of triumph, and steadfast in times of trouble.

Having said that, most of the script is just value-less fish out of water humor of a socialite who a.) inherits a child; b.) goes broke c.) marries a southerner and d.) puts on a proper face for New England WASP in-laws.

The jokes are simply not that funny, the resolve for each situation is never that interesting. They string together these storylines like they're moving from one episode of a bad sitcom to the next.

As an adapted stage screenplay, there's no real direction or cinematography or anything that makes it work as film. Certainly not enough to garner a Best Picture nom. And at 2:24- it is ENTIRELY too long. I was expecting each scene to have credits roll, but the bits seemed neverending. Russell gives a commanding performance, but it is not enough to recommend this.