Review of Auntie Mame (1958) by J D — 25 Mar 2008

I'd probably give this four stars for the overall movie, but Rosalind Russell's performance is so wonderful that the extra star is for her. There definitely could have been moments where the movie dragged in places, but her performance is just so damned infectious that you can't help but smile even in the most contrived scenes.

And for 1958, this was pretty darn risque. Double entendres abound, there are jokes about an all-nude children's school, and a pretty funny sub-plot surrounding an unwed mother. And some great light-hearted but pointed criticism of anti-Semitism, as well.

The other stand-out here is Peggy Cass as Agnes Gooch, who nearly steals her scenes from Russell, which is no mean feat considering how strong Russell is in her role. A funny, entertaining movie, very enjoyable!