Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This film has been considered a critical failure since the day it was released, and very unjustly so. I happen to find MAME quite charming and a lot of fun. The casting is super. I do not think Lucy was miscast, although I can understand how one might arrive at that opinion... Lucy was 62 years old during filming, but was playing a character 15-20 years her junior. Furthermore, one thing Lucy was NOT known for was being a singer, even though Mame is a musical role. But that's just what I find all the more appealing about this film... context is the key word here. Mame is not supposed to be Julie Andrews or Kathryn Grayson (although there are any number of musical actresses who would have made a fine Mame); a lower more raspy voice is more suited to the character. While no one will ever be able to top Rosalind Russell from the earlier nonmusical play and its 1958 film adaptation AUNTIE MAME, or Angela Lansbury from the Broadway cast of the musical, Lucy is in there trying her darndest and in my opinion pulls it off rather well. Playing Mame at 62 years old was no easy task I'm sure. Lucy really seems to be enjoying herself--just watch her during the "Mame" number...she almost seems to glow.
The supporting cast are outstanding. Bea Arthur is THE best Vera Charles, hands down. Seeing her and Lucy in "Bosom Buddies" is classic--whether or not they got along off camera is totally irrelavent. Robert Preston was born to play Beau, and Jane Connell reprises her role of Agnes Gooch, which she had played on Broadway. (Did you know she was nearly 50 in this film?)
MAME has been available on VHS for years, though it is now out of print, but still not really that hard to track down if you play your cards right. Unfortunately the VHS, while acceptable, is full frame (aka "pan-n-scan") and we really miss a lot by not having it in widescreen. The AUNTIE MAME DVD features the trailer for this film, in widescreen, and even that is fabulous.
COMING TO DVD IN JUNE 2007!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click Here to see more reviews about: Mame (1974)
Lucille Ball plays Auntie mame, loving life and living it to the hilt with her nephew and assorted eccentrics in tow. Robert Preston, Beatrice Arthur and Jerry Herman's smashing Broadway score add pizazz. Year: 1974 Director: Gene Saks Starring: Lucille Ball. Robert Preston, Bea Arthur
0 comments:
Post a Comment