“Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death!” —Mame Dennis
Today’s quick review: Auntie Mame. After the untimely death of his father, Patrick Dennis (Jan Handzlik) is sent to live with his Auntie Mame (Rosalind Russell), a rich socialite with a flighty personality and eccentric friends. Not one to commit to any project for long, Mame nevertheless takes a liking to her young nephew and does her best to raise him well, even when hard times force her to give up her lavish lifestyle and seek an honest living.
Auntie Mame is a classic comedy about the changing fortunes of a middle-aged socialite and her loving nephew. The movie centers on the larger-than-life personality of Mame Dennis, whose friendly demeanor and broad but shallow interests make her the life of any party. Mame soon puts her own stamp on motherhood, and her relationship with Patrick endures through thick and thin. Light humor and a dash of heart make Auntie Mame a decent pick.
Auntie Mame’s strength lies with its main character. Mame is a dynamic character whose friends, life experiences, and lack of practical skills spice up any situation she’s in. The movie is a little too reliant on her for its comedy, gambling everything on a personality that simply won’t click with some viewers. The upshot is that Mame is an ample source of gags, and the film’s more dramatic scenes give her some much-needed depth.
Where Auntie Mame suffers is its story structure. The story is long and meandering, covering several distinct phases in Mame and Patrick’s lives. The different eras have very little to do with each other apart from the characters involved, and the tone vacillates between breezy comedy and borderline tragedy with little rhyme or reason. As a result, it can be hard to get into the larger rhythm of the movie beyond its individual scenes.
Auntie Mame is a hit-or-miss movie that will either be the touching tale of an optimistic woman finding her family or the rambling misadventures of a shallow socialite. Those with a taste for classic comedies who are willing to take a chance on an extravagant character may find that Auntie Mame finds a good balance of comedy and emotional impact. However, anyone who dislikes the main character will find that the humor and the story miss the mark.
[7.9 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051383/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for interesting character dynamics embedded in a messy story.