Reviews

This movie has nothing to do with race and surprisingly little with religion - and everything to do with faith. Lilia Skala as Mother Maria is the formidable mother superior with an implacable faith in the future of her very small group of nuns on their own in a foreign land (United States). For her, a chapel symbolizes that future. Into her path strays Homer Smith, a drifting handyman played flawlessly, humanely, brilliantly, by Sidney Poitier. Everyone else in this movie are just grace notes, as the dynamics between these two play out in a soul-satisfying drama ending with a graceful, poignant final scene.

A grownup Peter Pan, with children of his own, trying (or rather, not trying) to capture the magic of youth when everything is possible. A grownup return to Never-Never Land. An exciting director, an actor capable of greatness (but who can overact dreadfully at times), an imaginative story line - the mind boggles with the possibilities. However, this film could serve as a benchmark for movies whose concept is so exciting and whose execution is so mundane. A great pity.

This movie is as much about books as Bull Durham is about baseball or Rocky is about boxing. It is a story about people and relationships and the myriad things that can happen while we experience this thing called life. If a wonderfully acted, beautifully written movie dealing with that theme interests you then turn off the telephone, put the kids to bed, and curl up for an entrancing experience.

There is no other Auntie Mame. Try as they might, other actresses are but pale shadow figures compared to the magnetic Rosalind Russell. There are so many one-liners that it takes at least 3 viewings to catch them all since you find yourself laughing so hard (or crying) that the next line can sail right past. Agnes Gooch (as played by Peggy Cass) is a prototype character that most everyone will meet through life - sad, uptight, afraid to live. Jan Handzlik as the young Patrick does not receive enough credit for playing young and innocent without drowning the viewer in "cuteness" - and is a perfect foil for Mame. One of the most common comments is "I wish I had an Aunt like Mame" - but, I think, most of the real fans really wish they had the courage to BE Mame.