"You'll just love...MAMA!"
Norwegian immigrant Marta Hanson keeps a firm but loving hand on her household of four children, a devoted husband and a highly-educated lodger who reads great literature to the family every evening. Through financial crises, illnesses and the small triumphs of everyday life, Marta maintains her optimism and sense of humor, traits she passes on to her aspiring-author daughter, Katrin.
Irene Dunne
Mama
Barbara Bel Geddes
Katrin
Oskar Homolka
Uncle Chris
Philip Dorn
Papa
Cedric Hardwicke
Mr. Hyde
Edgar Bergen
Mr. Thorkelson
Rudy Vallee
Dr. Johnson
Barbara O'Neil
Jessie Brown
Florence Bates
Florence Dana Moorhead
Norwegian immigrant Marta Hanson keeps a firm but loving hand on her household of four children, a devoted husband and a highly-educated lodger who reads great literature to the family every evening. Through financial crises, illnesses and the small triumphs of everyday life, Marta maintains her optimism and sense of humor, traits she passes on to her aspiring-author daughter, Katrin.
The "Hansen' family arrive in San Francisco from Norway at the start of the twentieth century. Under the guidance of their matriarch "Mama" (Irene Dunne) the family set down roots and begin to live their lives in their new home - and for the next 2¼ hours we are immersed in a chronicle of their trials and tribulations. It is recounted largely from the perspective of the daughter "Katrin" (Barbara Bel Geddes) who regales us in a gentle and charming fashion as she, her father (Philip Dorn); Uncle "Chris" (Oscar Homolka) and an extended collection of "family" navigate their new surroundings. This film goes nowhere fast, like life itself it is not a pace fest, but the characterisations are richly presented with George Stevens taking his time to let them all breathe, to develop and explain their idiosyncrasies, loves and aspirations. It's a very personal character study this with Dunne, Homolka, Bel Geddes on top form and also featuring a delightfully nuanced contribution from Ellen Corby (whom I only ever really recall seeing as "Grandma" in "The Waltons") resulting in Oscar nominations for all four. It's a story to just let wash over you with dialogue that can be both intense and quite witty. It may trigger reminiscences of your own childhood or experiences and though I'd be fibbing if I didn't admit that it does drag at times, that oddly enough adds authenticity to what it's trying to do - and that is to be a plausible real life story where nothing much actually happens!
When David Smallbone's successful music company collapses, he moves his family from Australia to the United States in search of a brighter future. With nothing more than their six children, their suitcases, and their love of music, David and his pregnant wife Helen set out to rebuild their lives from the ground up. Based on a remarkable true story, a mum's faith stands against all odds; and inspires her husband and children to hold onto theirs.
In Brooklyn circa 1900, the Nolans manage to enjoy life on pennies despite great poverty and Papa's alcoholism. We come to know these people well through big and little troubles: Aunt Sissy's scandalous succession of "husbands"; the removal of the one tree visible from their tenement; and young Francie's desire to transfer to a better school...if irresponsible Papa can get his act together.
Young Cedric Errol and his widowed mother live in genteel poverty in 1880s Brooklyn after the death of his father. Cedric's grandfather, the Earl of Dorincourt, has long ago disowned his son for marrying an American. But after the death of the Earl's remaining son, he decides to accept Cedric as his heir.
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The oldest son of a loving and strong family of black sharecroppers comes of age in the Depression-era South after his father is imprisoned for stealing food.
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A young Jewish man is torn between tradition and individuality when his old-fashioned family objects to his career as a jazz singer. This is the first full length feature film to use synchronized sound, and is the original film musical.
Nancy Drew, a smart high schooler with a penchant for keen observation and deduction, stumbles upon the haunting of a local home. A bit of an outsider struggling to fit into her new surroundings, Nancy and her pals set out to solve the mystery, make new friends, and establish their place in the community
Set in the Ozark Mountains during the Great Depression, Billy Coleman works hard and saves his earnings for 2 years to achieve his dream of buying two coonhound pups. He develops a new trust in God as he faces overwhelming challenges in adventure and tragedy roaming the river bottoms of Cherokee country with "Old Dan" and "Little Ann."