I Remember Mama - Warner Archive Collection

After all the horror he witnessed as a documentarian during World War II, director George Stevens embraced nostalgia upon his return from battle-ravaged Europe. Depicting a kinder, gentler time when our biggest concerns were simply the welfare of our family and weathering day-to-day domestic storms was important to Stevens, who was deeply affected by his experiences abroad. The man who began his career shooting Laurel and Hardy shorts and rose to fame with such acclaimed social satires as Alice Adams, Woman of the Year, and The More the Merrier now viewed comedy as a frivolous diversion and sought to examine the darker side of humanity and struggle between good and evil instead.

I Remember Mama is the bridge linking the pre-war and post-war Stevens. While this lyrical adaptation of the highly successful Broadway play exhibits many of the qualities that distinguish Stevens' earlier movies, a more serious tone emerges. Gentle comedy peppers the story of a Norwegian immigrant family living in turn-of-the-century San Francisco, but drama predominates. Though the trials the Hanson family face can't compare with those brought on by a devastating world war, they are no less wrenching for this middle class clan struggling to make ends meet. Such relatable issues as sickness, death, coming of age, and family dynamics make up this episodic film that reinforces the core values most of us hold dear.

Told in flashback by the eldest daughter Katrin (Barbara Bel Geddes), who has just written a memoir about her childhood, I Remember Mama is a series of vignettes about the Hanson family. The connective tissue, of course, is Mama (Irene Dunne), who consistently exhibits her strength, wisdom, empathy, moral fiber, optimism, faith, and common sense through thick and thin. Devoted to her husband Lars (Philip Dorn) and their four children, Mama (a.k.a. Marta) rules the roost with grace and a firm yet bendable hand. She frugally manages the family's finances (her pronouncement each week after balancing the books that "we will not have to go to the bank" signals with great relief their solvency), mediates sibling disputes, champions her offspring's dreams, and finesses relationships with her three sisters and one especially cantankerous brother, Uncle Chris (Oscar Homolka), whose gruff demeanor and scandalous lifestyle - he lives with a woman (Barbara O'Neil) who is not his wife - intimidate his nieces and nephew.

The engagement of Marta's spinster sister Trina (Ellen Corby) and the severe illness of her youngest daughter Dagmar (June Hedin) are major plot points, but every character gets a chance to shine in the tightly woven screenplay by DeWitt Bodeen, best-known for scripting the classic horror movies Cat People and The Seventh Victim. (He also co-wrote the tender romance The Enchanted Cottage .) The play's author, the acclaimed John Van Druten (whose I Am a Camera would be musicalized as Cabaret after his death), adapted the material, which - thanks to Stevens - exudes a distinct cinematic feel.

Opening up a play is no simple task, but Stevens' creative use of the camera and uncanny ability to zero in on small moments and capture their ephemeral nature keeps I Remember Mama from exuding a stagy feel. A master of close-ups, Stevens transmits myriad subtle emotions through his actors' expressive faces. It's no wonder four members of the cast earned Oscar nominations for their sensitive portrayals.

Dunne leads the list with her restrained yet vital performance. Donning some padding to give Marta a middle-aged, zaftig look and nailing the Norwegian accent, Dunne fully inhabits the part, which would turn out to be her last great role. I Remember Mama would also mark Dunne's fifth and final Oscar nod (she lost to Jane Wyman in Johnny Belinda), and though she never won the award, her contributions to her craft over the course of her 20-year film career cannot be overstated. Reportedly, Greta Garbo was originally approached to play Marta, but she refused to come out of retirement. Garbo might have been amazing, but it's impossible to imagine anyone other than Dunne in the role.

Bel Geddes, in just her second film, received a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her luminous portrayal. Though 25 at the time of filming, Bel Geddes utterly embodies the teenage Katrin and deftly projects the character's gradual maturation. It's a highly accomplished performance and makes one rue the fact that Hollywood would soon shun the actress because studio executives didn't think she projected the necessary sex appeal to attract audiences.

Homolka recreated his stage role in the movie and files a vibrant, engaging portrayal. His wild, unkempt eyebrows and mustache sometimes grab too much attention, but his wonderfully expressive face and a sour demeanor that hides a heart of gold make him an endearing and memorable figure. He, too, earned an Oscar nod, but lost to another actor with raging eyebrows and a scraggly beard, Walter Huston in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

And then there's the fabulous, often unheralded, always adorable Ellen Corby. The woman we know best as Grandma Walton on the long-running 1970s TV drama The Waltons enhanced countless movies during Hollywood's Golden Age and beyond, but rarely received a more prominent or captivating role than Trina in I Remember Mama. Authenticity oozes from Corby's pores and she brings so much warmth and humor to the film. She also earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination, but she and Bel Geddes were no match for the boozy, tragic Claire Trevor in Key Largo.

In addition, Rudy Vallee, Edgar Bergen (without his constant companion Charlie McCarthy), Sir Cedric Hardwicke, and Florence Bates add flavor to the film in colorful character parts.

After I Remember Mama, Stevens would begin addressing serious themes that reflected American post-war attitudes and potent issues like ambition and social climbing (A Place in the Sun), standing up to the mob (Shane), wealth and racism (Giant), and anti-Semitism (The Diary of Anne Frank). The more sedate and comforting I Remember Mama sometimes gets lost amid those towering achievements, but its warmth and humanity continue to resonate. Nostalgia often nourishes the soul and I Remember Mama reminds us that family is elixir of life.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray
I Remember Mama arrives on Blu-ray packaged in a standard case. Video codec is 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 and audio is DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono. Once the disc is inserted into the player, the static menu without music immediately pops up; no previews or promos precede it.

A new HD master struck from a 4K scan of nitrate preservation elements yields a lovely 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 transfer that faithfully honors the Oscar-nominated cinematography of Nicholas Musuraca. Grain is beautifully resolved, but enough remains to maintain a palpable film-like feel. Clarity and contrast are generally excellent. Though some shots exhibit a grainier, softer look, such instances are sporadic and don't detract from the overall viewing experience. Deep blacks, bright, stable whites, and balanced grays produce a pleasing picture that brims with detail and depth. Close-ups are especially revealing. Every scraggly mustache and eyebrow hair on Homolka's face is distinct, as are the crow's feet around Dunne's eyes and the teardrops that often dot Bel Geddes' cheeks. Shadow delineation is quite good and no dirt, nicks, or scratches sully the pristine print. This is another fine effort from Warner Archive that will surely please the movie's fans.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono track supplies clear, well-modulated sound. A wide dynamic scale embraces all the highs and lows of Roy Webb's score without any distortion, and sonic accents like cable car bells, shattering china, and boat horns are crisp. Subtleties like footsteps come through cleanly, all the dialogue is easy to comprehend, and no age-related hiss, pops, or crackle intrude. 

The only extra is the movie's re-release trailer. Sadly, the introduction by George Stevens, Jr. from the 2004 DVD is not included on the disc.

• Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2 minutes)

The timeless family dynamics, relatable emotions, and a host of affecting performances ensure we will always remember I Remember Mama. Dunne's last great role makes an indelible impression and Stevens' sensitive direction perfectly suits the delicate material. The new HD master struck from a 4K scan of original nitrate preservation elements and remastered audio revitalize this very sweet film that reinforces the values we cherish most. Highly Recommended.