jhkp Even before I saw Mame, back in 1973, or '74, I questioned how anyone could think Lucille Ball (of whom I was and am a huge fan) could be right to play the sophisticated-but-with-a-heart-of-gold Auntie Mame. She just had no Mame-like qualities. A lot of the humor of the earlier, non-musical version is just missing here. The Upsons, for example, were funny parodies of upper middle class suburban snobs in the original. No parodies, here; they're just cold and mean. There even seems to be an effort to make the story into a heartrending Stella Dallas-like drama, at times. The touch is heavy where it should be light.Yes, it probably should have been Angela Lansbury, but when has Angela Lansbury ever carried a major film? Bedknobs and Broomsticks? Frankly I doubt she could have rescued this turgid mess, either, and when all is said and done, she's no Rosalind Russell.A bright spot in the mire is Joyce Van Patten, who does a lot with a little as malicious Southern belle Sally Cato. And Robert Preston does well, acting and singing, as Beau. Jane Connell, who replaced Madeleine Kahn, had played Gooch on Broadway 10 years earlier. At almost 50, playing a hapless, soon-to-be-unwed-mother, singing "What Do I Do Now?", she's more pathetic than humorous. The 1958 film had scope. Good storytelling and dramatics. Charm, lightness, sophistication. Good design and direction. And most of all, intelligence. Roz Russell was brilliant, and that certainly helped a lot. This film seems so puny, heartless, flat, and even absurd, at times. You may find yourself shaking your head a lot.

skie763 1 out of 10. Too bad you don't accept fractions. In my opinion there was no reason to make this awful film. I angered me so just to watch it! That had never happened to me while watching any other film. I know I kept comparing it to the amazing,brilliant,wonderful Auntie Mame with Rosalind Russell while watching it but that's the point. Changing some of the brilliant dialog is one thing. But what about just a little character development? One minute Robert Preston is skiing and the next he is dead! They change the part of Peggy to some boring scullery maid with a horrible fake Irish accent. Patrick does not even know shes in the same room and in the next scene they are married! The character of Gooch was completely ruined. There was no reason to turn her in to an unmarried slut And what was with that horrifying kid at the end? They change his name from Michael to Peter??? Why??? He was so bad...and had such an annoying voice i wanted to kick my television. This had so much potential but was done so poorly. There was no reason for the lousy changes,poor character development and some of the funniest moments eliminated. Yes I know it's a different version being a musical and all but it still made me throw up.

bkoganbing Maybe had Mame come to the big screen a little sooner, Angela Lansbury would have had the opportunity to recreate her famous stage triumph and the high point of her career. We're all the poorer for not having a Lansbury Mame on film.In the early Sixties Lucille Ball did Wildcat on Broadway which was a good fit for her. The only memorable song from the score was Hey Look Me Over which became identified with her. Why she didn't try to get that to the screen is a mystery.Instead she poached on Lansbury's territory and the results were a less than memorable Mame. And Lucy just never gets the Mame Dennis character down properly. It's as if Lucy Ricardo just went Bohemian. Those who liked the musical on Broadway never warmed to this version and fans of Lucille Ball never did either.

arsportsltd Lucille Ball was very fine as Mame Dennis in the Warner Bros film "Mame". Starting with the terrific opening sequence the rest of the film was what Warner Bros and Lucille Ball wanted, a photographed Play. Lucille Ball started her career as a showgirl in the 20's and nearly 50 years later still had a terrific showgirl figure. I liked Robert Preston as the male star. Bruce Davison had a fine start to his career and does well in this movie. To those who still years after this movie opened still complain about the casting of Lucille Ball, the fact is that money talks. Lucille Ball was the only star of her contemporaries who could have opened this Warner Bros picture as well as it did. Great songs from Jerry Herman, and choreography by Oona White. Additonally there has been some carping on these boards that Ms. Ball invested $5 Million US Dollars to co produce Mame and insure her casting. On a YouTube Video with Ms. Ball on the Phil Donahue show the host asks Ms. Ball if she wanted the movie to be a hit for the Studio. Ms. Ball replies on YouTube that "It wasn't My studio, it was Warner Bros., but no one wants to be in a flop". I hope this settles once and for all: Lucille Ball did not invest in Mame as a ploy to be its star. David Barra Los Angeles