Mame

[Irene Kampen Tripp]

I can't say Rosiland's Mame is better than Lucille's Mame because they are different type actresses. It is seriously like the old cliche: apples and oranges. I have to say I like them both, but I feel Lucille's Mame suffers from poor diection and poor editing!! Of course Lucille's Mame is my favorite, but Rosiland's Mame does explore charecter deeper.. maybe the musical was truely wriiten that way or mayber the movie had sceens cut for time .. I think it's ridiculous if they did.., what would audiences do if they felt the movie was too long?? Change the channel??? Anyway.. I think Lucille looks great in that blue dress riding in the carriage with Beaureguard up towards Peckerwood. And I really like her renditon of "If He Walked into My Life" she sings with such emotion, I seriously tear up every time. And I love "Dory, Claude... I can't begin to tell you what I think of your house". And that sceen with grown Patrick.. "I'm perfectly capable of walking myself to my car...".. and of course the horse riding sceen with "Lightnig Rod".. sooo much better than the Rosiland horse sceen..And let's face it.. BEA is the definitive VERA.. love her sooo much in this film!! What do you guys like/dislike of the movie? And what is your opinion of Lucille's and Rosiland's MAME?? I'm sure I have more to say on the topic, just curious what the others here think.

[mikidiki]

Never seen any other Mame apart from Lucy's version. I refuse to see any other. As far as I'm concerned Lucy is the ONLY Mame! (and you should think that as well sassafrassa1911! ;-) )

[Brock]

I don't think it is fair to compare them because both are completely separate, adapted from different source material. While both find their origins in the novel Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis, Roz's Mame is derived from the theatrical play of the same name, while Lucy's is obviously adapted from the Broadway musical. Both movies though suffered from poor direction though. I HATE when Morton DaCosta blacks out the entire frame except for the principal characater in the scene, but i digress.

 

Roz's Mame explores the character more in-depth but, then again, she had more space to do so. The musical version had to make way for songs.

 

Bottom Line: "Mame" had Lucy AND Bea Arthur. How can you beat that combo?

[C L A U D E]

Lucy manages to give a couple of THEATRICAL LOOKS during her version but Roz does it over the top theatrically all the way through, and some people hate that Broadway fake theatricallity, i know i do. The kid in Roz' version looks the part, a little pansy you just want to shake into reality but Lucy's kid is terrific, cute and you just love him. Lucy's MAME definitely suffered from horrid direction, ah yes, if only she had not broken her leg and lost the original director, she might have gotten that Oscar. True, comparing the two actresses is wrong, the two films are very different also, a musical in '74 when audiences had given up on them and would not make them popular until decades later, Dolly had flopped also five years earlier and it's a shame that two of the greatest musicals ever to be produced on Broadway did not succeed better on screen. I think both actresses were wonderful bigger than life dames who were adored by their worshipful boys. I watch Mame at least twice a year, Roz' version once a decade, i can never get over my love for the way Lucy is photographed, in that gorgeous quarter million dollar wardrobe doing what she does best, as i've said a thousand times, if Lucy loves what she's doing, it comes through on film and she had a BALL making this movie. Lucy might even have saved DOLLY, Streisand although golden voiced was much too young for Dolly, Lucy wanted the role and might have done better with it but the lacking comedy in both roles is what did her in. People go see Lucy in a movie to laugh, not to hear her sing. That one funny scene on roller skates does not a movie make.

[Will]

I like Lucy's fox hunt and Mame production better than the fox hunt scene with Roz because it is more life looking and it more vibrant. The kid in Lucy's Mame is much more cuter and plays better with Lucy. Roz' Mame does explore the character better and she is hilarious, but Lucy's Mame has more class. The whole supporting cast is much better in Lucy's Mame. I can't stand the actress who played Gloria Upson or Forrest Tucker, but PEggy Cass is hilarious. I also like how in Roz's AUntie Mame PEgeen Ryan (the funny Pippa Scott) is different from Angus Gooch. It is reare a 50 year old woman could have a child and while I like Jane Connell it dampened a little have 2 characters from the book merged into one. While being a Lucy fan, as a movie comparsion Lucy still wins.

[C L A U D E]

I like Lucy's fox hunt and Mame production better than the fox hunt scene with Roz because it is more life looking and it more vibrant. The kid in Lucy's Mame is much more cuter and plays better with Lucy. Roz' Mame does explore the character better and she is hilarious, but Lucy's Mame has more class. The whole supporting cast is much better in Lucy's Mame. I can't stand the actress who played Gloria Upson or Forrest Tucker, but PEggy Cass is hilarious. I also like how in Roz's AUntie Mame PEgeen Ryan (the funny Pippa Scott) is different from Angus Gooch. It is reare a 50 year old woman could have a child and while I like Jane Connell it dampened a little have 2 characters from the book merged into one. While being a Lucy fan, as a movie comparsion Lucy still wins.

Lucy always wins all right, ask a hundred people on the street who Roz Russell is and see how many still remember her, she was a great actress but few would know her today, or her work. I remember seeig Roz at an I Love Lucy taping, she admired Lucy's work and vice versa, they might have been casual freinds also as they both hung out with Sinatra who was a great friend of hers.

[Irene Kampen Tripp]

HEYYYY.. glad their is an audience for this topic! I remember reading or hearing somewhere.. that Lucille thought Roz based her AUNTIE MAME on her(Lucille's) LUCY RICARDO. And, for the record, I love Rosiland Russell, and like Auntie Mame quite a bit. I have to say at first, I couldn't stand the STAGEY way the movie played, and I hated having the background grow dark, while illuminating Roz, (back then, it was Lucy or no-see); however, now that I am a wee bit more sophisticated, I can appreciate things that once I couldn't. Now I have to say, the STAGEY way that movie plays and the darkening of the background works because it is based on a PLAY.. so that no longer bothers me... I do really like the sceen in Roz's version when all the furniture moves up and down "Isn't it marvelous, so easy to sweep under"..and "There now,.. are we all LIT?".. and I like it when Roz is like "Mr. Babbit, Bubbellle,.. " "That's BABCOCK".. their are moments in Roz's and it does have a nifty-fifties slick cinemascope look that I do like.. Lucille's MAME looks more realistic and less theatrical which I must say, at first bothered me.. in fact, when I was real little, I didin't like the movie at all.. but now I watch it shoot... about 10 times a year.. really I do! I had my answering machine say "Agnus, stop being so afraid, get out there and live, LIVE... LIVE???.. YES! Life is a banquet and most poor sons of bitches are starving to death!" Some of my fav moments from Lucille's MAME (and this is what happens after memorizing the movie).. LOVE when Vera enters..singing.. IT'S a time for.. making merry.. and while singing.. taps that dude with her black purse! OR.. when they meet at that cafe.. "YOU'VE lost beatuy sleep vera (slight eyebrow lift).. it hardly shows".. or "OH they look yummy.. what is it?.. BAKED MONKEY".. and when Lucille says.. "That bastard!.. the word dear is bastard.. B A S T A R D . And it means, Mr. Babcock".. that kills me.. "Someone's been sleeping in my dress!".. OH.. and when she passes out and they carry her up the steps and that martini glass is still in her mouth!!! OH my god!! I'm cracking up now just thinkin about it.. They were really good together in that movie.. too bad they didn't have more sceens together.. (kinda like Bette Davis and Maggie Smith in Death on the Nile.. but that's another time on a different website)..speaking of Bette Davis, I must admit, my love and admiration for Lucille has seriously led to me being an older film NUT!!.. I wouldn't have watched Bette in the past, but now I love her.. and TCM really is my fav cable channel.. and Robert Osbourne was actually recruited by Lucille for her Desilu Stock performers (along with Carole Cook).. but I guess I'm preachin to the choir here!..

Did any of you know.. so many sceens were cut from MAME??? There was one where she opened the clock front and had a stach of gin.. and made Patrick a martini.. the clock that is in the background in a few sceens in her home on Beekman Place.. and isn't that peach lampshade beautifull, and don't you love how Mame updates her place, sometimes with new carpeting on the stairs, or new furnishings when she's back in the chips.. I really like this movie now (imagine that!) so if anyone knows about deleted sceens or wants to share favorite moments.. please do!

[C L A U D E]

HEYYYY.. glad their is an audience for this topic! I remember reading or hearing somewhere.. that Lucille thought Roz based her AUNTIE MAME on her(Lucille's) LUCY RICARDO. And, for the record, I love Rosiland Russell, and like Auntie Mame quite a bit. I have to say at first, I couldn't stand the STAGEY way the movie played, and I hated having the background grow dark, while illuminating Roz, (back then, it was Lucy or no-see); however, now that I am a wee bit more sophisticated, I can appreciate things that once I couldn't. Now I have to say, the STAGEY way that movie plays and the darkening of the background works because it is based on a PLAY.. so that no longer bothers me... I do really like the sceen in Roz's version when all the furniture moves up and down "Isn't it marvelous, so easy to sweep under"..and "There now,.. are we all LIT?".. and I like it when Roz is like "Mr. Babbit, Bubbellle,.. " "That's BABCOCK".. their are moments in Roz's and it does have a nifty-fifties slick cinemascope look that I do like.. Lucille's MAME looks more realistic and less theatrical which I must say, at first bothered me.. in fact, when I was real little, I didin't like the movie at all.. but now I watch it shoot... about 10 times a year.. really I do! I had my answering machine say "Agnus, stop being so afraid, get out there and live, LIVE... LIVE???.. YES! Life is a banquet and most poor sons of bitches are starving to death!" Some of my fav moments from Lucille's MAME (and this is what happens after memorizing the movie).. LOVE when Vera enters..singing.. IT'S a time for.. making merry.. and while singing.. taps that dude with her black purse! OR.. when they meet at that cafe.. "YOU'VE lost beatuy sleep vera (slight eyebrow lift).. it hardly shows".. or "OH they look yummy.. what is it?.. BAKED MONKEY".. and when Lucille says.. "That bastard!.. the word dear is bastard.. B A S T A R D . And it means, Mr. Babcock".. that kills me.. "Someone's been sleeping in my dress!".. OH.. and when she passes out and they carry her up the steps and that martini glass is still in her mouth!!! OH my god!! I'm cracking up now just thinkin about it.. They were really good together in that movie.. too bad they didn't have more sceens together.. (kinda like Bette Davis and Maggie Smith in Death on the Nile.. but that's another time on a different website)..speaking of Bette Davis, I must admit, my love and admiration for Lucille has seriously led to me being an older film NUT!!.. I wouldn't have watched Bette in the past, but now I love her.. and TCM really is my fav cable channel.. and Robert Osbourne was actually recruited by Lucille for her Desilu Stock performers (along with Carole Cook).. but I guess I'm preachin to the choir here!..

Did any of you know.. so many sceens were cut from MAME??? There was one where she opened the clock front and had a stach of gin.. and made Patrick a martini.. the clock that is in the background in a few sceens in her home on Beekman Place.. and isn't that peach lampshade beautifull, and don't you love how Mame updates her place, sometimes with new carpeting on the stairs, or new furnishings when she's back in the chips.. I really like this movie now (imagine that!) so if anyone knows about deleted sceens or wants to share favorite moments.. please do!

Did you know that Bette Davis desperately wanted the part of Vera and begged Warner Brothers, her old studio to get it for her but to no avail, everybody wanted Bea instead, including Lucy. Bette heard about the huge expense of Lucy's wardrobe in the film, a quarter million dollars so she offered to bring her own wardrobe for herself, but still no dice! LOL!