i remember mama

I Remember Mama is a play by John Van Druten. Based on the memoir Mama's Bank Account by Kathryn Forbes, it focuses on a loving family of Norwegian immigrants living on Steiner Street (identified as Larkin Street in the 1948 film) in San Francisco in the 1910s.

Produced by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, the Broadway production opened on October 19, 1944 at the Music Box Theatre and ran for 713 performances.

The cast included Mady Christians, Oscar Homolka, Joan Tetzel, and Marlon Brando, making his Broadway debut. Contents [hide] 1 Screen adaptation 1.1 Synopsis 1.2 Production notes 1.3 Principal cast 1.4 Critical reception 1.5 Awards and nominations 2 Additional adaptations 3 References 4 External links //

Screen adaptation I Remember Mama

DVD Cover with original film poster Directed by George Stevens Produced by Harriet Parsons

George Stevens Written by John Van Druten (play)

Kathryn Forbes (novel Mama's Bank Account)

DeWitt Bodeen (screenplay) Starring Irene Dunne

Barbara Bel Geddes

Oskar Homolka

Ellen Corby

Philip Dorn Music by Roy Webb Cinematography Nicholas Musuraca Editing by Robert Swink Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures (theatre)

Warner Home Video (DVD) Release date(s) March 9, 1948 Running time 134 mins Country United States Language English

The play was adapted for a 1948 feature film written by DeWitt Bodeen and directed by George Stevens.

Synopsis

The film begins with eldest daughter Katrin completing the last lines of her autobiographical novel. As she reminisces about her family life, we flashback to 1910, where the first of a series of vignettes finds Marta Hanson preparing the weekly budget with assistance from her husband Lars, daughters Katrin, Christine and Dagmar, and son Nels, who announces his desire to attend high school. Each family member offers to make a financial sacrifice to contribute to the boy's education.

Soon after, Marta's sister Trina arrives, announces she is marrying undertaker Peter Thorkelson, and implores Marta to break the news to their sisters Sigrid and Jenny. As Trina feared, the two laugh upon hearing the news, but when Marta threatens to reveal embarrassing anecdotes about them, the women agree to accept their sister's decision.

When Jonathan Hyde, the Hansons' educated but impoverished lodger, reads A Tale of Two Cities aloud for the family, all of them, especially aspiring writer Katrin, are deeply moved by the story. Later, the family is visited by Marta's gruff and domineering but soft-hearted Uncle Chris and his common law wife Jessie Brown. When Chris discovers youngest daughter Dagmar is severely ill with mastoiditis, he insists on taking her to the hospital. Because they disapprove of Jessie, Sigrid and Jenny attempt to stop him, but he bullies his way past them with Dagmar and her mother following behind.

Dagmar's