Product Details

• Actors: Lucille Ball, Robert Preston, Bea Arthur, Bruce Davison, Kirby Furlong
• Directors: Gene Saks
• Writers: Jerome Lawrence, Patrick Dennis, Paul Zindel, Robert E. Lee
• Producers: James Cresson, Robert Fryer
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• VHS Release Date: April 1, 1992
• Run Time: 132 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (249 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6300268853
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #147,106 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The 1974 film version of Mame stars legendary Lucille Ball and is based on the 1966 hit Broadway musical, not the 1958 movie. When 10-year-old Patrick Dennis's father dies, he is sent to live with his eccentric Auntie Mame. Mame may know nothing about being a parent, but she's got love and spontaneity in spades, and Patrick blooms in the time spent with her. Though Miss Ball seems sadly miscast when Mame begins (she's too old and can't sing), by the time the movie reaches the famous foxhunt scene when Mame accidentally wins the hunt, and in turn the heart of gallant Beauregard Burnside, you start to believe Lucy is Mame.

Reprising her Broadway role (for which she won a Tony), Bea Arthur plays Mame's boozy pal Vera Charles. Songs include the now-classic "We Need a Little Christmas" and "Bosom Buddies" plus "Loving You," sung by Robert Preston's Beau and written for this movie. --Dana Van Nest

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Lucy MAME dvd - beware incorrect info here!, June 21, 2007

By 

John M. (Southern CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mame (DVD)

Let's correct some erroneous info that's been posted here:

1. This dvd IS Anamorphic Widescreen, not Letterboxed, as has been reported. It is also a progressive transfer.

2. The film of MAME was never in stereo, not even in the theatres. It was always a mono film. George Feltenstein of Warner Home Video has said they spent quite a while trying to remix the tracks to stereo for dvd release, but were unable to because, among other reasons, of the tracks being pieced together so piecemeal to accomodate Lucy's vocals. Even the IMDB incorrectly states it was in Stereo, but it was indeed a Mono release theatrically.

So rest assured, if you are fan of the film or of Lucy, you are NOT missing anything with this dvd. The sound is the original mono, as heard in the theatres in 1974, and is quite satisfactory. And the picture is a very nice anamorphic transfer with few blemishes.

86 of 99 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I don't see what the problem is--, October 25, 2005

By 

Pope (United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mame [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This film has been considered a critical failure since the day it was released, and very unjustly so. I happen to find MAME quite charming and a lot of fun. The casting is super. I do not think Lucy was miscast, although I can understand how one might arrive at that opinion... Lucy was 62 years old during filming, but was playing a character 15-20 years her junior. Furthermore, one thing Lucy was NOT known for was being a singer, even though Mame is a musical role. But that's just what I find all the more appealing about this film... context is the key word here. Mame is not supposed to be Julie Andrews or Kathryn Grayson (although there are any number of musical actresses who would have made a fine Mame); a lower more raspy voice is more suited to the character. While no one will ever be able to top Rosalind Russell from the earlier nonmusical play and its 1958 film adaptation AUNTIE MAME, or Angela Lansbury from the Broadway cast of the musical, Lucy is in there trying her darndest and in my opinion pulls it off rather well. Playing Mame at 62 years old was no easy task I'm sure. Lucy really seems to be enjoying herself--just watch her during the "Mame" number...she almost seems to glow.

The supporting cast are outstanding. Bea Arthur is THE best Vera Charles, hands down. Seeing her and Lucy in "Bosom Buddies" is classic--whether or not they got along off camera is totally irrelavent. Robert Preston was born to play Beau, and Jane Connell reprises her role of Agnes Gooch, which she had played on Broadway. (Did you know she was nearly 50 in this film?)

MAME has been available on VHS for years, though it is now out of print, but still not really that hard to track down if you play your cards right. Unfortunately the VHS, while acceptable, is full frame (aka "pan-n-scan") and we really miss a lot by not having it in widescreen. The AUNTIE MAME DVD features the trailer for this film, in widescreen, and even that is fabulous.

COMING TO DVD IN JUNE 2007!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Been waiting forever for "Mame" to come out on dvd! YAY!!!, April 1, 2007

By 

Mr. Neal Bakke (Studio City, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mame (DVD)

I love, love, love, love, love this movie! I was 9 years old when "Mame" was released in April 1974. I was all ready a huge Lucy fan from the reruns of "I Love Lucy" on local channel 11 KTTV here in Los Angeles. So, when I went with my family to see "Mame" at The Cinerama Dome, I was in heaven.....in awe! To see "Lucy" up on the big screen singing and dancing, it transported me to another place. I remember it clearly, all these many, many, many years later as if it just happened earlier today.

Looking back at the film now, I can be a little more objective. It didn't even occur to me at the age of 9 that Lucille Ball couldn't sing. or, perhaps, was miscast. Should Angela Lansbury have done the film?? Probably. Would it have been a better film? Probably. Madeline Kahn would have been fantastic as Gooch, had she not been fired.

Lucille Ball's costumes are stunning, she never looked better. The title number is well worth the price of admission. It's a complete showstopper! Bea Arthur is brilliant as Vera Charles. Robert Preston is fantastic as Beau and with his extra song, "Loving You," makes him the perfect leading man for Lucille Ball.

When I watch this film on video, it takes me to another place. What I remember is the piece, the film. Can you remember where you were when you first saw it? That's what's important about art...not the reviews, not the number of awards it did or didn't win. Did it touch people's lives? Did it stand the test of time?

I agree with the one person who posted here that there should be more extras on the dvd. The episode from the LA Premiere that was on "The Merv Griffin Show" would be perfect, as would a comparison of the tv version...cleaning up some curse words, and different lines, to the original theatrical version. The theatrical version of "Mame," "down under" in Aust. is different from the US version. It has different camera angles, different takes, etc. All of this should be extras on the dvd. I'm sure if Warner Bros. dug through their film vaults, they could find hours of "Mame" related footage.