I remember Mama 1948 - An affecting portrayal of family life

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IMDB rating: 8,4

Director: George Stevens
Main Cast: Irene Dunne, Barbara Bel Geddes, Oskar Homolka, Philip Dorn, Cedric Hardwicke, Rudy Vallee, Barbara O'Neil

"George Stevens's charming film version of Kathryn Forbes' collection of short stories entitled Mama's Bank Account features Irene Dunne as Mama in one of her finest and most ingratiating performances. The film is narrated by Mama's daughter Katrin (Barbara Bel Geddes), recalling the trials and tribulations of her family in turn-of-the-century San Francisco.
Stevens was occasionally taken to sentimentality in even his most dramatic films, and here, if no different, it is at least more appropriate. The movie is another excellent example of how films centered on women became increasingly important in the post-WWII era. Nicholas Musuraca's cinematography captures the feel of turn-of-the-century San Francisco, and the production values are adequate without being showy - somewhat better than average for an RKO picture from this era." - www.allmovie.com

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National Velvet 1944 - A wonderful classic for the whole family

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IMDB rating: 7,4

Director: Clarence Brown
Main Cast: Mickey Rooney, Elizabeth Taylor, Donald Crisp, Anne Revere, Angela Lansbury

"One of the most beloved children's classics ever filmed, National Velvet holds up almost as well today as it did in 1944. True, modern audiences are much more familiar with elements of the story now, and they may find a bit of the plotting somewhat farfetched; but most audiences will be caught up in the sheer excitement and good will of Velvet that they will gladly overlook any shortcomings. There's so much to praise in Velvet that it's hard to know where to begin - or would be, if it weren't for the fact that the climactic event remains the best horse racing sequence ever put on film. It's gripping, spine tingling and just plain fun, a sequence that will have viewers on the edge of their seats and ready to stand and cheer. Credit for this spectacular segment is due equally to director Clarence Brown, cinematographer Leonard Smith, editor Robert J. Kern and composer Herbert Stothart, all of whom work together seamlessly. Brown's work throughout is nearly flawless, drawing forth sterling performances from his cast, capturing every highlight of the screenplay and telling the story with keen attention to pacing and cinematic detail. Elizabeth Taylor is sheer magic as Velvet, Mickey Rooney gives a wonderful, understated performance, Angela Lansbury is lovely and Anne Revere makes the absolute most of every moment, winning a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance. Then there's Pi, one of the most beautiful creatures ever put on the screen, a force of nature that is irresistible. Velvet is a dream of a movie - one from which you won't want to awaken. National Velvet is based on the novel by Enid Bagnold. " - www.allmovie.com

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