Mame

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Mame

PG

Released Mar 7, 1974

2h 12m

Musical

Comedy

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Popcornmeter

36%

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11 Reviews

49%

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250+ Ratings

Wiped out by the crash of '29, a woman (Lucille Ball) marries a Georgia millionaire (Robert Preston) and lives life to the fullest.

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Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

With Lucille Ball, Mame becomes a family musical, and all the numbskull worst in it -- the hard-sell uplifting message -- takes over.

Sep 21, 2023

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Nell Minow

Movie Mom

Overstuffed, but the music's still great.

Rated: 3/5

Jun 19, 2003

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Steve Warren

The Barb (Atlanta)

There's really only one thing wrong with it -- Lucy herself... The picture succeeds in spite of her, but she's a tremendous handicap for it to overcome.

May 9, 2023

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John Simon

Esquire Magazine

Suffice it to say about Mame that it is one of the most inept and repugnant items ever to crawl out of the Hollywoodwork.

Jul 28, 2020

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Dick Lochte

Los Angeles Free Press

Mame is an over-sized helping of oldfashioned, clean, wholesome fun, if that's your idea of a good time. I suppose it's mine, sort of.

Dec 16, 2019

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Frank Swietek

One Guy's Opinion

Rated: 1/5

Jul 5, 2008

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Joel H

All I really knew about Mame before watching it was that it featured the song “We Need a Little Christmas” and Lucille Ball was in it. Both of those things are true. However, I also expected this movie to be absolutely terrible, and it isn’t. It’s not that good, but I don’t think the blame lies entirely on Lucille Ball’s padded shoulders. Her singing isn’t great, but I wouldn’t think the character of Mame would have a polished voice. The weaknesses mostly come from the dull story, the extended plot-stopping musical numbers, and the crowded choreography. I don’t think I’d choose to watch Mame again.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

12/21/24

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Naomi G

Since I love watching Lucy, I enjoyed the film. Bea Arthur is always a treat. Robert Preston another golden star. I'd seen The Rosalind Russell version and never seen this one until today. Never got the southern theme and all that nonsense but Lucy did her thing I love classic movies and I'm not much of a musical fan although I've watched plenty of them. Many seem to be critical because of Lucy's age, dancing and singing. Forget that. What I saw was a powerful performance the character shone through! Maybe the rotten tomatoes came because a powerful woman paid for and starred in a production in Hollywood! I say thank you Lucy! Good job! Naomi M. Gibbs

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/14/24

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jesse g

I enjoyed the film. I've read others criticisms but to me either I enjoy it or I don't.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/28/24

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Tamara K

It helps if the star of a musical can actually sing.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

12/17/23

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Leah S

I am a broadway baby. I had the pleasure of seeing Angela Lansbury in the original staging of Mame. How could I not like the movie? It took 10 minutes into the movie before I turned it off. What a mistake casting Lucille Ball as Mame. Her casting, aside from being painful to watch, deprived us of having footage of Angela Lansbury as Mame. The footage that exists of Ms. Lansbury's live performance is grainy and blurry. It would have been grand to have her performance captured in a movie.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

10/22/23

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Victor T

When you try to visually focus on Lucy as "Mame," you'll think you need a new prescription after seeing fuzzy and blurry features. We know 'life is a banquet,' but this movie is a mere cracker smeared with butter. Enjoy!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

09/27/23

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Gene Saks

Director

Lucille Ball

Mame Dennis

Robert Preston

Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside

Bea Arthur

Vera Charles

Bruce Davison

The Older Patrick

Joyce Van Patten

Sally Cato

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Synopsis

Wiped out by the crash of '29, a woman (Lucille Ball) marries a Georgia millionaire (Robert Preston) and lives life to the fullest.

Director: Gene Saks
Producer: Robert Fryer, James Cresson
Screenwriter: Paul Zindel
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Production Co: Warner Bros., American Broadcasting Company (ABC)
Rating: PG
Genre: Musical, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 7, 1974, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2009
Runtime: 2h 12m

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