The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Blistering performances.

This is such a unique concoction! The novel by Patrick Dennis was very funny, the stage play was wonderful, and so is the movie version starring Rosalind Russell. I have very much enjoyed this film through the years since I was young and have always looked for it on television and at last bought my own copy on VHS and finally on DVD. I have enjoyed all the reviews here on IMDb and salute them all. I find Ms. Russell peerless in this film, Lucy woefully miscast in the musical version, and the other performers charming. Jan Handzlik was perfect as the nephew and I am only sorry that he didn't continue his acting. But considering the toll that show business takes on the young performer he probably made an excellent decision. And he seems to have had a fine life in the legal profession so I salute him for his accomplishments and thank him for his work in "Auntie Mame". This is one film I don't tire of watching. The DVD version has a unique feature...you can watch the film with only the wonderful soundtrack by Bronislau Kaper playing. I love his music here...at times very sentimental and melodic and a perfect accompaniment to the images on the screen.

Reveals its stage origins, which in this case, benefits the more theatrical aspects of the story. When Mame and Beau are on their honeymoon, all the scenes are shot indoors. It is clear that the plantation scenes were done inside a studio, too. There is also the lighting-- a pseudo- spotlight that silhouettes Mame at the end of each major scene, to remind us that the producers are bringing Broadway culture into suburban movie theatres.As for Rosalind Russell's performance, she is definitely in command of the role, and her interactions with the other cast members seem rather congenial. While Russell is aware of her above-the-title status, she confidently plays off the others and lets all the actors have their moments. When she plays Mame, she sometimes throws lines away. She comes through with flying colors, though, because she juices it up with a nervous, chaotic energy that makes the character seem larger than life, but not necessarily sane.

Going into this movie, I had an open mind but expected a stagy, dated comedy. I was very pleasantly surprised to find a snappy, frank, and surprisingly fresh comedy filled with delightful performances and dialogue, colorful costumes and set designs, and a clichéd but solid message about life. Rosalind Russell plays Mame Dennis, who takes in her nephew Patrick (Jan Handzlik) after her brother unexpectedly dies. What ensues is a very fun romp about the adventures and trials of Mame and Patrick over 9 years as he grows up and they weather the Great Depression. The film is populated by a wide assortment of colorful, entertaining characters and comedic situations. And, for a 54-year-old movie, I actually found it to be hilarious. I laughed out loud several times throughout, for example when Mame at one point tries to mount a horse, and the dialogue is genuinely funny without straining too hard, with jokes rarely falling flat. The film's comedic success is amplified by its enormous heart, which takes center stage during several dramatic, emotional moments. The film wears its heart on its sleeve but never lapses into overdone sentimentality. As the movie's famous line goes, "Life's a banquet, and some poor suckers are starving to death." The film's message to live your own way and to the fullest no matter what really resonates, even if it is a bit unoriginal. The film takes thinly veiled shots at the norms, prejudices, and judgments of mid-20th century American society. It has a blast shooting down anti-Semitism, socioeconomic elitism, social judgment (involving such topics as unmarried pregnancy), to name a few, and it's 143-minute runtime flies by. The film itself, especially the cast, seems to be having a great time as it progresses, and I couldn't help but to be sucked right in. The performances are very good across the board. Rosalind Russell is just perfect as Mame, capturing her larger-than-life personality and big heart. She's an ace at spouting out the character's lightning-fast lines with impeccable comic timing. Coral Browne also gives a great comic performance as Vera, although she doesn't have as much depth as Russell. The rest of the supporting cast are all very good as well. Jan Handzlik is endearing and funny as a young Patrick, and Peggy Cass is outstanding in a paper-thin role (she did a good job, but her Oscar nomination is perplexing). I also thought Joanna Barnes was a riot as Gloria, and Lee Patrick and Willard Waterman are excellent as her parents. Overall, Auntie Mame is a hugely entertaining, even uplifting movie filled with wacky characters, spot-on comedic performances, hilarious writing, and a big heart. It's not the deepest movie you'll ever see, or the least conventional, but it's an absolute delight. Highly recommended.

"Ten-year old orphan Patrick Dennis has come to live with his nearest relative, and in the high times ahead, he's not going to believe his luck. Nor will you, because Patrick's relation is played by one of Hollywood's greatest dames. Reprising her Broadway triumph, Rosalind Russell won her fourth 'Oscar' nomination and third 'Golden Globe' award as the marvelous madcap who lives life to the hilt. 'Auntie Mame' brings to bubbly life the mayhem Mame and her cronies create while guiding Patrick's fortunes. 'Life is a banquet,' Mame says, 'and most poor suckers are starving to death!' With wit, style and a seasoned cast to dish humor and heart with gusto, 'Auntie Mame' is a full course meal of entertainment magic," according to the DVD sleeve description...It's difficult to believe the play was this long... but, an intermission and the change to see Ms. Russell perform the role live world have more than made up for the duration. Energetically recreating her stage hit, Russell is the best thing about this film. This ended up being her most critically acclaimed role, with the award notices above bolstered by "Film Daily" (where Russell placed second) and the "New York Film Critics" (she was ninth). The former organization's "Supporting Actress" winner Peggy Cass (as Agnes Gooch) enlivens the film's second half considerably. In what may be perhaps her best role, Ms. Cass is hilarious. She lived, with her noisy dog, next to a friend of mine on the east side of Manhattan, and did not like us blasting loud rock music... ******** Auntie Mame (12/27/58) Morton DaCosta ~ Rosalind Russell, Coral Browne, Peggy Cass, Forrest Tucker