Under the skillful direction of Oscar®-winner George Stevens, Irene Dunne and Barbara Bel Geddes star in this reminiscence of a daughter for the mother holding their family together with love and discipline in the heartwarming I Remember Mama. Mama emigrated from Norway to early 20th century San Francisco, where she has devoted her life to her children, including Katrin, keeping her house in order and reigning in their offbeat relatives, friends and boarders in this family classic. Based on Kathryn Forbes’ short story collection “Mama’s Bank Account” and the play by John Van Druten.

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Video Quality

Warner Archive presents I Remember Mama for the first time on Blu-Ray with a 1080p transfer sourced from a 4K restoration of nitrate preservation elements. Warner Archive is always first-class on the preservation front, and this ranks highly in terms of their output. This black-and-white feature has consistently resolved natural film grain throughout providing a precious amount of detail to the image. Print damage does not appear to be an issue as most nicks, scratches, and flicker have been eradicated. There is a shot at the beginning before the flashback that appears to be a bit smeary or unfocused, but that is possibly for creative effect to evoke nostalgia or simply an issue with the surviving elements. Other than this, the presentation allows for a welcome amount of depth in every location, even in shadowy corners where there are no signs of black crush. Warner Archive has done well with this underrated gem.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray release comes with a newly restored DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that presents this material ideally. While there are moments of weakness, there does not appear to be much in the way of damage or age-related wear and tear to the track. The score comes through with a fine fidelity without seeming overly harsh or thin. Dialogue never fails to come through clearly throughout the narrative. The environmental effects and the music are balanced so that exchanges never get drowned out. This is a capable audio presentation that gives the material the life it deserves. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are available on the disc.

Special Features

Theatrical Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

I Remember Mama is the type of wholesome family drama that we cannot get enough of. There is so much rich emotional depth to explore through the normal trials and tribulations of a family, and this narrative effortlessly weaves these events together in a way that feels like no time has passed at all by the time you reach the end. All of the performances are solid, but Irene Dunne does such a wonderful job as the central figure of the story. This does not have the name recognition of other certified classics, but it deserves its own time in the spotlight. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a fantastic A/V presentation but not much in the way of special features. If you love a throwback family drama, this is not to be missed. Recommended

I Remember Mama can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.