Review of Auntie Mame
Chris Winter
PLOT SUMMARY

Mame Dennis is a free-spirited socialite who lives in Manhattan and hob-nobs with the "upper crust": actors, poets, classical musicians, and the like.

Her widdowed brother has a ten-year-old son Patrick. A prudent man, he seeks to provide for the boy's welfare, including schooling, should he depart the scene prematurely. The opening scene of the film has him writing out his will. The document specifies that in the event of his demise, Patrick will go to his sister. She is to place Patrick in a conservative school and otherwise assure that he grows up a solid citizen. To this end, he appoints Dwight Babcock of Manhattan as his agent. In the will, he predicts that the date of his death is far off.

Alas, he drops dead the following day: 16 November 1928. Accordingly, the boy and a chaperone appear at the door to Mame's suite, where they encounter a carved dragon. The chaperone presses the buzzer; a gong sounds and the dragon breathes smoke, startling them. Shortly, Ito the butler admits them — to the midst of Mame's party.

Mame greets the boy warmly and makes much of him. While Mame whirls about the large room playing hostess, he mingles with the guests and learns many new words, including sidecar. (Soon he is mixing drinks with aplomb, impressing Mr. Babcock who comes by to check up on him.) But Babcock and Mame are soon at loggerheads. Babcock insists that Mame enroll Patrick in a proper school, and supplies a list. Mame disobeys.

There follows a series of contretemps as Mame and Patrick delightedly evade Babcock's efforts. But then comes the Great Depression to collapse Mame's sources of funds. A friend offers her a role in a play, but she makes a botch of it. Next she undertakes a series of menial jobs, with as little success. Just before Christmas, when all seems lost, Beauregard appears at her door. They had met at Macy's when he tried to buy 24 pairs of skates from her; she messed up the order and was fired. He'd been searching the city for her. Straightaway he takes her to his home in Georgia to meet the folks, who are avid horse-riders. She pretends to be one too.

Soon Beauregard and Mame are married and off on a world tour. Midway through it, Beau is killed in a fall from the Matterhorn. Mame, bereft, returns home to collect herself. Her friend Lindsay Woolsey suggests she write her memoirs, and recruits Brian O'Bannion to serve as her literary adviser. He turns out to be more moocher than mentor. Still, when the book is finally complete it becomes a best-seller.

Meanwhile Patrick, now grown, has chosen a bride. She turns out to be a dud, as do her parents. How Mame discovers that, and what she does about it, are the best part of the film.