News / Clark County News

Check It Out: Reflect on Mother’s Day via moms from movies

By Jan Johnston

Published: May 9, 2015, 5:00pm

Jan Johnston is the Collection Development Coordinator for the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District. Email her at readingforfun@fvrl.org.

Happy Mother’s Day to all who have raised, taken care of or nurtured others. You deserve a hearty round of applause … not just today, but every day!

Not long ago, I rewatched the 1948 film “I Remember Mama,” starring Irene Dunne as Marta Hanson, the strong, compassionate matriarch of a Norwegian immigrant family living in San Francisco. I have long been fond of this movie, enjoying the heart-warming performances of Dunne and the other actors, as well as the director’s presentation of turn-of-the-century America. During my recent viewing of the film, the role of Mama especially resonated with me, perhaps because I was thinking about Mother’s Day and my own mom. If you’ve been fortunate enough to grow up in warm, loving family as I have, “I Remember Mama” might resonate with you, as well.

But — and I know it must seem a bit off-putting to some to start this sentence with “but” — not all movie moms are positive role models. This becomes very clear when you read this week’s book, “Mom in the Movies.”

While it’s true that motherhood is not all sunshine and cupcakes (every mom reading this knows a thing or two about that), some movie moms do everything they can to thwart any chances of happiness and love in their children’s lives.

The film “Mommie Dearest” is a perfect example. Telling the story of Joan Crawford’s relationship with her adopted daughter, Christina, the film takes the phrase “mother from hell” to a whole new level through its chilling presentation of a mother’s love gone horribly wrong.

Other cinematic examples of rotten moms include Regina Giddens in “The Little Foxes.” Dominating the weak — and everything else — is the approach to motherhood of Regina, played by Bette Davis. Her “love” for her only child soon reveals itself as twisted, oppressive and anything but loving.

Then there’s the film “Now, Voyager,” in which Davis reverses her role, playing the long-suffering daughter of a bitter, overcontrolling mother. As Richard Corliss describes the relationship in his chapter titled “Malevolent Moms,” the mother “holds her only daughter’s life and potential happiness in a death grip.” Fortunately, Davis’ character triumphs over her domineering mother, but the journey is a long and tortuous one.

Good moms

Now, back to the good movie moms. There are a lot of them, and you’ll discover plenty in Corliss’ cinematic tribute.

Find yourself reunited with Ma Bailey, played by Beulah Bondi, in “It’s a Wonderful Life”; Milly Stephenson, played by Myrna Loy, in the Academy Award-winning film “The Best Years of Our Lives”; and Anna Smith, played by Mary Astor, in the MGM musical “Meet Me in St. Louis.”

Aunts and nannies get their share of attention, too. Who can forget Rosalind Russell’s delightful performance in “Auntie Mame”? Her character might be eccentric, but she’s also a caring and loving “mom” to her orphaned nephew.

Many of the films included in “Mom in the Movies” are older ones, because according to the author, “the mother movie (is) near extinction,” Corliss writes. Action films and superheroes have taken over our theaters, pushing heart-warming stories about family life to the side. I think this is too bad, because today’s world sure feels like we could use a little more mothering and a lot fewer zombies.

If you’re looking for something different to do to celebrate Mother’s Day, consider taking your mom to the library. Two locations are open today: The Mall Library Connection, open from 1 to 6 p.m., is inside Westfield Vancouver Mall, and the Vancouver Community Library, open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., is in downtown Vancouver.

Flowers and candy are OK, but they’re predictable. A trip to the library, however, can result in exciting discoveries and provide a great opportunity for some mother-child bonding.

Good moms

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