Original artwork, not a still
Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death!
— Auntie Mame ‧ 1958
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Mame's philosophy fits on a postcard: take a bite of everything before it is gone. Rosalind Russell delivers it with theatrical joy, as if lecturing a world that has forgotten how to enjoy itself. The line became one of the best-known American statements of live-for-today advice, and the 'poor suckers' half is why people remember it: it is a taunt as much as an invitation.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Auntie MameShow the scene
In Auntie Mame (1958), Patrick Dennis is orphaned in 1928 and sent to live with his aunt, Mame Dennis, in her Manhattan apartment, where she hosts constant parties for artists, actors and eccentrics. Mame aims to give Patrick as broad a view of life as possible, and the film follows them through her marriage, widowhood and Patrick's engagement. Rosalind Russell originated the role on Broadway and reprised it in the film, adapted by Betty Comden and Adolph Green from the Patrick Dennis novel.
Sources (2)
- Auntie Mame (film), WikipediaPlot and ProductionReference checked
- Auntie Mame (film), WikiquoteMame DennisReference checked
Context reviewed