Here is the text of the talk I gave this afternoon for a showing of
“You’ll Like My Mother” one day short of the movie’s premiere 40 years ago in
Duluth. And by the way, the movie stands up to time. It was a darn good movie–well done and kept one's interest after all these years. It really shows off the Glensheen mansion as well and that makes it most interesting for Duluthians and the thousands who have toured this historic mansion. Jim
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| Patty Duke–1975 |
Hard to believe it’s been 40 years.
Duluth was very excited to have a movie made here with a big
star like Patty Duke, and to be filmed at Glensheen.
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| Glensheen Mansion, Duluth Minnesota |
This was before the former Congdon estate on the shore of
Lake Superior in Duluth was known as Glensheen. Everybody just called it the
Congdon mansion, and few Duluthians had ever been inside. Elisabeth Congdon was
still alive. Her murder in the mansion occurred five years after the 1972 movie
was made.
My own main memories include the night in the old Zelda
restaurant on Superior Street when, dashing out of the men’s room, I almost ran
over petite Patty Duke, who was heading for the women’s room. Avoiding the
collision, she gave me a nice smile.
Checking old newspaper clippings of the era, they reported
some 16 local extras and stand-ins were hired for the movie, mainly Duluth
Playhouse people. Only one was given a line to speak, Jimmy Glazman, co-owner
of European Bakery whose blue truck you will see in the movie. Not sure if
Glazman’s line is in the movie or on the cutting room floor.
The movie was filmed here because the producers wanted snow,
lots of snow. But as I recall that winter, while there was plenty of snow
around on the ground, it wouldn’t snow hard while they were here. They had to
blow fake snow at the actors for some scenes.
Most of the local extras were on a DTA mini- bus that pulls
up outside the Wonderland Resort near French River on the North Shore, a brief
scene that took a full day to film.
The movie’s premiere at the still elegant Norshor Theater
was a gala evening put on by the Duluth Junior League. Tickets to the first
showing were $12.50, with proceeds going to what was then called the Duluth
cultural center, which later became the St. Louis County Heritage and Arts
Center, better known as the Depot.
The showing was followed by a party in the Hotel Duluth
ballroom (now Greysolon Plaza) attended by much of Duluth’s glitterati. They
tried to get Patty Duke to come, but she couldn’t make it. The only actor from
the movie who was here for the premiere was Rosemary Murphy, who plays the
“nasty” mother.
While she was a fairly plain woman in her role, Murphy was
quite glamorous in person at the party. She carried her small dog on her arm
throughout the evening. The hosts had arranged for a ‘date’ for her to act as
an escort and introduce her around. It was Duluth businessman Max Oie, who, I
believe, had fairly recently been widowed.
Between the movie showing and the party I ran back to the
Duluth News Tribune and wrote a review of the movie. The key line from the
review stated, “You’ll Like My Mother” will not eclipse “Psycho” or “What Ever
Happened to Baby Jane” as thrillers go, but it’s a taut psychological drama
with little love and some violence.”
The movie continued at the Norshor, even for a second
showing that evening at regular prices. After the premiere showing, crowds were
lined up outside the theater waiting to get in, and I have read it held the
record for gross receipts at the Norshor in its run.
Just for the record, I Googled the principal actors to see
what they’re up to today.
Patty Duke is 66 now, a grandmother and mental health
advocate after coming out as bi-polar many years ago. She still acts, mainly on
TV. She has another connection to Duluth: her son, Mackenzie Aston, starred in
the movie “Iron Will” filmed in and around Duluth in 1994. Mackenzie Astin was
born after his mother starred in “You’ll Like My Mother.”
Rosemary Murphy, the mother in the movie, is now about 84
years old, but continued her career until fairly recently. Her biggest claim to
fame in movies was her portrayal of Atticus Finch’s (Gregory Peck) next door
neighbor in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,” about 10 years before “You’ll Like My
Mother.”
Richard Thomas, who, about the same time he starred in this
movie, had begun his lengthy run as John Boy on the popular 1970s TV series
“The Waltons.” Now 61, he has done a lot
of acting over the years on TV and also on stage.
Sian Barbara Allen was just starting her acting career when
she came here for “You’ll Like My Mother” in 1972. She acted regularly on
television after that, but retired in 1990.
