A 1955 novel called Auntie Mame enjoyed a stage adaptation called Auntie Mame in 1956. When Hollywood picked up the property, this resulted in a 1958 film called… Auntie Mame.

In 1928, wealthy Chicago businessman Edwin Dennis dies and leaves his 10-year-old son Patrick (Jan Handzlik) an orphan. This sends Patrick to New York to live with his similarly rich Aunt Mame (Rosalind Russell).

Because Edwin feared the free-spirited Mame would rub off on Patrick too much, he also appointed Dwight Babcock (Fred Clark) as executor of his will. Mame and Patrick bond as she goes through various ups and downs while he also ages into young adulthood (Roger Smith).

That doesn't sound like much of a narrative, does it? "Boy lives with wacky aunt and misadventures result" seems like a pretty loose framework.

But hey, not every story needs to be tight and concise. There's plenty of room for a vaguely-plotted comedy like this.

Loose narrative or not, Mame offers good laughs, with much of the credit to Russell. On paper, Mame should become an insufferable annoyance.

However, Russell plays Mame with such charm and charisma that we forgive Mame all her wacky excesses. Of course, the film allows her to develop as she grows into her role as surrogate parent, and Russell pulls this off in an engaging manner.

Not that Russell carries the film all on her own, though most of the movie’s appeal stems from her self-confident take on the lead. 99 percent of other casting choices would’ve made Mame intolerable, but in Russell’s hands, we love her.

The supporting cast does fine as well. Young Handzlik lacks much depth but he manages to avoid too many of the usual child actor pitfalls. Smith seems dull as older Patrick but that fits the role, as the adult Patrick turns into a stick in the mud.

At nearly two and a half hours, the film probably runs too long. It can struggle to sustain the thin narrative across such an extended span.

Nonetheless, Russell ensures we never threaten to bail on the movie, even when it drags some and can become repetitive. Throw in a fair amount of clever dialogue and Auntie Mame gives us a largely entertaining tale.

Auntie Mame appears in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. The image held up well after all these decades.

Sharpness seemed solid throughout the movie. During a few wide shots or opticals, the picture looked slightly soft, but this became a minor concern.

I saw no problems related to moiré effects or jagged edges, and edge haloes remained absent. Print flaws also failed to mar the presentation and grain felt light but natural.

With a variety of settings, the movie brought an array of hues, all of which worked well. These became vivid and dynamic as appropriate.

Black levels appeared deep and taut as well, while shadows felt smooth and concise. This ended up as an appealing presentation.

I thought the movie’s DTS-HD MA monaural soundtrack seemed dated but adequate. In terms of dialogue, the lines remained intelligible and offered reasonable clarity.

Neither music nor effects boasted much range or dimensionality, but both appeared clean and accurate enough, without distortion or problems. This mix felt more than acceptable for its vintage.

Along with trailers for Auntie Mame and its 1974 musical remake Mame, the disc includes a music-only track. This allows viewers to hear Bronislau Kaper’s score uninterrupted by dialogue or effects in all its DTS-HD MA monaural glory.

While not exactly a plot-heavy affair, Auntie Mame still becomes a largely delightful affair. Rosalind Russell’s brassy performance does most of the heavy lifting and helps make this a lively comedy. The Blu-ray boasts solid visuals, appropriate audio and supplements led by an isolated score. Despite some dated elements, Auntie Mame remains enjoyable after nearly 70 years.