Most memorable movie mums

Whether you’re treated to a breakfast in bed, a three course meal or a simple phone call from your kids, Starts at 60 hopes its community of mothers knows how special they are.

It got the team thinking about those movie mums who have made a bit of an impression. While it’s by no mean a ‘complete’ list and maybe some of these mums could use a little improvement, it’s worth sharing.

Mrs Gump — Forrest Gump

Sally Field has played a lot of memorable mothers in her time, but perhaps none moreso than Momma to Forrest Gump. She taught us how to nurture self-love and acceptance. Who could forget her many pearls of wisdom.

Florence Dennis — Mask

Cher played the role of Florence Dennis in the 1985 flick about a boy born with a disease that resulted in the disfigurement of the bones in his face and head. She might have been a substance abuser, but you had to admire her sense of humour, her strong will , and the way in which she encouraged her son to fight for his rights.

Mrs Jumbo — Dumbo

Oh bugger! This one bring a tear to the eye and it hasn’t even been discussed yet. Ignore the fact that Mrs Jumbo is an elephant (and an animated one at that) and focus on the intense love that is given between a mother and her child. The moment Dumbo is separated from his mother continues to be one of heartbreak.

Leigh Anne Tuohy — The Blind Side

Sandra Bullock starred as the headstrong, wealthy woman from Memphis who welcomed the deeply troubled African-American high school student Michael Oher into her home. Based on a true story, perhaps what is refreshing about this on-screen mother is that Tuohy is not just a strong and fiercely protective mother, she is also a go-getter; a woman who pursues her vision and achieves it. All too often, women with that sort of drive are shot down.

Mrs Weasley — Harry Potter

Hats off to Mrs Molly Weasley, mother of seven (if you include Harry Potter, who she pretty much adopted anyway). She has an abundance of warmth and household management skills to boot, but there is also a beautiful maternal strength that you don’t really get to appreciate until she battles it out with the evil Bellatrix Lestrange. You cheered her on when she said, “Not my daughter, you bitch!”

Karen — Love Actually

Mothers have this knack of just ‘getting on with it’, which is exactly what Karen (played beautifully by Emma Thompson) did when she found out her husband (played by Alan Rickman) had been having a thing with his office assistant. Though you probably wanted Karen to slap the silly fool for causing her such heartbreak, she showed undeniable strength as a mother in keeping it together so that her children wouldn’t suffer.

Mrs Parker — A Christmas Story

Played by Melinda Dillon, Mrs Parker is everything you admire about a mother. She’s calm, she’s patient, she endures a seemingly endless string of bad lack and injustice, but she does it with a good dose of humour and grace.

 What movie mother would you add to this list?