Who else am I taking to interview for Mom’s Hour? My barber?

Mother was once up for it, so right here it’s. Title: Jean Gallagher Phillips, born in Racine, Wisconsin, raised in Kenosha. Moment: 90. Disposition: finest. And “marbles,” as she likes to mention: “mostly lucid.”

We noticed a accumulation of flicks in combination rising up. Infrequently we noticed issues as a folk, my brother, my father, my mom and me; every now and then we paired off after I wasn’t optic stuff with buddies, or every now and then unwanted, such because the 6th or 7th age I noticed the 1974 re-release of the 1930 Marx Brothers movie “Animal Crackers.” I do know what you’re pondering: That was once one cool child, all proper.

My mom was once the one that, when I used to be 12, wrote a notice (I put her as much as it) inquiring for the chief of the Capitol Theatre in Racine let me in to look “The Long Goodbye,” my first R-rated movie. She and I noticed “The Godfather Part II” in combination, amongst many alternative films. My dad and I noticed such things as “The Day of the Jackal” and “Marathon Man” and “Car Wash.” A couple of years upcoming, when I used to be house from school one diversion season, my other folks and I spent the evening in Chicago for aged occasions’ sake, as a nod to the journeys we’d taken 10 or 15 years previous. On that faculty shuttle, we stuck a Effective Arts theater screening of Jerzy Skolimowski’s “Moonlighting,” at the advice of Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert.

We disregard such a lot, but we keep in mind a accumulation, too.

My mom has a good-looking view of the mountains from her balcony in Albuquerque, Unutilized Mexico, a couple of miles from my brother, my sister-in-law, and my nephew and niece and their companions. Please see has been edited for readability and field. Glad Mom’s Hour to all who proclaim, and to all who will have to be celebrated.

Q: I keep in mind you pronouncing the primary movie you almost certainly noticed as a tender grownup, by yourself, was once in freshman 12 months of school, 1951: “An American in Paris.” What do you keep in mind of that evening?

A: Oh, gosh. Smartly. This was once at School of Saint Mary in Omaha, which remains to be there. A little Catholic ladies’s faculty. I used to be a senior, 2d semester (in Kenosha), when my mom mentioned: “I think we can afford to send you there.” My brother, you notice, was once in pre-med and in the ones years, it was once all in regards to the guys going to university. No longer such a lot the women. There was once incorrect point out of school to me till abruptly I heard the place I used to be going. My pal from highschool, Bonnie Thom, was once going there, too. I went there for 2 years, after completed at Marquette College, and taught a 12 months in Milwaukee. And after I moved out to Colorado Springs.

Q: And also you met Dad there.

A: That’s the place we met.

Q: So that you’re 18 or 19, and also you’re in Omaha staring at “An American in Paris” …

A: Oh, my gosh. It was once heaven.

Q: Had you evident a accumulation of musicals prior to after?

A: Smartly, I didn’t journey to many films, in point of fact. My mom didn’t adore it after I was at films when I used to be more youthful. She concept they made me moody. That’s what she referred to as it, “moody.” However I feel I used to be simply rehashing the film in my thoughts after I were given house. I used to be quitness, I assume. I used to be pondering it over, you realize. In my thoughts. You journey to a film, you don’t snap out of it similar to that.

Q: I do know! That surely explains a few of my moods.

A: (laughs) However I used to be all the time taken with dance in films. Cyd Charisse? I sought after to be her. And Gene Kelly was once so athletic. And good-looking. And all that. There should’ve been a theater similar to Saint Mary’s, and I used to be with a bunch of gals, you realize. And later the film we have been dancing at the sidewalk. The endmost film I noticed was once simply the day before today. It was once “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” (recreation) Didn’t adore it. Smartly, I didn’t see the finishing, so I don’t understand how it ended.

Q: He will get more youthful, however he’s additionally 85 or no matter. And after he dies.

A: Smartly, sure. That’s the plot, later all (laughs). You wish to have to grasp one thing? Even if I used to be in grade faculty I paid consideration to guys’ voices. I keep in mind liking sure family’s voices! Like, of direction, Gregory Peck. And naturally that naughty fellow … oh, you realize, Elizabeth Taylor and … Richard Burton! Richard Burton’s tone was once good-looking. He was once the sort of rascal. Oh, and Morgan Freeman. If you happen to ever interview Morgan Freeman, you’ll inform him you will have a 90-year-old mom who thinks he’s simply swell.

And this one is going long ago: Walter Pidgeon. I don’t know if I noticed “Mrs. Miniver” when it got here out (in 1942). I could have. Or a modest upcoming. However I liked his tone.

Q: I’m perpetually thankful to you and Dad for taking me as much as Milwaukee and all the way down to Chicago to look films. When I used to be 7 I didn’t need to look ahead to “2001: A Space Odyssey” to come back to Racine, and also you have been great enough quantity to shoot me as much as Milwaukee to look it.

A: , I don’t understand that. I am hoping you loved it!

Q: Smartly, it was once a accumulation to absorb, when compared with “The Love Bug.” Do you keep in mind the automobile trip house after I requested such a lot of questions — What’s that steel factor? What took place on the finish? — you simply became to me and mentioned, “You know, Michael, I really don’t have a single answer for you.” Great as may well be. And all of the occasions we got here i’m sick, the 4 people, from Racine to stick in a single day in Chicago. We’d see one of the vital lengthy, lengthy G-rated musicals — “The Happiest Millionaire,” “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” — and after lump right into a Checker Marathon taxi, those with the giant cavern of length within the again seat. And we ate dinner on the Berghoff.

A: Your father appreciated the Berghoff. All of us did.

Q: And one age, in 1969, we noticed Woody Allen’s “Take the Money and Run,” however we got here in midway thru and after stayed for the primary part once more. That one was once rated M, which was once a obese do business in, I keep in mind. (The M ranking turned into PG upcoming that 12 months.)

A: I feel we have been instead broad with you and your films (laughs). I were given scolded as soon as by way of a pal of mine for letting you notice some film or alternative, most likely an R-rated movie whilst you have been a young person. Oh, smartly!

Q: Alongside the ones traces … there was once the age I satisfied you to shoot me to a cartoon comedy movie referred to as “The Groove Tube” when I used to be 13. Rated R, however in point of fact raunchy. A variety of nudity. I confirmed you the newspaper commercials that had all of the sure opinions from the critics who appreciated it. And also you concept, smartly, OK, let’s journey. I’m positive we each became each silhoutte of purple.

A: I in point of fact was once an excessively sinful mom (laughs).

Q: However you simply liked that admirable dance scene that ended the movie, with the fellow within the red go well with, Ken Shapiro, doing his factor to “Just You, Just Me.” That made up for the residue of it, wholesome-wise.

A: You could have a just right reminiscence! I’ve to put in writing the whole lot i’m sick. Your Dad and I old to journey to the flicks each weekend. I keep in mind one with Jack Nicholson, the place he’s within the establishment …

Q: “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”?

A: Sure, that’s it. It was once so severe, I keep in mind we didn’t restrain for dessert in a while. Oh, I supposed to let you know: what I keep in mind? That age you and I went i’m sick to look (the traveling manufacturing of) “Sleuth” in Chicago. We stayed on the Drake, and also you type of flung the home windows evident and mentioned, “I love this city!” You have been such amusing. You and your brother each.

Q: So have been you. Nonetheless are.

Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.

mjphillips@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @phillipstribune