The Mating Season is a 1951 American comedy-drama romance film directed by Mitchell Leisen, and produced by Charles Brackett from a screenplay by Charles Brackett, Richard Breen, and Walter Reisch, based on the play Maggie by Caesar Dunn.

The ensemble cast stars Gene Tierney, John Lund, Miriam Hopkins, and Thelma Ritter.

[2][3] Ellen McNulty (Thelma Ritter) gives up her hamburger stand in New Jersey when the bank calls in her loan, and goes to visit her son Val (John Lund) in Ohio.

The next morning, Ellen arrives with her things, and continues the deception, explaining to Val that a mother-in-law in the house would only cause friction.

Val, realizing that this woman carries a lot of influence, forces Maggie to call the party to apologize.

"[5] Frank Leyendecker of Boxoffice praised the performances of Ritter and Hopkins and noted, "Director Mitchell Leisen captures attention with the opening shot and maintains a fast pace throughout".

[6] The New York Times's Bosley Crowther reviewed the film on April, 12, 1951 (a day after its NYC premiere) saying: "That grand comedienne, Thelma Ritter, who neatly ate up the minor roles of gawky, outspoken domestics in "A Letter to Three Wives" and "All About Eve," finally is handed a portion into which she can get her working teeth in Charles Brackett's "The Mating Season," which came to the Paramount yesterday.