The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)

Director:

Orson Welles
(more)

Writers:

Booth Tarkington (novel)
Orson Welles (script writer)
(more)

Release Date:

10 July 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

From the Man who Made "The Best Picture of 1941"

Plot:

The spoiled young heir to the decaying Amberson fortune comes between his widowed mother and the man she has always loved.

Plot Keywords:

Widower | Spoiled Brat | Brat | Aunt | Automobile

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 2 wins

Cast

Joseph Cotten	...	Eugene
Dolores Costello	...	Isabel
Anne Baxter	...	Lucy
Tim Holt	...	George
Agnes Moorehead	...	Fanny
Ray Collins	...	Jack
Erskine Sanford	...	Roger Bronson
Richard Bennett	...	Major Amberson
Orson Welles	...	Narrator (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Edwin August	...	Citizen (uncredited)
Georgia Backus	...	Matron (uncredited)
Harry A. Bailey	...	Citizen (uncredited)
Olive Ball	...	Mary - Maid (uncredited)
Jack Baxley	...	Reverend Smith (uncredited)
William Blees	...	Young Man at Accident (uncredited)
Lyle Clement	...	Citizen (uncredited)
Bobby Cooper	...	George Minafer as a Boy (uncredited)
Don Dillaway	...	Wilbur Minafer (uncredited)
Heenan Elliott	...	Workman (uncredited)
John Elliott	...	Guest (uncredited)
William Elmer	...	Servant (uncredited)
James Fawcett	...	Citizen (uncredited)
Mel Ford	...	Fred Kinney (uncredited)
Nancy Gates	...	Girl (uncredited)
Nina Guilbert	...	Guest (uncredited)
Maynard Holmes	...	Citizen (uncredited)
Edward Howard	...	Chauffeur (uncredited)
Harry Humphrey	...	Citizen (uncredited)
Elmer Jerome	...	Attendee at Funeral (uncredited)
J. Louis Johnson	...	Sam - Butler (uncredited)
Lew Kelly	...	Citizen (uncredited)
Del Lawrence	...	Citizen (uncredited)
Bert LeBaron	...	Citizen (uncredited)
John Maguire	...	Young Man (uncredited)
Philip Morris	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Anne O'Neal	...	Mrs. Foster (uncredited)
Gil Perkins	...	Citizen (uncredited)
Charles R. Phipps	...	Uncle John (uncredited)
Hilda Plowright	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Drew Roddy	...	Elijah (uncredited)
Henry Roquemore	...	Hardware Man (uncredited)
Jack Santoro	...	Barber (uncredited)
Gus Schilling	...	Drug Clerk (uncredited)
Kathryn Sheldon	...	Matron (uncredited)
Sada Simmons	...	Wife (uncredited)
Dorothy Vaughan	...	Mrs. Johnson (uncredited)
James Westerfield	...	Policeman at Accident (uncredited)
Joe Whitehead	...	Citizen (uncredited)

Directed by
Orson Welles
Fred Fleck		(additional sequences) (uncredited)
Robert Wise		(additional sequences) (uncredited)

Writing credits
Booth Tarkington		(novel)
Orson Welles		(script writer)
Jack Moss		(additional scenes) uncredited and
Joseph Cotten		(additional scenes) uncredited

Produced by
Orson Welles	....	producer
Jack Moss	....	associate producer (uncredited)
George Schaefer	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Bernard Herrmann		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Stanley Cortez
Jack MacKenzie		(uncredited)
Orson Welles		(uncredited)

Film Editing by
Robert Wise
Jack Moss		(uncredited)
Mark Robson		(uncredited)

Production Design by
Albert S. D'Agostino		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Albert S. D'Agostino		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Darrell Silvera		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Edward Stevenson		(wardrobe designer: ladies')

Makeup Department
Mel Berns	....	makeup department head (uncredited)
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Maurice Seiderman	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Fred Fleck	....	assistant director (as Freddie Fleck)
Harry Mancke	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
A. Roland Fields	....	set dresser (as Al Fields)
Mark-Lee Kirk	....	set designer
Chesley Bonestell	....	background paintings (uncredited)
Charles Sayers	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bailey Fesler	....	sound recordist
James G. Stewart	....	sound recordist
Terry Kellum	....	sound (uncredited)
Earl B. Mounce	....	sound (uncredited)
James Thompson	....	boom operator (uncredited)
John E. Tribby	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Vernon L. Walker	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Clifford Stine	....	process photography (uncredited)

Stunts
David Sharpe	....	stunt double: Tim Holt (uncredited)
Helen Thurston	....	stunt double: Anne Baxter (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Russell A. Cully	....	photographer: additional scenes (uncredited)
William Eglinton	....	camera department head (uncredited)
Eddie Garvin	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Ralph Hoge	....	grip (uncredited)
Alexander Kahle	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Bill McLellan	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Russell Metty	....	additional photographer (uncredited)
Russell Metty	....	photographer: additional scenes (uncredited)
Earl Miller	....	electrician (uncredited)
Nicholas Musuraca	....	photographer: additional scenes (uncredited)
Howard Schwartz	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Bert Shipman	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Harry J. Wild	....	photographer: additional scenes (uncredited)

Casting Department
Rufus Le Maire	....	casting: Hollywood (uncredited)
Robert Palmer	....	casting: Hollywood (uncredited)
Arthur Willy	....	casting: New York (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Claire Cramer	....	wardrobe department head (uncredited)
Earl Leas	....	wardrobe: men (uncredited)
Margaret Van Horn	....	wardrobe: women (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Mark Robson	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
I.J. Wilkinson	....	negative cutter (uncredited)

Music Department
Dave Dreyer	....	music department head (uncredited)
Bernard Herrmann	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Roy Webb	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Elroy G. Cline	....	transportation captain (uncredited)

Other crew
William Alland	....	assistant: Mr. Welles (uncredited)
John Barada	....	ranch manager (uncredited)
Leda Bauer	....	script reader: New York (uncredited)
Howard Benedict	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Herbert Drake	....	publicist (uncredited)
H. Emolieff	....	film export manager (uncredited)
Fred Fleck	....	unit business manager (uncredited)
Winifred Hablam	....	production notes (uncredited)
John Hamilton	....	first aid (uncredited)
Ross Hastings	....	production attorney (uncredited)
G.B. Hobe	....	production treasurer (uncredited)
Amalia Kent	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
J.B. McDonough	....	business manager (uncredited)
Elizabeth McGaffey	....	research department head (uncredited)
Ivy R. McLean	....	public relations (uncredited)
L. Messenger	....	script reader: Hollywood (uncredited)
Howard Nelson	....	maintenance (uncredited)
J.J. Nolan	....	office manager (uncredited)
Roy S. Otto	....	dailies projectionist (uncredited)
Sid Rogell	....	backlot manager (uncredited)
Ann Rogers	....	secretary: Mr. Welles (uncredited)
Louis Shapiro	....	location manager (uncredited)
Richard Wilson	....	assistant: Orson Welles (uncredited)
H. Winnicar	....	studio teacher (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Mercury Productions
• RKO Radio Pictures

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1942) (USA) (theatrical)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• Nostalgia Merchant, The (1987) (USA) (VHS) (For Fox Hills Video)
• Criterion Collection, The (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Continental Home Vídeo (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (Italy) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Chapel Distribution (2009) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• Radio Filmes (Portugal)
• Turner Classic Movies (TCM) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

88 min | 148 min (original cut) | 131 min (preview)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:TV-PG | South Korea:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #7800) | Australia:PG | Sweden:11 (TV rating) | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Germany:12 | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Lake, Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA

Company:

Mercury Productions

Trivia:

Attempts to send Robert Wise to Brazil so that he could work alongside Welles were prevented due to wartime travel restrictions.

Goofs:

Continuity: In scene where Lucy and George say goodbye while walking down the street, Lucy's hair is pulled behind her neck. In closeup, as she watches George leave, her hair is in ringlets hanging in front of shoulders, then reverts to original hairdo when she goes into pharmacy.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator:The magnificence of the Ambersons began in 1873. Their splendor lasted throughout all the years that saw their midland town spread and darken into a city. In that town, in those days, all the women who wore silk or velvet knew all the other women who wore silk or velvet...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "House Calls: The Magnificent Weatherbys (#2.16)" (1981)

Soundtrack:

The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo

What might have been...

The fate of this almost magnificent film must rank as one of the greatest tragedies in the history of the cinema. viewing it in its present state is like looking at the Venus Di Milo, or at a beautiful Greek vase that has been shattered. One can only admire the fragments...and what gorgeous fragments they are: Major Ambersons heartbreaking meditation by the fireplace,the quarrel between Eugene Morgan and Georgie about the Automobile, Isabel's death, Agnes Moorehead's magnificent performance, the splendor of the Amberson mansion, and the ballroom scene. Perhaps someday, some powerful computer might be able to reconstruct the missing footage from stills and from Welles script...perhaps. Until that almost impossible moment, one can only envy the handful of men and women who were able to see it whole, and to understand what they were seeing.