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:

Brat | Spoiled Brat | Widower | 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)
Joseph Cotten		additional scenes (uncredited)
Jack Moss		additional scenes (uncredited)

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

Original Music by
Bernard Herrmann		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Stanley Cortez		(photographer)
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)

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
Edward Stevenson	....	designer: ladies' wardrobe
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

• RKO Radio Pictures (as An R K O Radio Picture)
• Mercury Productions (as A Mercury Production by Orson Welles)

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1942) (USA) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures Argentina (1942) (Argentina) (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)
• Emerald (2006) (Argentina) (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:

Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Germany:12 | UK:U | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | South Korea:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #7800) | Australia:PG | Sweden:11 (TV rating) | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

Twenty years later, Welles was still planning an epilogue starring the older Joseph Cotten, Anne Baxter, Agnes Moorehead and Tim Holt.

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 The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

Soundtrack:

String Quintet In E, Op. 13 No. 5: Minuet

"A plague on both your houses"

Without having a great deal of experience as a movie director and devoid of the magnificent Toland, MA is in my opinion the movie that completely establishes Welles in the greatest directors category. It is almost impossible for me to fathom the amount of labor Welles took upon himself in this period of his life, engaging in an unheard of before million dollar project, facing critical reviews for Kane and moving to South Amercia to film for FDR a project that will also be doomed.

MA is more coherent than Kane, the direction is more consistent with the prevalence of the long takes as the first motor of story-telling. Having already acquired enough technical skills on Kane, Welles embarks on a project that gives more character depth analyzing much in the manner of Ford's Stagecoach or The Long Voyage Home a cast of characters in a series of changes (only Welles takes up the idea of the aging cast from Kane). There is no lead in the movie; though Cotten is credited first the intrigue revolves mostly around the stubborn Georgie (Holt). Much of the conflict is already configured after less than half an hour of film. Actually, up to the iris in the snow I think the movie is simply perfect, pure Welles gold. I could't imagine that part of the movie any other way than it is, that is...perfect.

The cinematography is great especially because the lights had to fit the long takes. The realism that Welles envisaged with the lighting scheme in Kane is more suited here, I think, because we don't get the same fractured view of reality that appears in Kane (and subsequent Welles films that rely heavily on editing). Though Kane had some wonderful long takes they were more of a display of the virtuoso director and his cinematographer with not so much coherence overall. MA first introduces Welles' capacity to comment on his own movies with camera movement, that will lead him to Mr. Arkadin and Touch of Evil. When you have a sophisticated long take presenting the ball room and its magnificence that long take is a way of commenting on that magnificence. It's like saying: hey, those guys went through heaven and hell to make this ball so great and I will show you this by a very clever and complex use of camera movement! Though long takes were previously used by Hitchcock in Rebecca and by Welles' favorite director Renoir with different purposes, Welles clearly has his own motives for using them and a personal style to go along.

Beautiful movie, not as great as Kane, Touch of Evil, The Trial or Chimes at Midnight but powerful and revealing a maturing Welles. A movie like this shows us that Welles not only did not fall down after Kane but was getting even better...!