The Magnificent Ambersons (2002)

The spoiled rotten and utterly unlikable rich kid George Amberson becomes horrified when his recently widowed mother rekindles her relationship with the wealthy Eugene Morgan, who she left ... See full summary »

Director:

Alfonso Arau

Writers:

Booth Tarkington (novel), Orson Welles

Stars:

Madeleine Stowe, Bruce Greenwood, Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Madeleine Stowe	...	Isabel Amberson Minafer
Bruce Greenwood	...	Eugene Morgan
Jonathan Rhys Meyers	...	George Amberson Minafer
Gretchen Mol	...	Lucy Morgan
Jennifer Tilly	...	Fanny Minafer
William Hootkins	...	Uncle George
Dina Merrill	...	Mrs. Johnson (as Dina Merrill-Hartley)
James Cromwell	...	Major Amberson
Keith Allen	...	George (Age 9)
Jane Brennan	...	Nurse
Laura Brennan	...	Lucy's Friend #2
Kelly Campbell	...	Lucy's Companion
Michael Devaney	...	Eugene's Secretary
Mairead Devlin	...	Nurse
Bernard Deegan	...	Youth

Storyline

The spoiled rotten and utterly unlikable rich kid George Amberson becomes horrified when his recently widowed mother rekindles her relationship with the wealthy Eugene Morgan, who she left decades earlier in order to marry George's father. As George struggles to sabotage his mother's new romance, he must deal with his own romantic feelings for Morgan's daughter and the consequences of his meddling as his once great family falls into ruin due to his machinations...

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Plot Keywords:

family character name in title | family relationships | tension | senator | riches to rags | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Was originally to be directed by veteran director Herbert Ross, but heart problems led to his exiting the film in early 2001. He never directed again and late in 2001 he died of congestive heart failure.

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Goofs

During George and Lucy's sleigh ride in town, George's lips frequently do not match what he's saying.

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Quotes

George Amberson Minafer: I intend to find out why!

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Connections

Referenced in Downton Abbey: Christmas at Downton Abbey (2011)

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Soundtracks

O Mio Bambino Caro (Oh My Beloved Father)
from the opera "Gianni" Schicchi
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Librettist: Giovacchino Forzano
[Played while Isabel Minafer Amberson awaits Morgan's arrival to go motoring]

User Reviews

If you liked the book, you'll despise this.

Of course, even watching the Wells' version was like watching a completely different story than the actual Tarkington novel. The novel is so full of subtlety and nuance (and narration) that I suppose it would be hard for any film to capture it. But this TV flick seems to have been bourne out of some sort of bizarre class called Freud 101. A protective son, yes, but incestuous overtones??? By the way, where is the Midwest? It may have been an affluent family, but early-20th century Indianapolis bore no resemblance to this. Misty moors? Grand hilltop vistas? It's the Midwest for crying out loud! There were wooded estates then as now, but the book is rather specific in describing very public homes that were not removed from the peering eyes of the masses. It was kind of a main point.

Now, if one were to simply avoid comparison with the book, I suppose it could have worked rather nicely as a Lifetime/Harlequin movie. The settings, scenes, and costumes were all rather pleasant in an escapist way.

Details

Official Sites:

DeAngelis Film Production and Distribution

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 January 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Queda do Poder

Filming Locations:

Dunsany Castle, County Meath, Ireland

Box Office

Budget:

$16,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

A+E Networks, De Angelis Group, RKO Pictures

Technical Specs

Color:

Color