One of the greatest films ever made, period, end of story. Other reviewers have explained the odd "contract" issues that Welles had which compelled him to take on projects he might otherwise have not. Who cares? Seriously. From the first frame to the last, this is the some the best entertainment Hollywood ever delivered. It is a story about where we (collectively) come from. It is a story about unrequited love. It is a story about what happens when the future meets the past. It is a story about what happens when we spoil our children instead of raising them. And, best of all, it puts in context the expression "whippersnapper" -- which I grew up listening to, but could never place. I explained in other reviews that Welles came from radio, it was his first love, and so did Cotten. The two did amazing work together. (One of the secrets of a Welles film was that you could watch it with the picture off and sound only, and it would STILL tell the story). Wow. What a film.
Review of The Magnificent Ambersons
The Magnificent Ambersons
(1942)
See it 20 or 30 times, then get back to me...
9 December 2013
Warning: Spoilers