The Magnificent Ambersons Movie Review 1942

Welles's second film. A fascinating, inventive translation of the Booth Tarkington novel about a wealthy turn of the century family collapsing under the changing currents of progress. Pure Welles, except the glaringly bad tacked-on ending that the studio shot (under the direction of the great Robert Wise and Fred Fleck), after taking the film from him. It seems they wanted the proverbial happy ending.

Distribution

Turner Broadcasting Systems, Inc., 1 CNN Ctr., Box 105366, Atlanta, GA 30303, Phone: (404)827-1700, Toll-free: 800-523-0823, Fax: (404)827-2000, URL: http://www.turner.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS
Running time 88 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Family Ties, Price of Fame, Period Piece: 1900s, Family Drama, 4 Bones

Screenplay

Orson Welles

Cast

Joseph Cotten, Anne Baxter, Tim Holt, Richard Bennett, Dolores Costello, Erskine Sanford, Ray Collins, Agnes Moorehead

Director

Freddie Fleck, Robert Wise, Orson Welles

Music

Bernard Herrmann, Roy Webb

Producer

RKO

Awards

Natl. Film Reg. 1991;; N.Y. Film Critics 1942: Actress (Moorehead).