The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)

Citizen Kane is considered by many to be Orson Welles's masterpiece, but more than a few prominent critics have argued that his second film, 1942's The Magnificent Ambersons, is an even greater artistic achievement. It's certainly the source of the most painful injustice of Welles's brief career in Hollywood, having been seized from the director's control, drastically cut from over two hours to merely 88 minutes, and reshot with a different, upbeat ending that Welles vehemently disapproved of. Adapted by Welles from the novel by Booth Tarkington, it remains a truncated masterpiece, as impressive for what remains as for the even greater film it might have been. The story is set during the late 19th century and follows the rise and fall of the wealthy Amberson family of Indianapolis, Indiana. Central to the drama is George Amberson Minafer (Tim Holt), who is snobbishly to the manor born, and whose petty jealousies and truculent pride compel him to prevent a wealthy inventor (Joseph Cotten) from marrying his widowed mother (Dolores Costello). This in part is the cause of the Ambersons' downfall, and ultimately leads to George's humbling "comeuppance" at the film's dramatic conclusion. It's an absorbing tale of fading traditions and changing times, and it's also a magnificent showcase for Welles's cinematic audacity, famous among film students for its long, fluid shots and ambitious compositions. Responding to the film's drastic cutting and re-editing, Welles justifiably complained that "they destroyed the heart of the film, really." And yet, the director's stamp of genius is evident throughout--the work of a young master (Welles was only 26 when the film was made) that still shines despite its unfortunate fate. --Jeff Shannon Amazon.com essential video

spellbinding!!

It's an era of inventions and opportunities. Sometimes those who fear change in technology also fear change in any form. A story of one stubborn and unflinching wealthy family and what happens when they cross paths with an idealistic father and daughter. There's romance and curiosity that draws them together and suspicion, jealousy and selfishness that keeps them apart. It is photographed with stunning results. Welles' tragedy is as spellbinding as a Shakespeare play. The camera shots and sets are incredible!
November 9, 2008

The Magnificent Orson Welles

This 1942 classic was written, produced and directed by Orson Welles (who is also the narrator) and based on the 1918 novel of the same name by Booth Tarkington.

The movie chronicles the life of Isabel Amberson/Minafer (Dolores Costello) - a matriarch of an Indianapolis family dynasty - and her pompous son, George Minafer (Tim Holt), who destroys what has taken several generations to create due to his jealousies and greed.

With the backdrop of old money and the new ways to seize a slice of the American Dream, it is a timeless story of a perilous journey on eroding trails in life during the heavy rains and cold crosswinds that are bringing permanent change.

The original rough cut by Welles clocked in at an epic length of 2-hours, 28-minutes, but he ultimately lost control of the final editing to the studio, RKO. About one hour was deleted and a different ending was shot. There are no surviving prints of the rough cut.

In 1991, the movie was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. It was included in Sight and Sound's 1972 and 1982 lists of the top 10 films ever made.

This film deserves to be released in a special set that brings to the forefront its importance in cinematography.







July 21, 2008

Magnificent stupidity that this is not on dvd...

It is simply unbelievable that this film is not available in a deluxe remastered dvd edition. The fact that it's not available at all in a region 1 version, even a poorly executed edition, tells us much about those who run the media conglomerates that control the rights to film masterpieces like the Magnificent Ambersons.

The executives at such corporations must be coarse, unsophisticated, lawyeresque troglodytes, the type who eat $100 ala carte steaks while quaffing a central valley merlot in trendy restuarants... and if they even know of Agnes Moorehead, it's as Samantha's mother from Bewitched. There is no sense of culture, no concept of history, no love of cinema, much less any understanding of art and its importance to culture and life.

And yet, they are, quite simply, among the most powerful driving forces in modern American culture. They'll put American Pie on DVD, but not the Magnificent Ambersons. That is very, very depressing.

And what, I wonder, would Booth Tarkington have to say about this situation...



March 28, 2008

Region One Release Ever Coming?

This is a five star film if there ever was one. It still amazes me that there is no Region 1 release of it. Memo to Criterion: this wonderful film, as well as "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn", is crying out for the first-class DVD you'd provide. How about it? January 22, 2008

Greater than Citizen Kane, I Firmly Believe

Although 99% of movie buffs, experts, etc., believe Citizen Kane to be Orson Welles' greatest film ever made, I beg to differ with them.

I will, however, grant them that Citizen Kane is his greatest complete film. It is such a shame that nobody has yet found any of the pieces recklessly cut from this, certainly, his greatest masterpiece.

Don't get me wrong, I dearly love Kane, and Macbeth, King Lear and The Stranger, amongst his others, but Magnificent Ambersons is a towering achievement. While we could all stand around and wring our hands, and say "but it's not complete, how can we get anything out of this?" and stuff like that, we should be thinking that we very likely would not have what we do, had he not put up as much of a fight as he did to save it, with, I assume, some hollywood supporters that he luckily did have.

The care, and effort put into this film, photographically, is mind stunning...the man was a genious, and he understood lighting, depth perception, and stuff like that, instinctively...if not, then very well learned. The very opening sequence from a photographic viewpoint is an absolute piece of genious. So many places throughout this film are simply mind-boggling as far as from a creative standpoint. The complete understanding of black and white photography, and what would and would not hold up cinemagraphically were all thoroughly explored and understood by this great "misunderstood" master. His core group of actors, all carefully chosen, and able to work together like clockwork, I have always felt was not completely fathomed by many also.

Of course, probably the grandest thing about this film, was the tracking rails laid throughout the house for filming this masterpiece, allowing the camera to roll from room to room, and around rooms. This had never been done before, and it was a major achievement for film-making, and would, later, be championed by Alfred Hitchcock, (in particular) among other great directors. Also, Welles was a master at "deep focus" photography, used extensively in Citizen Kane. Here, also many scenes demonstrate the powerful effects of great, large, scenes with everything in crystal-sharp focus throughout the image, from foreground to the deepest recesses of the background.

As far as the big, bleeding, chunks that have been cut from it; well, one can only surmise what might or might not be missing. But, you can bet "a lot." So, for insight to what may have been removed, we must consult Booth Tarkington's book. From here, then, we must sort this out ourselves. We DO, however, know that we are missing 50 minutes, cut and thrown away, taking this 131 minute masterpiece to 88 minutes... I always wax sad, here, when thinking, and wish, and wonder, why we were not lucky enough to have had someone in hollywood, in Welles' later years, back the production of a reconstructed, refilmed version of the complete screenplay. Alas, this never happened.

But, again, we are extremely lucky to have the footage that we do. And, I personally am grateful every time I watch this great film (I have the Criterian LaserDisc S/E of it).

This Masterpiece desperately needs to be brought out on DVD, the public should be CLAMORING and SCREAMING; DEMANDING it's DVD release, and letting their voices be heard! ~operabruin

July 28, 2007

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