IMDb > The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)
The Magnificent Ambersons
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The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) More at IMDbPro »

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The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)
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Overview

User Rating:
8.0/10   8,034 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 10% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Orson Welles
(more)
Writers:
Booth Tarkington (based on the novel by)
Orson Welles (script writer)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Magnificent Ambersons on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
10 July 1942 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama more
Tagline:
From the Man who Made "The Best Picture of 1941" more
Plot:
The spoiled young heir to the decaying Amberson fortune comes between his widowed mother and the man she has always loved. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 2 wins more
NewsDesk:
(20 articles)
Hollywood and Its Antecedents: Michael Mann's "The Last of the Mohicans"
 (From The Auteurs. 14 November 2009, 5:30 PM, PST)
Citizen Kane? Of course I’ve seen it!
 (From t5m.com. 23 October 2009, 2:50 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
Marvellous work, but sadly suffers from limited time more (80 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)
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)
John Elliott ... Guest (uncredited)
Keenan Elliott ... Workman (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)
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Directed by
Orson Welles 
Fred Fleck (additional sequences) (uncredited)
Robert Wise (additional sequences) (uncredited)
 
Writing credits
Booth Tarkington (based on the novel by)

Orson Welles (script writer)

Jack Moss (additional scenes) uncredited and
Joseph Cotten (additional scenes) uncredited

Produced by
Orson Welles .... producer (as A Mercury Production by Orson Welles)
Jack Moss .... associate producer (uncredited)
George Schaefer .... executive producer (uncredited)
 
Original Music by
Bernard Herrmann (uncredited)
 
Cinematography by
Stanley Cortez 
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)
 
Costume Design by
Edward Stevenson (wardrobe designer: ladies')
 
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
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)
 
Crew verified as complete


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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
88 min | 148 min (original cut) | 131 min (preview)
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Certification:
USA:TV-PG | South Korea:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #7800) | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Germany:12 | UK:U
Filming Locations:
Big Bear Lake, California, USA more
Company:
Mercury Productions more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
After attending the first preview, RKO president George Schaefer wrote to Welles: "Never in all my experience in the industry have I taken so much punishment or suffered as I did at the Promona preview". more
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. more
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...
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "The Kids in the Hall: (#1.3)" (1989) more
Soundtrack:
The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo more

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
13 out of 18 people found the following comment useful.
Marvellous work, but sadly suffers from limited time, 11 March 2003
Author: Ccmcr1 from Scotland

This is the tale of a well-known and respected American family - "The Magnificent Ambersons" and their rise and fall. The movie is not bad at all, there are some superlative performances from stars and character players alike. However, it is a sad fact that this, Orson Wells second masterpiece, suffered from the scissors in the cutting room. Being an RKO/Mercury Theatre production, executives reduced the picture from a much-required 135 minutes to a satisfactory, but a speedy 88 minutes, therefore, not giving satisfactory time for the viewer to understand the masterpiece fully.

Now, for my review of the players. Joseph Cotten gives an irregular performance as the romantic lead, silent star Dolores Costello is very much underused, as is then very young Anne Baxter, who would could onto bigger stardom in the next decade. Stealing the acting honors throughout the production are Tim Holt with his superb portrayal of the spoiled brat heir-to-the-throne, so to speak and Agnes Moorehead as his Auntie, who put their plan into action to sabotage a relationship between the widowed Isbabelle Amberson and charmer Eugene Morgan.

Overall, lives up to it's expectations of success, but suffers due to limited screen time and a very confusing plot for audiences of our generation.

7/10

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This is the worst movie I've seen in many years. HomerDPoe
Overrated or under-viewed? subtlenuance79
Notes on THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS JSlack3
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