Linbeymusol Wonderful character development!

TinsHeadline Touches You

GamerTab That was an excellent one.

ChanFamous I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Dunham16 Booth Tarkington often wrote of boyhood in Indiana. The 1950 and 1951 musicals ON MOONLIGHT BAY and BY THE LIGHT OF THE SILVERY MOON are supposed toinclude anecdotes of his childhood. This film is drama not comedy as are the other two is avaialbe today in a shortened allegedly 88 minute cut not appoved by diector Orson Wells yet the storyboard of the effect a spoiled rotten son who destroys not as in the musicals merely annoys his family is well cast, edited, photographed and directed. Wesley in the two musicals grows up and his family moves on. George in this drama negatively effects his family who separates just when in his adult life he might need them the most. What is edited into the final cut is brilliant and thought provoking though many movie fans would rather it include what the the studio cut after Orson Wells fully prepared it for distribution.

alexanderdavies-99382 "The Magnificent Ambersons" is a film that I liked more than I thought I would. Initially, I only chose this film as Orson Welles directed it. However, the story and the acting are both very good The plot - about a well-to-do family - is engaging and interesting and the direction includes many typical Welles touches that greatly enhance the movie. It is regrettable that the final 20 minutes causes "The Magnificent Ambersons" to come loose at the seams. The narrative becomes disjointed and rambling. It is well known that the film was butchered in the editing department after Orson Welles was out of Hollywood as he spent time in trying to make a documentary film. The running time was meant to be approximately 130 minutes. Thanks to "R.K.O" and their interference, "The Magnificent Ambersons" is a film where film fans wonder what might have been if Welles had been able to maintain tight control over the film, just like with "Citizen Kane."

SnoopyStyle The Ambersons are the wealthiest family in Indianapolis. Eugene Morgan (Joseph Cotten) and Isabel Amberson are in love but she marries the dull Wilbur Minafer instead. Their only child George grows up a spoiled arrogant brat. Everybody in town is looking forward to his comeuppance. George falls for Lucy Morgan who is the daughter of Eugene Morgan. Eugene is in the new automobile business which George ridicules and belittles at every chance. George ridicules everybody and their professions while having an aimless outlook himself. After Wilbur's death, Isabel and Eugene rekindle their romance and enrages the petty temper of little George. While the Morgans gain greater and greater success through their automobile, the fortunes of the Ambersons decline.George is such an annoying petty character that it's hard to base the movie around him. He's really the villain in Eugene and Isabel's lives. Orson Welles is a magnificent filmmaker and everything looks terrific. It's just hard to care about this character. Like the rest of the town, I'm just waiting for his comeuppance and I don't like that feeling. I'd rather have his redemption where he learns generosity. At least, he gets to responsibility but that part is short and the movie rushes to its ending.

Sergeant_Tibbs Fresh off the heels of soon to be hailed as greatest film ever made Citizen Kane, even fans of Orson Welles have to admit it's a little downhill from here. His followup film The Magnificent Ambersons could even be called more ambitious than Kane. It seems like it would've been if the full length version were its current incarnation. The way the film is approached feels like it needs that bloated 2 and a half hour running time with its overly lush frames and on-the-edge acting. Unfortunately, despite the film's presence, it struggled to engage me in the bigger picture plot at every turn. However, some scenes work their own little bubbles and are really quite thought-provoking and poignant. The performances are undeniably brilliant for that reason but it's a shame the script was so butchered, even though it still garners acclaim in its current version. Fascinating way to deliver credits though. The Magnificent Ambersons is a magnificent mess.7/10