 List Price: $19.98 
Amazon.com essential video: 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 Customer Reviews: Rating: 
Date: 2008-03-28
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...
Rating: 
Date: 2008-01-22
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? Rating:
Date: 2007-07-28
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
Rating:
Date: 2007-06-08
The Truth
After intense study I have changed my view of this film. I believe we are lucky to have this version of the movie. Welles had his chance to edit the film and came up with some very strange cuts. He reduced the "rough" cut of 131 minutes to 110 minutes. In doing so he left out some of the best scenes and also left out the emotional core of the film. When the film was previewed it was a disaster. For the second preview editor Robert Wise, who Welles had given complete authority while he was filming a documentary in South America, added back most of Welles' "big cut"(the elmination of everything from Isabel recieving Eugene's letter to the family gathered outside her room before her death) and cut other scenes that had not worked. This second edit was 117 minutes. The second preview did better but there were still problems. Wise and others associated with the film and who were all friends of Welles came up with a compromise plan. Welles accepted some of the cuts and additions. He even agreed to the reshuffling of scenes after the death of the Major. However, he still wanted his "big cut" of 13 minutes and 40 seconds. He wanted to preserve the ballroom scene, the montage sequences, and his revised ending. It was only at this point, after two and a half months of effort, that studio head George Schaefer told Wise to do what was necessary to fix the film. Schaefer's indulgence of Welles led to him losing his job shortly after this. After two more previews and more cuts and additions the film was released at 88 minutes. Post-production was compelted before the new studio head took over. So the film was finished by people who had a stake in the film and were friends of Welles. Wise did an outstanding job editing the film, as one would expect of the man who edited "Citizen Kane" and later would win two Oscars for best director. The only filmic element we lost was the "dancing camera" effect in the ballroom scene. The reason for the edits in this scene was bad acting and poor audience reaction. Small portions of the montage sequences were also cut. The audience was restless during these and the cuts tightened them up. Some of the scenes that were cut were unnecessary, long and boring dialogue sequences. The new and reshot scenes were unavoidable due to bad acting and poor audience reaction. It would have been better to have Welles do these sequences. However, that was impossible because he was in South America. We are very lucky to have as fine a film as we have. Welles was mostly upset about the new ending. However, he agreed with the rest of the film and he did not ask for his name to be taken off. I think he was mad that it turned out so well without his direct participation! At times it seemed as though he was trying to destroy his own film! I can now watch the film without thinking that we lost a masterpiece. If we ever find the "rough" cut, thats what we will have, a "rough" cut, not a finished film. If Welles would have had nine months to edit his "rough" cut I am sure we would have a masterpiece to rival "Citzen Kane." But given the circumstances that was not to be. I am glad we have what we have. It is a five star classic movie. Rating:
Date: 2007-01-24
ORSON WELLES GREATEST FILM
This book on which the neglected second film by Welles is based, is one of the great novels about turn of the century. I would recommend a viewing of the Orson Welles film to set the characters in your mind. The actors are perfectly cast. I would give anything to see Welles' original concept in its entirety. However, what is left of that concept stays remarkably close to the original. Booth Tarkington is a master at describing the time. All in all an absorbing read and one you don't want to end. |
