Director: Orson Welles
Distributor: RKO Radio Pictures
Top Billed Actors: Tim Holt, Joseph Cotten, Dolores Costello
Won 0 Oscars
Nominated for 4 more:
Outstanding Motion Picture - Mercury
Best Supporting Actress - Agnes Moorehead
Best Art Direction - Interior Decoration, Black-and-White - Art Direction: Albert S. D'Agostino; Interior Decoration: Al Fields and Darrell Silvera
Best Cinematography, Black-and-White - Stanley Cortez
Plot: A spoiled kid grows up to disapprove of his mother's interest in his girlfriend's father while he discusses things with his aunt.
Distributor: RKO Radio Pictures
Top Billed Actors: Tim Holt, Joseph Cotten, Dolores Costello
Won 0 Oscars
Nominated for 4 more:
Outstanding Motion Picture - Mercury
Best Supporting Actress - Agnes Moorehead
Best Art Direction - Interior Decoration, Black-and-White - Art Direction: Albert S. D'Agostino; Interior Decoration: Al Fields and Darrell Silvera
Best Cinematography, Black-and-White - Stanley Cortez
Plot: A spoiled kid grows up to disapprove of his mother's interest in his girlfriend's father while he discusses things with his aunt.
The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) is Orson Welles' follow up to one of the greatest films of all time is sadly the final film he directs that will be part of this Project. The story behind the post-production is tragic. Welles traveled to Brazil during World War II to take part in the Good Neighbor Policy. While he was away, the studio took liberties and ended up cutting more than forty minutes and re-shooting a happier ending citing the War as motivation to do so. Welles has gone on record to say this film was edited by a lawnmower and a professional rift between him and editor Robert Wise existed for four decades after this. Even the film's composer took exception to the tinkering as Bernard Herrmann demanded his name not be credited after discovering his music had been severely cut as well. Despite the filmmaker's vision being torn to shreds, what remains is still considered one of the greatest films of all time, appearing on prestigious lists such as the Sight & Sound Top 10 in 1972 and 1982. In 1991, it also entered the National Film Registry in only its third year. There's a lot of discourse on what was chopped away from this picture but the end result is still as revered as a Kane follow up could be.
Welles' direction is notably absent from the Best Director nominees as this is clearly the strongest aspect of the film. Comparing his first two features and one will notice similar cinematography which tells me that although Gregg Toland was such a huge contributor to Kane's style and success, the director could use another cinematographer and achieve results that are just as effective. He also assembled Toland's camera operating team to join this film's cinematographer Stanley Cortez so that may have played a role as well. The similarities include deep focus and expertly placed blocking whenever more than two characters appeared on screen. There are moments with four characters stacked at various lengths away from the camera and all four are in focus - this film just looks phenomenal. I also enjoy the soft-white edge opening sequence that explains 19th century fashion and gives background on the small town where the Ambersons live. Where the visual style diverges from Kane is just as engrossing. Long takes and elaborate tracking shots make this feel almost like an experimental film. Welles seems to be trying (and succeeding) with so many techniques. He also had essentially an entire house built to provide the grounds of pulling off these camera movements. Continuous takes through doors and crane shots up and down stairs were all possible due to the elaborate set construction. How this didn't win for Best Art Direction is beyond me. He also succeeds at directing his actors. Agnes Moorehead was a novice to film acting but she steals the show. Welles is said to have put her through the ringer in terms of rehearsals and boy does it pay off. She has an entertaining rapport with Tim Holt who plays her nephew and every time I saw Aunt Fanny sulking in the background, I knew she was going to put on a show with another long take powerhouse dialogue scene.
Before I even knew of the story behind the hack edit job, I had my own personal feelings about the film, that it has all of this visual panache but not a strong story or strong thematic elements to back it up. One part of Welles' lost footage includes a tour of the dilapidated mansion that I think would have turned that opinion around quickly, as that would have been the crux of the whole picture, but it was sadly scrapped. I can only judge what's here and that includes a film that captivates visually but rushed thematically and falls short narratively. I really took to the automobile discourse, how that could change the world for the better and also to its detriment; time marches on! Some more connections between that and the happenings of the Ambersons/Minafers would have cemented this as a truly great classic. Ninety minutes just isn't enough time for this, especially with these elaborate long takes. Seriously, that mansion sequence would have done the trick.
Overall, Orson Welles' total control of the intricate cinematography, stunning art direction, and compelling performances is somewhat overshadowed by his lack of control in the edit. Agnes Moorehead stands out as the best of the supporting cast and the long takes and tracking shots will hold your attention throughout.
My Score: 8/10
Welles' direction is notably absent from the Best Director nominees as this is clearly the strongest aspect of the film. Comparing his first two features and one will notice similar cinematography which tells me that although Gregg Toland was such a huge contributor to Kane's style and success, the director could use another cinematographer and achieve results that are just as effective. He also assembled Toland's camera operating team to join this film's cinematographer Stanley Cortez so that may have played a role as well. The similarities include deep focus and expertly placed blocking whenever more than two characters appeared on screen. There are moments with four characters stacked at various lengths away from the camera and all four are in focus - this film just looks phenomenal. I also enjoy the soft-white edge opening sequence that explains 19th century fashion and gives background on the small town where the Ambersons live. Where the visual style diverges from Kane is just as engrossing. Long takes and elaborate tracking shots make this feel almost like an experimental film. Welles seems to be trying (and succeeding) with so many techniques. He also had essentially an entire house built to provide the grounds of pulling off these camera movements. Continuous takes through doors and crane shots up and down stairs were all possible due to the elaborate set construction. How this didn't win for Best Art Direction is beyond me. He also succeeds at directing his actors. Agnes Moorehead was a novice to film acting but she steals the show. Welles is said to have put her through the ringer in terms of rehearsals and boy does it pay off. She has an entertaining rapport with Tim Holt who plays her nephew and every time I saw Aunt Fanny sulking in the background, I knew she was going to put on a show with another long take powerhouse dialogue scene.
Before I even knew of the story behind the hack edit job, I had my own personal feelings about the film, that it has all of this visual panache but not a strong story or strong thematic elements to back it up. One part of Welles' lost footage includes a tour of the dilapidated mansion that I think would have turned that opinion around quickly, as that would have been the crux of the whole picture, but it was sadly scrapped. I can only judge what's here and that includes a film that captivates visually but rushed thematically and falls short narratively. I really took to the automobile discourse, how that could change the world for the better and also to its detriment; time marches on! Some more connections between that and the happenings of the Ambersons/Minafers would have cemented this as a truly great classic. Ninety minutes just isn't enough time for this, especially with these elaborate long takes. Seriously, that mansion sequence would have done the trick.
Overall, Orson Welles' total control of the intricate cinematography, stunning art direction, and compelling performances is somewhat overshadowed by his lack of control in the edit. Agnes Moorehead stands out as the best of the supporting cast and the long takes and tracking shots will hold your attention throughout.
My Score: 8/10