The Magnificent Ambersons
1942
****
Director: Orson Welles
Cast: Joseph Cotten, Dolores Costello, Anne Baxter, Tim Holt, Agnes Moorehead, Ray Collins, Erskine Sanford, Richard Bennett, Don Dillaway, Byron Keith
As the emergence of the automobile reshapes the country at the turn of the century, the wealthy and powerful Amberson family faces decline. The family's financial ruin parallels the actions of the youngest Amberson, whose pride and selfishness prevent his widowed mother from remarrying. Orson Welles' follow-up to Citizen Kane was adapted from Booth Tarkington’s 1918 novel. Welles did not have the final cut, and the studio removed more than 40 minutes and reshot the ending. Nevertheless, the result is a powerful, beautifully shot black-and-white drama featuring strong performances.
