Videos
The Magnificent Ambersons
The Magnificent Ambersons
The spoiled young heir to the decaying Amberson fortune comes between his widowed mother and the man she has always loved.
rating
7.33
runtime
88 min

Release

1942-07-10

Cast

Joseph Cotten
Joseph Cotten
as Eugene Morgan
Dolores Costello
Dolores Costello
as Isabel Amberson Minafer
Anne Baxter
Anne Baxter
as Lucy Morgan
Tim Holt
Tim Holt
as George Minafer
Agnes Moorehead
Agnes Moorehead
as Fanny Minafer
Ray Collins
Ray Collins
as Jack Amberson
Erskine Sanford
Erskine Sanford
as Roger Bronson
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
as Major Amberson
Orson Welles
Orson Welles
as Narrator (voice)
Edwin August
Edwin August
as Citizen (uncredited)
Georgia Backus
Georgia Backus
as Matron (uncredited)
Harry A. Bailey
Harry A. Bailey
as Citizen (uncredited)
Olive Ball
Olive Ball
as Mary (Maid) (uncredited)
Jack Baxley
Jack Baxley
as Reverend Smith (uncredited)
William Blees
William Blees
as Young Man at Accident (uncredited)
Lyle Clement
Lyle Clement
as Citizen (uncredited)
Bobby Cooper
Bobby Cooper
as George Minafer as a Boy (uncredited)
Don Dillaway
Don Dillaway
as Wilbur Minafer (uncredited)
Heenan Elliott
Heenan Elliott
as Workman (uncredited)
John Elliott
John Elliott
as Guest (uncredited)
William Elmer
William Elmer
as Servant (uncredited)
James Fawcett
James Fawcett
as Citizen (uncredited)
Mel Ford
Mel Ford
as Fred Kinney (uncredited)
Nancy Gates
Nancy Gates
as Girl (uncredited)
Nina Guilbert
Nina Guilbert
as Guest (uncredited)
Maynard Holmes
Maynard Holmes
as Citizen (uncredited)
Edward Howard
Edward Howard
as Chauffeur (uncredited)
Harry Humphrey
Harry Humphrey
as Citizen (uncredited)
Elmer Jerome
Elmer Jerome
as Funeral Attendee (uncredited)
J. Louis Johnson
J. Louis Johnson
as Sam (Butler) (uncredited)
Lew Kelly
Lew Kelly
as Citizen (uncredited)
Del Lawrence
Del Lawrence
as Citizen (uncredited)
Bert LeBaron
Bert LeBaron
as Citizen (uncredited)
John McGuire
John McGuire
as Young Man (uncredited)
Philip Morris
Philip Morris
as Policeman (uncredited)
Anne O'Neal
Anne O'Neal
as Mrs. Foster (uncredited)
Gil Perkins
Gil Perkins
as Citizen (uncredited)
Charles R. Phipps
Charles R. Phipps
as Uncle John (uncredited)
Hilda Plowright
Hilda Plowright
as Nurse (uncredited)
Drew Roddy
Drew Roddy
as Elijah (uncredited)
Henry Roquemore
Henry Roquemore
as Hardware Man (uncredited)
Jack Santoro
Jack Santoro
as Barber (uncredited)
Gus Schilling
Gus Schilling
as Drug Clerk (uncredited)
Kathryn Sheldon
Kathryn Sheldon
as Matron (uncredited)
Sada Simmons
Sada Simmons
as Wife (uncredited)
Dorothy Vaughan
Dorothy Vaughan
as Mrs. Johnson (uncredited)
James Westerfield
James Westerfield
as Policeman at Accident (uncredited)
Joe Whitehead
Joe Whitehead
as Citizen (uncredited)

Director

REVIEWS
NA

Geronimo1967

This is a actually quite a sad story; though given the wealth and opportunity offered the young "George" (Tim Holt) it might seem fatuous to say so. He is born into a family with money, status and privilege so, consequently, grows up into a young man with little, if any, appreciation of anything - all he wants to do is sail boats. As the plot develops, we see the return of "Eugene" (Joseph Cotton) the man his mother, now widowed, (Dolores Costello) really did love before a childish spat drove her into the arms of the dreary, but reliable, "Wilbur". "George" is determined to ensure that any rekindling of their erstwhile romance is well and truly throttled and so, broadly speaking, misery ensues for all concerned. That "George" is heading for a fall is writ large, and there is soon quite a queue of folks happy to oblige as his arrogance and thoughtlessness causes havoc to all - including himself. It is a gentle melodrama and it is largely devoid of any action, in the typical sense, but the characters do epitomise the wastrel, take-it-for-granted attitudes of the bored, wealthy, aspiring and just plain ignorant very well. Agnes Moorhead stands out as "Fanny", the spinster who tries to keep "George" from his own worst excesses, and Orson Welles resists the temptation to be too judgmental (or overbearing) with his narrative that gently guides us along, now and again.