The Magnificent Ambersons

Based on the novel by Booth Tarkington, The Magnificent Ambersons is the story about a family who face declining fortunes due to changing times as they also deal with social issues that are happening. Written for the screen, directed, and narrated by Orson Welles. The film explores the dynamics of a family who struggles with new changes as they try to maintain their way of life. Starring Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead, Anne Baxter, Tim Holt, Dolores Costello, and Ray Collins. The Magnificent Ambersons is a captivating drama from Orson Welles.

The film is essentially the story about a family from the early 20th Century who were the darlings of a small town in Indiana only to be affected by changing times when the arrival of the automobile arrive as the fortunes of this unique family start to dwindle. Notably as it revolves around this young man in George Amberson Minafer (Tim Holt) who returns from college to find out that an old family friend in Eugene Morgan (Joseph Cotten) has also returned after a 20-year absence to present the Ambersons his new invention in the automobile. While George would have feelings for Eugene’s daughter Lucy (Anne Baxter), he learns that Eugene and his mother Isabel (Dolores Costello) have had feelings for each other that upsets George and his aunt Fanny (Agnes Moorehead). When George does whatever to stop this from happening yet it would lead to the downfall of the family whose fortunes and reputation were already dwindling.

Orson Welles’ screenplay explores the dynamics of the family as he narrates the film every now and then to give a few moments of exposition to establish who these people are. Notably George Amberson Minafer who arrives as a very spoiled son who the locals hope would get his comeuppance. When George becomes a young adult, he is still a young man with a lot of pride who is instilled about what the Amberson family should be. Yet, he would tease his aunt Fanny while often hanging around with his uncle Jack (Ray Collins) while still being devoted to his family. The arrival of Eugene Morgan would only complicate mattes as George thinks Eugene Morgan is ruining things with this new invention. Yet, the invention would become a major success as it would contribute to changing times.

Though Morgan’s intentions are noble as he wants the Ambersons to be part of his success, George and Fanny each are unsure that Morgan is doing the right thing. Notably as George learns through Jack and Fanny about his mother’s relationship with Eugene and that they were still in love with each other when Isabel married George’s father (Donal Dillaway). Now that George’s father is gone, Isabel and Eugene can renew their love affair yet it hurts George very much as he’s also infatuated with Eugene’s daughter Lucy. It would be his pride for himself and his family that would cause the downfall as he tries to shun Eugene away from his mother only for things to go wrong that led to their downfall.

Welles’ direction is definitely stylish in the way he presents small town Indiana in the 20th Century where the center of this small town is this estate that represents the Ambersons. Through his narration, Welles establishes what kind of family the Ambersons are where even though they are revered by the locals. There is also a bit of discontent in the way young George would have this belief that he owns the town. By the time he returns from college, he’s still that kid of sorts who feels like he is the man of the town as he and his mother are the hosts of this annual lavish party they would have. It’s in this party where Welles would set the stage for everything that would mark the beginning of the end for the Ambersons.

While a lot of the shots are quite straightforward, the mood that Welles puts into the shots add to the dramatic stakes. Notably in some of the exteriors where it features some tracking shots where Welles would follow the camera around the characters as they’re walking in this small town. Still, the direction does have its sense of style in the way Welles would position the actors in some key dramatic moments that occur. Notably in the third act where the downfall of the family finally comes into play through as Welles maintains that air of style that occurs. Yet, it would be followed by an ending that isn’t what Welles had intended as it would be helmed by his assistant director Fred Fleck and editor Robert Wise. Even though the final results are just an idea of a much bigger story Welles wanted to create, the final film version is still an engaging piece about drama and pride.

Cinematographer Stanley Cortez does excellent work with the film‘s black-and-white photography to create moods for some of the film‘s interior scenes while the exteriors are more straightforward. Editor Robert Wise does wonderful work with the editing by taking on some straightforward cuts as well as stylized uses of dissolves and wipes. Production designer Albert S. D’Agostino and set decorator Darrell Silvera do amazing work with the sets from the looks of the car and towns to the lavishness that is the Amberson estate.

Costume designer Edward Stevenson does fantastic work with the costumes that the women wear to create their personalities from the lavishness of Isabel, the more prim look of Fanny, and the more youthful style of Lucy. Sound recorders Bailey Fesler and James G. Stewart do terrific work with the sound to capture the atmosphere of the film‘s party scenes as well as the tense moments in the film such as George‘s dismissal about Eugene‘s idea about the automobile. The film’s music by Bernard Herrmann is superb for its soaring orchestral score to play up some of the melodrama that happens in the film.

The film’s cast is quite stellar for the ensemble that is created as it features notable small roles from Bobby Cooper as the young George, J. Louis Johnson as the Ambersons’ butler Sam, Richard Bennett as the Amberson patriarch Major Amberson, Erskine Sanford as a law clerk who tries to help George in the third act, and Donald Dillaway as George’s ailing father Wilbur. Ray Collins is superb as George’s uncle Jack who tries to figure out what is best for the family while dealing with the chaos that is happening around them. Agnes Moorehead is great as George’s melodramatic aunt Fanny who pines for Eugene Morgan as she tries to help George sway Eugene from Isabel. Anne Baxter is wonderful as Eugene’s daughter Lucy who has feelings for George as she tries to deal with his immaturity. Dolores Costello is radiant as Isabel who deals with the loss of her husband as well as Eugene’s presence in the hopes to find someone to be with only for things to get complicated.

Joseph Cotten is great as Eugene Morgan as a man who wants to show the world his invention as he intrigues the Ambersons while gaining the ire of George over Isabel. Finally, there’s Tim Holt in a marvelous performance as George Amberson Minafer as a young man who is threatened by Morgan’s new rules and ideas as he tries to hold on to his old ways only to succumb to his own selfish pride and immaturity.

The Magnificent Ambersons is an incredible film from Orson Welles. Featuring an outstanding ensemble cast that includes Joseph Cotten, Tim Holt, Agnes Moorehead, Anne Baxter, Dolores Costello, and Ray Collins. It’s a film that explores the world of changing times and people trying to hold on to the old ways. Notably as it also reveals the sense of fear just as the world is about to change in the eyes of a young man. In the end, The Magnificent Ambersons is a remarkable film from Orson Welles.

Orson Welles Films: Citizen Kane - The Stranger (1946 film) - The Lady from Shanghai - Macbeth (1948 film) - Othello (1952 film) - Mr. Arkadin - Touch of Evil - The Trial (1962 film) - Chimes at Midnight - The Immortal Story - F for Fake - Filming Othello – The Other Side of the Wind

Related: Orson Welles: The One-Man Band - The Eyes of Orson Welles - They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead - The Auteurs #69: Orson Welles: Part 1 - Part 2

© thevoid99 2013

The Lady from Shanghai

Based on the novel If I Die Before I Wake by Sherwood King, The Lady from Shanghai is the story of a man who finds himself in trouble that involves a tycoon and his seductive wife. Written for the screen and directed by Orson Welles, with additional screenplay contributions by William Castle, Charles Lederer, and Fletcher Markle. The film is an exploration into a man who finds himself intrigued by a couple only to get himself into deep trouble. Starring Orson Welles, Rita Hayworth, and Everett Sloane. The Lady from Shanghai is a chilling yet rich suspense film from Orson Welles.

What happens when an Irish sailor comes across a beautiful woman who is married to a famed lawyer as he falls for her and later finds himself in trouble when he’s involved in an embezzlement plot? That’s the idea of the film as it explores this man named Michael O’Hara (Orson Welles) who meets this beautiful woman named Elsa (Rita Hayworth) as she is intrigued by him where he becomes a sailor on a yacht owned by her husband Arthur Bannister (Everett Sloane). An attraction ensues between Michael and Elsa as it gets the attention of Bannister’s partner George Grisby (Glenn Anders) who conspires to fake his own death with Michael receiving $5000 to do the deed. Yet, things become complicated when Michael realizes that something didn’t go right when a private detective named Sidney Broome (Ted de Corsia) is involved trying to figure out what is going. Notably as it leads a chilling climax for Michael to realize what’s really going on.

The screenplay does create a lot of schematics that would become part of the formula that is expected in the world of film noir. There’s this drifter who finds himself attracted to this gorgeous blonde who is married to a disabled criminal defense attorney. There’s the woman herself as she exudes all of the qualities that can get men to do her bidding as she is also troubled by the fact that her marriage is failing and she is in love with this sailor. There’s this defense attorney who is unaware of what is going as he becomes a target for an embezzlement scheme. Then there’s his business partner who wants to fake his death as a way to use it as a ruse so he can plot something else and blame this drifter for the crime.

It’s all part of the set-up that Welles and his contributing writers would do in this story as it involves all sorts of genres into the story. Romance, suspense, and crime all involving this Irish sailor who is reflecting on everything he’s been through in this journey. From the first meeting he has with Elsa to his meeting with Grisby where Michael finds himself taking the deal in the hopes that he and Elsa will be together. Michael is unaware that he is being played for a fool where he finds himself in big trouble where Bannister has to defend him in court where there’s some revelations that occur. Notably where Michael realizes what has been done to him and why as it’s up to him to piece everything together.

Welles’ direction definitely has an air of style in the way he presents the film though he does manage to keep things straightforward in second unit shots and vast location shots in San Francisco and nearby locations as well as some shots in Acapulco, Mexico. Welles still maintains that air of style in the close-up and medium shots to establish the tense mood that is happening as well as the romance between Michael and Elsa. Welles also plays up the air of suspense that occurs where he knows that audiences will expect something but he’ll find a way to build up that momentum very slowly and do something either expected or unexpected.

Welles also plays into this element of style in the way he sets a mood for some tense scenes involving the suspense where it does become intense. Notably in the courtroom scenes where it’s all about Michael O’Hara being the target for all that is happened and what could be unveiled. Even as it leads to this very surreal yet dazzling climax where O’Hara not only unveils the mystery but also what it was all about. It’s one of the most thrilling moments of the film as well as something that is really unexpected in terms of the way Welles presented with a large degree of style. Overall, Welles creates a very fascinating yet mesmerizing thriller that plays to the attributes of film noir.

Cinematographer Charles Lawton Jr., with additional work from Rudolph Mate and Joseph Walker, does excellent work with the film‘s black-and-white photography from the beautiful scenery in some of the film‘s beach locations to the stylish interior shadings in some of the film‘s nighttime scenes. Editor Viola Lawrence does amazing work with the editing as it‘s very stylized with its use of dissolves as well as dazzling cuts in the film‘s climax. Art directors Sturges Carne and Stephen Gooson, along with set decorators Wilbur Menefee and Herman N. Schoenbrun, do terrific work with the sets from the look of the courtroom and places the characters go to as well as the place for the film’s climax.

Costume designer Jean Louis does wonderful work with the gowns and clothes that Elsa wears to complement her unique sense of style. Sound recordist Lodge Cunningham does terrific work with the sound from the tense moments in the courtroom to the more low-key atmosphere in the scenes on the yacht. The film’s music by Heinz Roemheld is superb for its intense orchestral moments that is filled with lush string flourishes to play out the drama as well as eerie bombast for its suspenseful moments.

The film’s cast is brilliant as it features some notable small performances from Carl Frank as the district attorney, Erskine Sanford as the judge, and Ted de Corsia as the private detective Sidney Broome. Everett Sloane is terrific as Arthur Bannister who is unaware of Elsa’s attraction towards Michael while he tries to defend him in court where he realizes what has been going on. Glenn Anders is excellent as the scheming George Grisby who tries to get Michael involved in a plan to steal money from Bannister. Rita Hayworth is marvelous as Elsa where Hayworth is just intoxicating to watch as a woman who is clearly falling for Michael as she also deals with the consequences they’re dealing with. Finally, there’s Orson Welles in a remarkable performance as Michael O’Hara where Welles plays him as a man trapped by his surroundings and the situations he’s in. While some of Welles’ Irish accent isn’t perfect, it is still engaging for the way he tries to piece out everything that’s been happening.

The Lady from Shanghai is an incredible film from Orson Welles that features a fantastic performance from Rita Hayworth. The film isn’t just one of Welles’ finest films but also one of the key films of the film noir genre of the 1940s and early 1950s. Notably in how it creates the air of suspense while engaging the audience into figuring out what is going on throughout the film. In the end, The Lady from Shanghai is a rich yet phenomenal film from Orson Welles.

Orson Welles Films: Citizen Kane - The Magnificent Ambersons - The Stranger (1946 film) - Macbeth (1948 film) - Othello (1952 film) - Mr. Arkadin - Touch of Evil - The Trial (1962 film) - Chimes at Midnight - The Immortal Story - F for Fake - Filming Othello – The Other Side of the Wind

Related: Orson Welles: The One-Man Band - The Eyes of Orson Welles - They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead - The Auteurs #69: Orson Welles: Part 1 - Part 2

© thevoid99 2013