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The Magnificent Ambersons (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

Joseph Cotten (Actor), Tim Holt (Actor), Orson Welles (Director) Rated:
NR
Format: Blu-ray
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 252 ratings
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November 27, 2018
Criterion Collection
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Genre Drama
Format NTSC, Subtitled
Contributor Joseph Cotten, Tim Holt, Agnes Moorehead, Orson Welles
Language English
Runtime 1 hour and 28 minutes
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Product Description

Orson Welles's beautiful, nostalgia-suffused second feature the subject of one of cinema's greatest missing footage tragedies harks back to turn-of-the-twentieth-century Indianapolis, chronicling the inexorable decline of the fortunes of an affluent family. Adapted from an acclaimed Booth Tarkington novel and characterized by restlessly inventive camera work and powerful performances from a cast including Joseph Cotten, Tim Holt, and Agnes Moorehead, the film traces the rifts deepening within the Amberson clan at the same time as the forces of progress begin to transform the city they once ruled. Though RKO excised over forty minutes of footage, now lost to history, and added an incongruously upbeat ending, The Magnificent Ambersons is an emotionally rich family saga and a masterful elegy for a bygone chapter of American life.

Product details

  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 5.92 ounces
  • Director ‏ : ‎ Orson Welles
  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ NTSC, Subtitled
  • Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 28 minutes
  • Release date ‏ : ‎ November 27, 2018
  • Actors ‏ : ‎ Joseph Cotten, Tim Holt, Agnes Moorehead
  • Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
  • Studio ‏ : ‎ Criterion Collection
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07GGMPZ3W
  • Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 252 ratings

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
252 global ratings
Superb Criterion release of Welles' second "masterpiece."
5 Stars
Superb Criterion release of Welles' second "masterpiece."
Beautiful restoration of Orson Welles" brilliant retelling of the rise and fall of an American "aristocratic" family at the turn of the 20th century. (Georgie Menafer's continued diatribes against the budding automobile industry seem eerily prescient!" The brilliant black and white cinematography shines in this new release which much mirrors the acclaimed 1980s CAV laserdisc in its myriad, fascinating extras-- with three commentary tracks! THIS is the one to have!!
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Top reviews from the United States

Robert Schaffer
5.0 out of 5 stars Welles' classic masterpiece finally comes to bluray for the first time! It's never looked better!
Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2019
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Now available for the very first time on Blu-ray, the The Magnificent Ambersons was Orson Welles' immediate follow-up film to his classic masterpiece Citizen Kane.
The Magnificent Ambersons is a classic that is very different from Kane, an unusual blend of a melodrama and a movie with a much deeper message--the first film ever made about the social impact of a technology upon the way people live.
At the films opening, Eugene Morgan (played by Joseph Cotton) is one of the early pioneers developing these new-fangled things then called horseless carriages. He is not well to do financially and is trying to make a success of himself in the world, while the Ambersons are then among the richest and most powerful families in the city.
While hoping to win the hand of the then also young Isabel Amberson, one night Morgan drinks too much and makes a clumsy and embarrassing spectacle of himself. Isabel, in a fit of anger at Morgan, agrees to marry lovelessly into the well to do Menifer family instead.
As one far-seeing neighbor points out, Isabel can't possibly love Menifer, so she'll pour all her affection into her children and raise the worst gang of spoiled brats the town has ever seen! The only thing the neighbor gets wrong in the end is that Isabel has only one child, George, who she subsequently spoils rotten, exactly as predicted.
Years pass, and as Morgan's business thrives and the automobile eventually replaces the horse as the primary form of transportation, large numbers of people move from the inner city out to the suburbs, reducing the value of the inner city real estate that the Amberson's fortune is based upon.
In a reversal of fortunes, Morgan becomes rich and powerful while the Amberson's fortune eventually faulters as a direct result of the social changes Morgan's beloved machines bring about.
There are insightful observations about the technology and its' effect on our lives made in this film like, "The faster we're carried from place to place, the less time any of us seems to have on our hands".
Overlayed on top of this tale of technology and change is the story of Isabel's son, George Menifer (played by Tim Holt), the last of the Amberson line, the spoiled child who eventually grows into a spoiled man--a person whom most of the town prays will one day get his "come-uppance" for all the harm he continuously does to others with his over inflated ego and absurdly massive sense of self-importance.
By the time the reversal of fortunes finally delivers some that much deserved "come-uppance" to the once so egotistical George, his importance to the town has dwindled to the point that those who prayed so fervently for it once upon a time have long since forgotten all about it--and have forgotten all about him as well.
To further complicate matters, there is Eugene and Isabel's love (which has never completely died over the years) to deal with--and which the egotistical and spoiled George Menifer simply cannot tolerate, even though it's not acted upon by Eugene and Isabel--and even though George himself has fallen hopelessly for Morgan's very own daughter. For the sake of those who've not seen the film yet, I won't give away any more of the film's story details.
The acting in The Magnificent Ambersons from every single cast member is absolutely stellar, uniformly spectacular.
I consider this incredible work of genius to be a masterpiece, but a "flawed" masterpiece for the reason that, as incredibly good as it is, it was once an even better film. As many people know, the film was re-edited by the studio, losing more than a half hour of footage (some claim closer to an hour), and with a new final scene, shot without Welles' knowledge, replacing his original one.
Although this is not Welles' film as he intended it to be seen; so many, many long moments of pure genius still remain that they give us a tantalizing taste of what the original film must have been like--and, I must admit, it is still a spectacularly good, utterly classic motion picture, studio re-editing and all.
The Magnificent Ambersons will therefore always remain a great classic film, but also one which is less than it was originally--and thus a "flawed" masterpiece.
As good as it is, one can only guess with a deep sense of awe how even more incredibly fantastic Welles' original version must have been.
This new Criterion Blu-ray is the best version possible to make of this classic film. The original negatives of it were destroyed, so it was constructed, instead, from the best theatrical prints available.
Although not perfect, it's still much, much better by far than any other version that's ever been available before--and, with this film's renowned photography, the improvement this Blu-ray affords makes a real difference to the overall viewing experience.
This is the first time that I have ever seen this film look so good and it really is a treat to finally get to see this wonderful classic movie the way it is now presented by Criterion.
If you are a Welles fan, a film student, or just a fan of this great classic film, then this Criterion Blu-ray is unquestionably the very best version of Welles' The Magnificent Ambersons to view.
I give this Criterion bluray a very high recommendation.
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Phillip O.
5.0 out of 5 stars A magnificent dvd
Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2021
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This was Orson Welles' second film and is in many ways as dazzling as his first ("Citizen Kane"). Released in 1942, it is based on Booth Tarkington's novel about the decline of a wealthy midwestern family in the early 20th century. The set design (mostly within the Amberson's mansion) is sumptuous and the stark black and white cinematography is stupendous. The many tracking shots (including reverse tracking shots) are breathtaking and admirable. The acting is superb, especially Agnes Moorehead who had quite the breakdown scene near the end of the film.

There are two commentaries and both are interesting and contain a lot of information regarding the production, the sets and techniques used. Most of the information details the post-production in which RKO executives took control of the film and basically gave it a hatchet job. Nevertheless, despite the promise of what could have been, the film remains a good one and far superior to many in its day.

As usual, Criterion does an amazing job. This Blu-ray edition looks fantastic. In addition to the commentaries by Robert L. Carringer, James Naremore and Jonathan Rosenbaum, other extras include a Dick Cavett interview with Welles, an interview with Simon Callow, Joseph McBride, a segment from a 1925 silent adaptation of the film, audio interviews with Wells and Peter Bogdanovich, two Mercury radio plays ("Seventeen" (1937) and "The Magnificient Ambersons" (1939) and the trailer. An insert includes essays by Molly Haskell, Luc Sante, Geoffrey O'Brien, Franna Smith Nehme and Jonathan Lethem.
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sonicseer
4.0 out of 5 stars Essential Welles, long review
Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2018
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There's no need to rehash the tragedy of this mutilated masterpiece, all that remains are scraps of a larger whole. The Welles surviving content is magnificent and innovative, the studio reshoot horribly bland and out of place. Film fans will forever wonder what might have been. There's a few missed opportunities on this package (hence the four stars) but first up is what you're here for and that's picture quality. Your experience may differ, I watched this important film through an Epson 4K emulator on a 120'' screen.

4K remaster quality: first time viewers will initially be disappointed, especially if you're used to inky blacks and superior sharpness. But remember this film is over 75 years old so tack sharp you won't get. Still, as a huge Welles fan I was let down when the famous opening RKO logo looked faded and not sharp at all. Film grain seemed too prominent and whites slightly blown-out. I was freaking out, did I get shipped a regular dvd?

But then a surprise: a second viewing, especially when compared against the dvd from the Kane box, actually did reveal improved details and a more balanced picture. Any previous judder and film specks are all gone. As the film progressed some scenes were strikingly sharp, most especially daytime scenes with George and Lucy. Most impressive are details strewn about the impossibly complicated set design of the Amberson mansion. Those familiar with this film will delight in subtle details strewn throughout the film such as the sheen of satin dresses and the cross-stitching found in men's suits. Your eye will wander around and get lost in newly revealed details, background actors and their actions make you go "I didn't notice that before". Don't let the initial graininess get you down (it gets better) and while it's not 2018 tack sharp this is the best Ambersons to date .

Continuing: skin tones were especially improved. Anne Baxter in particular is breathtakingly beautiful here, she positively glows throughout. Even previously unseen acne under Tim Holt's makeup is now visible, remarkable. Dark tones, so critical to the overall look and theme, come off well but don't quite get to inky black. Sequins on dresses really twinkle now, whites seem a bit more crisp, the mansion seems even more expansive and more detailed.

Audio: of course, this a mono track for a film of this vintage. No complaints, the dialog came in strong and clear, the Hermann score all things rousing, sentimental and dark. Bottom end was solid and deep.

Extras: okay--here's your missed opportunity. First, a reconstruction is sorely missing here. And no I'm not talking about those missing 44 minutes, those appear to be lost forever (but I still hope for a miracle in my lifetime). What would have been spectacular is to use Robert Carringer's indispensable "Reconstruction" book as a template, reshuffle existing scenes and insert stills (for missing acts) reassembled in correct order according to Welles' shooting script. What would have also been nice is a gallery of stills from the set as there are numerous available. The short doc by Welles scholar Joseph McBride is rife with these stills, most impressive is his sketch of the final shot as he remembered it from a rare still that is of course also lost. The absence of more stills makes it especially frustrating when you're teased and you want more! The Boganovich audio-only with Welles is interesting but could have been supplemented with relevant text factoids. Thoughts on the score were surprisingly illuminating explaining subtle scoring techniques and connected themes I was not aware of. The Cavette interview (with an enthusiastic adoring Jack Lemon) was delightful. The included booklet appears comprehensive but with small typeface that is difficult to read. I haven't finished the other supplements.

Commentaries: the Carringer commentary is well-known and insightful although unnecessarily critical when discussing acting styles, particularly Agnes Moorehead's universally praised work. Her performance is a tour-de-force and while Carringer wrote a great book he's dead wrong here. Somewhat disappointing is the second more new commentary with two Welles biographers who spent way too much time discussing author Tarkington. I wanted more on the film-making process and behind-the-scenes studio drama. They seemed unrehearsed and missed important moments like the startling (and extremely difficult to pull off) shining eyes of Dolores Costello late in an important scene. Just more missed opportunities.

In the end: this is a must for Welles fans, you probably already have it. It could have been better but it's good and certainly an improvement on the dvd. For those just dipping their toes into the Welles pool this may be the one time you read about a movie BEFORE you view it. It will probably be an incomprehensible mess for the uninitiated, it's what's missing that makes the film so mysterious. Read the Carringer book to understand Welles' true intentions, to fill in the missing pieces. Orson Welles mastered radio's theater of the mind, the beautiful fragments of this broken Venus de Milo carries on in that tradition. Recommended.
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John McKay
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent quality
Reviewed in Canada on May 27, 2023
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A true classic addition to my collection and worth it thanks to the great extras.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente película
Reviewed in Mexico on July 11, 2019
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Recibí a tiempo la película, todo bien.
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Barry Lane
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the greats.
Reviewed in Canada on February 9, 2021
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Don't be fooled by over-analytical reviews intensely criticizing post-production editorial work not done by Orson Welles -- this is a beautiful film. A must-see, with charming handling by all. Welles makes his presence felt, without appearing in the picture, in each and every frame. It is an honor to know him. The CriterionCollecton transfer and book are everything you could want in a permanent souvenir.
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B dott
5.0 out of 5 stars . A must for your collection
Reviewed in Canada on May 1, 2019
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A beautiful transfer one of the best I’ve seen lots of extras and really paint it’s a new picture of how Orson Welles turned his back on this production. A must for your collection
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Allan Yee
4.0 out of 5 stars Very Good Film Package
Reviewed in Canada on July 9, 2023
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Criterion has put together a very comprehensive package around this film and makes one wonder what a masterpiece it might have been if circumstances had not led to its mutilation. The remastering alone is clearly an upgrade over the previous version I had of it.
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