The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)

Filmsite seemed to think this film was worth mentioning. Directed by Orson Welles and starring Anne Baxter and Tim Holt. The film is an adapted screenplay of Booth Tarkington's Pulitzer Prize winning 1918 novel. This was actually the middle book of a trilogy which might explain why I felt I was dropped into a running storyline with the film, then pulled out before really getting to an ending.

I can't seem to understand how this film made it's way onto ANYONE's top movie list. A film that did very poorly at the box office out of bad timing, and one that Welles said didn't have an ending that worked well. Released just after the attack on Pearl Harbor, audiences wanted a happier movie, and even with edits to make this more cheerful it is just a somber, sad, and depressing film.

The rich family in town has a daughter, who marries the wrong man after the man she really loves makes a fool out of himself getting drunk at a party. A pretty sever punishment for an embarrassing night... The man she marries is horrible with investments, and their only son is a brat. You can see where this is going. Mom laments a bad decision, son is unable to recover from dad's bad decision because he is arrogant and selfish. Watch it if you must, 5/10 is very generous...

Vote: 5/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035015/

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