The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)

THE FILM:

After Citizen Kane Orson Welles could do anything, so he did The Magnificent Ambersons, a film that is considered by several critics including myself to be highly underrated. Their budget was $850, 000  - most of which was used to build the main set, an extravagant mansion. This set was later used to shoot several low-budget horror movies. Little is known about the pre-production, most likely since it wasn't a particularly interesting pre-production. However, there is quite a story that took place in post-production.

The Magnificent Ambersons was 148 minutes long. It was previewed to an audience and the public reception wasn't extremely positive. Welles thought that the film could use a few scenes to be cut out so film editor Robert Wise (who later went on to direct some of the most successful Hollywood movies of all time) cut out several minutes. The movie was previewed once again, but sadly there was no improving in the audience's opinion. RKO was then given the film to cut it down. They cut out 40 minutes and forced Orson Welles to re-shoot such things as the ending. RKO was unsatisfied with his down-beat ending and they wanted a happier one, like the one in the novel it was based off. Orson Welles was to say the least angered. He said "They destroyed Ambersons, and 'it' destroyed me." Even though so much was cut out, this is still a masterpiece. However, one can always wonder what the original cut looked like.

THE PLOT:

Our story begins around the late 1800s or the early 1900s. There lives a young, handsome and wild man named Eugene. He falls in love with Isabel Amberson, daughter of a very wealthy family. Unfortunately for Eugene, Isabel selects Wilbur Minafter as her spouse. Together they have a child named George. Being their first child, Isabel and Wilbur are unaware how to raise George. Therefore, George is raised as selfish and spoiled. 

Time goes by. Wilbur has passed away leaving Isabel as a widow. Then one day, Eugene returns. He is now a very successful widower. When he lays his eyes upon Isabel he is immediately re-stricken with the love that had blinded him years ago. Once more, Eugene asks Isabel to marry him. Unlike the previous attempts, Isabel accepts this time. This does not meet with George's approval. With the help of his aunt, Fanny, George tries to sabotage Isabel's romance with Eugene. This begins to create a disaster in the Amberson family.

THE CRITICISM:

The Magnificent Ambersons dares to do what few modern movies would dare to do. We meet these characters  we understand their personalities. Some characters we respect, some we hate and some we can relate to. No character is evil, because from what I sense, Orson Welles did not believe in plain and sheer evil. Every character in this has something that drives them, something that makes them realistic. 

What a cast, indeed! In the main male lead role, we have Joseph Cotten. Personally  he is among my favourite actors. He is a very versatile actor, and this is the living proof. In Shadow of a Doubt, Joseph Cotten played a deranged serial killer, a completely different roll than the one in this. Let me say this, in classic Hollywood movies the characters are all so perfect - except for the evil characters who try to create problems for no apparent reason. This makes it difficult to truly relate to anyone. However, The Magnificent Ambersons allows you to sympathize with these people because they feel human. Joseph Cotten takes on the role of Eugene.

I would like to comment on Tim Holt's performance as well. He took on this role very well, even though most of the time we wanted to strangle him.

Also, although Orson Welles was never seen in the entire movie, I felt he did an excellent job refraining from showcasing himself. He took a small role as the narrator, a role that was suited for his interesting voice.

This will be something odd to discuss, but I felt that the end credits were superb. Allow we to attempt to explain my feelings. These credits don't feature any text, only the narrator and quick video clips on the screen. You can see them here. These credits are very similalr to what Orson Welles did in The Trial, however The Magnificent Ambersons does it better.

There is one last positive things left to discuss. The Amberson's towering mansion left me in awe. The set designers did a fabulous job making the Ambersons' wealth believable. 

I have a slight quibble with this. Although I said the characters were quite realistic, I don't feel that the issues these characters had to deal with are such that anyone will ever have to in real life. The tragedies that seem to be piling on these people will make you raise an eyebrow. Orson Welles' did a great job paying attention to detail however he did miss a slight portion of the main focus.

All in all, The Magnificent Ambersons is a masterpiece of period dramas that has something to say about social life and the greed, jealousy and betrayal in all humans. 

The Magnificent Ambersons,

1942,

Directed by Orson Welles,

Starring: Joseph Cotten, Anne Baxter, Tim Holt

9.5/10 (A+)

Ranked:

1. F for Fake

2. The Magnificent Ambersons

3. The Lady From Shanghai

4. Citizen Kane

5. Chimes At Midnight

6. The Trial

7. The Stranger

8. Macbeth

9. Othello

The Trial (1962)

THE FILM:

In 1925 a novel by the famous surrealist author Franz Kafka was published. This novel was called "The Trial" and since then it has been considered to be among his greatest works. In 1962, once again Orson Welles adapted a famous literary masterpiece into a film. In a interview Orson Welles claimed that The Trial was his greatest movie. Sadly, The Trial was watched by a very few amount of people. Now, the movie is in public domain. It's very difficult to find since it's never had a official home video release. This movie stars Anthony Perkins, who later claimed that his greatest pride was being able to work in a Orson Welles movie.

THE PLOT:

There's something bizarre going on. Josef K. notices this one morning when he is awakened by two police officers in his small but cozy apartment. The two officers of the law refuses to tell him what his charges are and why he is being arrested. The cops then leave, and Josef K. goes to his office where he is told off by his superior officers for having had sexual relations with his teenage cousin. After, Josef K. goes to the opera where he is arrested by an officer. This officer takes Josef K. to the court where he witnesses another man in the same predicament as Josef K. being punished in federal court. After, Josef K. meets up with his uncle who hires a lawyer to defend Josef K. The lawyer's mistress suggests that Josef K. should go visit Titorelli, a man who paints portraits of the judges in court. He feels Titorelli can put in a good word for Josef K. However, this is proved unhelpful. Then one day, Josef is apprehended by the cops once more. They take for a long trek into the desert where they throw him into a pit. SPOILER AHEAD! The cops then leave Josef as he laughs hysterically as a stick of dynamite explodes under him.

THE CRITIQUING:

The Good: Orson Welles' movie is a quality adaptation. I very much enjoyed the manner in which it was shot. It used shadows to tell the story. Much like the last Orson Welles' movie I reviewed, Othello, The Trial's most memorable moments are due to the cinematography. It's clear that the cinematographer Edmond Richard is a treasure. He worked with Orson Welles again in Chimes at Midnight. After that, it seemed Luis Bunuel took notice of him and used him in two of his movie. After that, Edmond Richard did not do any major films. It's tragic such a great cinematographer goes unnoticed.

Most of the time when somebody adapts a novel into a movie, they read the book and usually take most of the same dialogue, especially in older movies. Orson Welles did indeed take some dialogue from the novel however the order this takes place in differs greatly from the book. The order that the chapters take place in in the movie is 1,4,2,5,6,3,8,7,9,10.

Also, I liked the metaphor that was used at the start of the film. It felt as though it echoed out and surrounded the rest of movie. I won't spoil this quick sequence in the opening of the movie, since it was a delightful moment that made this movie more likable.

The Bad: Recently, the movie Cloud Atlas was released. I remember I once went on Rotten Tomatoes and it said the critical consensus was 'a beautiful mess'. Perhaps the word 'beautiful' doesn't best represent The Trial, but the word 'mess' definitely does. The Trial is a cinematic mess. Don't get me wrong, I understand that this is surrealism but I have an odd feeling the Orson Welles does not have Kafka's genius within him. Kafka could make his stories naturally bizarre. Orson Welles had to try to live up to the scattered mind of Franz Kafka, and you can tell there is something of a difference between their ideas. What I am trying to say is, unlike the novel "The Trial", Orson Welles' movie does not flow as nicely.


The Trial,
1962,
Directed by Orson Welles,
Starring: Orson Welles, Anthony Perkins, Jeanne Moreau
8/10 (A-)

Ranked:

1. F For Fake
2. The Lady From Shanghai
3. Citizen Kane
4. Chimes At Midnight
5. The Trial
6. The Stranger
7. Macbeth
8. Othello

Othello (1952)

THE FILM:

Orson Welles decided to continue his love for Shakespeare's work in this fairly un-watched adaptation of "Othello". The shooting schedule was very bizarre for Othello since it was shot over the span of three years. No, not every every day of those three years was spent shooting. The scheduling was very erratic. The filming began in France however they went bankrupt. Finally, they finished in Morocco and Rome. There was much difficulty with the elaborate costumes being ready in time for the shooting. There is one scene where a character kills another while in a Turkish bath. Their costumes were not ready and it had to be shot in fourm. All in all, Orson Welles went through living hell to make this movie, and it turned out to be one of his worst. Oh and yes, Orson Welles does use black-face for himself when he plays Desmondo.

THE PLOT:

There once was a solider named Iago who was consumed with hatred for a man called Othello. Othello was happily married to a woman named Desmondo. Iago hatched a plan to torment Othello. He decided to make Othello think that Desmondo was cheating on him for another man, named Cassio. As well, there is a man named Rod who desires Desmondo for his own due to her undeniable beauty. Rod and Iago begin to work together to end Othello's marriage. However, much to Rod's horror, Iago doe not just want to see Othello's marriage destroyed, he wants to see ever happiness in Othello's life to be crushed. This creates trouble in the partnership between Iago and Rod as Rod slowly begins to see Iago's insanity. SPOILER! At the end, nothing good comes out. Iago kills Rod as Iago begins to notice their partnership is dipping. Othello strangles  Desmondo having believed she was cheating on him with Cassio. Iago kills his wife... for no particular reason. Othello stabs himself, since he is unable to live with his guilt. Finally, Cassio takes on Othello's old job and Iago is left all alone with no friends or family.
THE CRITIQUING:

The Good: Orson Welles gives one of the best performances of Othello of all time. As well, the cinematography is dark and moody. Finally, every actor in the cast seems to truly understand their characters.

The Bad: Othello is an uninspired adaptation of a fabulous play. It's very difficult to adapt this classic play into a film. Truffaut once said in his film Day For Night, "Making a film is like a stagecoach ride in the old west. When you start, you are hoping for a pleasant trip. By the halfway point, you just hope to survive." With all the difficulties the crew faced to finish Othello even a director like Orson Welles would consider giving up quality.

The Ugly: The black-face job done on Othello was laughable!

Othello,
1952,
Directed by Orson Welles,
Starring: Orson Welles, Michael MacLiammoir and Suzanne Cloutier
6/10 (C-)

Ranked:

1. F For Fake
2. The Lady From Shanghai
3. Citizen Kane
4. Chimes At Midnight
5. The Stranger
6. Macbeth
7. Othello