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Minority Opinion: The Magnificent Ambersons, Part 1 — 5 Comments

  1. I read the book early last year and really enjoyed it – I agree with you that it's unjustly overlooked these days. It's not only a good novel, it's a vivd snapshot of American history, of a period which I had tended to overlook myself before reading the book. I haven't been able to see the movie yet, but I want to. I'm looking forward to your Part II.

  2. Jim, I had heard a lot about both the book and film versions of THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS, but never got a chance to delve into either one, so I'm glad you're posting your review in installments. In particular, I'm glad you posted a detailed summary of the novel first, because I like being able to compare and contrast novels vs. film versions. I found it most absorbing, and I look forward to your next installment!

  3. Thanks, CFaTVC, for letting me know I'm not alone. And I like your phrase "beautifully crafted", because I think the term applies to the entire craft of Ambersons — including the editing. I hope to make my case in Part 2 (and discuss the casting of Tim Holt).

    Kim, my apologies for the length of this post, nearly twice as long as any I've ever done, but many thanks for sticking with it. I've been wrestling with this post — now, these posts — far too long, until it finally dawned on me that a familiarity with the novel was necessary to support my points. Now that that's out of the way, I hope things will go more smoothly. (If it helps, I'll be adding a few new illustrations to break up the text a little.)

  4. Wow–do you need a Part II–that was a long read! I read the book and it's better than the film. I like Citizen Kane and The Magnificent Ambersons equally, so please don't think you are alone in not thinking Citizen Kane is the greatest film ever.

  5. Jim, I'm in the minority with you! Although I have a quibble with the casting of Tim Holt, AMBERSONS is a beautifully crafted film and would be held in as high esteem as CITIZEN KANE if it has been made first and Welles's ending hadn't been reshot. I'm looking forward to your part 2.