Ep 81: The Magnificent Ambersons with Joseph McBride

We're kicking off 2019, with a trip back in time! It is a look back to turn-of-the-Century Midwestern America with Orson Welles's adaptation of Booth Tarkington's The Magnificent Ambersons (1942). Film historian and author, Professor Joseph McBride joins host Lady P to talk about the legacy of Welles' feature follow-up to Citizen Kane. McBride delves into the film's fraught post-production--a process which ultimately resulted in the dismantling of Welles's directorial vision. While the film may not reflect Welles's original intentions, there is still much to admire about the craftsmanship and storytelling in the film as it currently stands. Indeed, despite the careless studio mutilation, Ambersons is still held in such critical esteem that it managed to snag the 81st spot on the Sight & Sound Critics Poll. Lady P and McBride discuss the film's enduring appeal and how the nostalgic remembrance of a time long since past is still as relevant and moving today as it was when the film first debuted.

This is the third in our trilogy of recent podcasts with McBride. See our previous discussions on Ernst Lubitsch's Trouble in Paradise and our episode on Welles's (new!) film The Other Side of the Wind. And make sure to check out McBride's interview feature on the new Criterion Blu-Ray of The Magnificent Ambersons. 

Note--this episode was recorded well in advance of its release. Please disregard the ending note detailing upcoming episodes. We are still in the process of preparing our slate of podcasts for this new year.