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The Magnificent Ambersons (1942): Film vs Book
Film · 1942 · Directed by Orson Welles · Starring Joseph Cotten, Dolores Costello, Tim Holt
About the film
The decline of a proud family and its spoiled heir as a small town turns into a big city.
How close is it to the book?
Close to the bookIt follows the book's story, though the studio cut the film down and changed its final stretch.
Read or watch first?
The novel shows the full story the director meant to tell.
What the book gives you
The Magnificent Ambersons by Booth Tarkington
A graceful, wistful story of a proud family and a growing city.
Who will like it: Readers who like family sagas about a grand house and changing times.