The Bijou in MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS

[drednm]

In the scene where Tim Holt and Anne Baxter are walking down the city street they pass the Bijou Theatre. There are several posters and lobby cards. I can't make out the first one they pass, but as they pass the box office, there's a card advertising a Melies film and over the box office is another one boasting Jack Holt followed by a word that looks like EXPLOSIVE. There's another large poster as they pass by but I can't out anything on it.

Any ideas as to film titles?

[Jack Theakston]

http://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/2014/ ... ay-buried/" target="_blank

[drednm]

Thanks, Jack.



It's been done: http://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/2014/ ... able-past/" target="_blank

[entredeuxguerres]

Most notable feature of this scene isn't the marquee of the Bijou; it's the absurdity of Tim Holt straying from his natural habitat (B-Westerns) to consort with that living bijou, Anne Baxter.

[drednm]

Most notable feature of this scene isn't the marquee of the Bijou; it's the absurdity of Tim Holt straying from his natural habitat (B-Westerns) to consort with that living bijou, Anne Baxter.

I thought he was quite good, actually ... considering Mickey Rooney was the first choice for the part.

[entredeuxguerres]

Most notable feature of this scene isn't the marquee of the Bijou; it's the absurdity of Tim Holt straying from his natural habitat (B-Westerns) to consort with that living bijou, Anne Baxter.

I thought he was quite good, actually ... considering Mickey Rooney was the first choice for the part.

Even though the character was supposed to be an arrogant, obnoxious, jerk, I think Mickey would have made the part more palatable...to me; not that either could possibly deserve such a sweetheart as Anne.

Why didn't Mickey get the part? Can't imagine him putting up with Well's egoism.

[Jim Reid]

Why didn't Mickey get the part? Can't imagine him putting up with Well's egoism.

Rooney was under contract to MGM at the time. The way Louis B. Mayer felt about Citizen Kane and the shot taken at Hearst, I doubt there's any way they would have loaned Mickey for a Welles film.

[FrankFay]

Holt had the looks and the entitled bearing down pat. Good as Rooney could be I can't see him sustaining an upper class attitude for the entire picture.

[Bob Birchard]

The more interesting "in joke" for me in AMBERSONS, and there are several, is Joseph Cotten reading a newspaper in which Jed Leland's photo and byline appears. Leland was Cotten's character in CITIZEN KANE.

[drednm]

The more interesting "in joke" for me in AMBERSONS, and there are several, is Joseph Cotten reading a newspaper in which Jed Leland's photo and byline appears. Leland was Cotten's character in CITIZEN KANE.

In an Indianapolis newspaper owned by Kane.

[Mike Gebert]

I think Holt plays young George Orson Welles of Kenosha even better than Welles did.

[Rollo Treadway]

I think Holt plays young George Orson Welles of Kenosha even better than Welles did.

Chalk me up as another fan of Holt's performance. It's an interesting question, though, why George Orson Welles chose nnot to play George Amberson Minafer himself. Purely for convenience, or did the character hit a little too close to home?

Welles had of course played young George in his 1939 radio version which starred Mr. & Mrs. Walter Huston as Eugene and Isobel. This is required listening for any fan of the film.

http://sounds.mercurytheatre.info/mercury/391029.mp3

A few of the participants here would be on hand again for the film version: Ray Collins, Bernard Herrmann, and Welles as narrator.

[Bob Birchard]

I think Holt plays young George Orson Welles of Kenosha even better than Welles did.

Chalk me up as another fan of Holt's performance. It's an interesting question, though, why George Orson Welles chose nnot to play George Amberson Minafer himself. Purely for convenience, or did the character hit a little too close to home?

Welles had of course played young George in his 1939 radio version which starred Mr. & Mrs. Walter Huston as Eugene and Isobel. This is required listening for any fan of the film.

http://sounds.mercurytheatre.info/mercury/391029.mp3

A few of the participants here would be on hand again for the film version: Ray Collins, Bernard Herrmann, and Welles as narrator.

When you see behind the scenes photos of Welles while making AMBERSONS, it becomes immediately evident why he could not play Georgia, he had ballooned up to about 300 lbs. Put me in the Tim Holt column. I think he's perfect for the role.

[drednm]

I think Holt plays young George Orson Welles of Kenosha even better than Welles did.

Chalk me up as another fan of Holt's performance. It's an interesting question, though, why George Orson Welles chose nnot to play George Amberson Minafer himself. Purely for convenience, or did the character hit a little too close to home?

Welles had of course played young George in his 1939 radio version which starred Mr. & Mrs. Walter Huston as Eugene and Isobel. This is required listening for any fan of the film.

http://sounds.mercurytheatre.info/mercury/391029.mp3

A few of the participants here would be on hand again for the film version: Ray Collins, Bernard Herrmann, and Welles as narrator.

When you see behind the scenes photos of Welles while making AMBERSONS, it becomes immediately evident why he could not play Georgia, he had ballooned up to about 300 lbs. Put me in the Tim Holt column. I think he's perfect for the role.

Welles couldn't have played "Georgia" on his best day. I think Holt is just about perfect in the role, and he's better every time you watch the film ... as is the film in general.

[azjazzman]

When you see behind the scenes photos of Welles while making AMBERSONS, it becomes immediately evident why he could not play Georgia, he had ballooned up to about 300 lbs. Put me in the Tim Holt column. I think he's perfect for the role.

I agree that Tim Holt is perfect as George Minafer. However, Welles was nowhere near 300 lbs. when he was shooting AMBERSONS. He was a little heftier than he was at the time of KANE, but he had already shown he could trim down when necessary. He was close to fighting weight again by the time he played the lead in THE STRANGER.

[Mike Gebert]

It's a good question. There are enough times Holt looks enough like Welles in he film that there's no mistaking it; Welles clearly identified to some degree with the wealthy spoiled brat as he did with Hearst/Kane ("I always did gag on that silver spoon," as Kane said). I suspect one, he had enough of that reputation ("Little Orson Annie" and so on) that he didn't want to cement it; he may have felt he wasn't physically right by then to play his younger self; I think because he was baby-faced, he wanted to play older generally at this point; he may have felt he was too magnetic and dominating an actor to play Georgie who is less charming than himself-- who knows. But Holt is terrific in the role, albeit playing someone you're really not supposed to like very much, which he succeeds at.

[drednm]

Holt is terrific, but then so is the entire cast. Apparently Richard Bennett's extended "death soliloquy" was mostly cut from the final version. Agnes Moorehead won the NY Film Critics best actress, and Moorehead and Holt won best actor nods from the National Board of Review.....

Moorehead got a supporting actress Oscar nomination. I wonder if they "ran" Cotten and Holt for lead actor? Baxter and/or Costello for lead actress? Any campaign ads exists from the era?

[Mike Gebert]

I suspect Moorehead got a nomination despite, not because of, RKO...

[drednm]

I suspect Moorehead got a nomination despite, not because of, RKO...

Good point.... the year's juggernaut was Mrs. Miniver, which cleaned up at the awards anyway.

[FrankFay]

Holt is terrific, but then so is the entire cast. Apparently Richard Bennett's extended "death soliloquy" was mostly cut from the final version.

The whole scene is rather creepy as it is. From what I've read Bennett was loosing his mental acuity and would sometimes forget where he was.

[drednm]

Bennett was in his early 70s and looked 20 years older.

[Bob Birchard]

I agree that Tim Holt is perfect as George Minafer. However, Welles was nowhere near 300 lbs. when he was shooting AMBERSONS. He was a little heftier than he was at the time of KANE, but he had already shown he could trim down when necessary.

The open double-breasted suit coat in your shot can cover a multitude of avoirdupois, as can the side shot where Orson is sucking it in and using his arms as a "pot holder." Here's a more candid shot on the mansion set during production of AMBERSONS, and even though we know Orson's weight could yo-yo in this period, he looks more like Hank Quinlan than Georgie Amberson Minafer here.

[drednm]

Who is the cameraman?

[Bob Birchard]

Who is the cameraman?

Camera operator Jimmy Daly, most likely.

[drednm]

I assume that's Stanley Cortez above, walking next to Welles.

[Bob Birchard]

I assume that's Stanley Cortez above, walking next to Welles.

Looks like him.

[wich2]

>Welles had of course played young George in his 1939 radio version which starred Mr. & Mrs. Walter Huston as Eugene and Isobel. This is required listening for any fan of the film.<

It is indeed - it's one of the best episodes of a great series. But alas, in far from the best shape audio-wise; the circulating copies are sourced from Orson's own discs, which he wore out working on the film.

-Craig