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The Magnificent Yankee

Play trailer Poster for The Magnificent Yankee 1951 1h 29m Biography Play Trailer Watchlist
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83% Tomatometer 6 Reviews 48% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes (Louis Calhern) spends his leisure time at his home, where he entertains guests with the assistance of his loving wife, Fanny (Ann Harding). His most trusted friend is Judge Louis Brandeis (Eduard Franz), with whom he spends hours debating the law. When Fanny dies, Holmes is heartbroken and aimless, but he finds direction again by dedicating himself to his court duties and teaching the Harvard law clerks who come to work for him.
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The Magnificent Yankee

Critics Reviews

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Bob Thomas Associated Press 07/30/2019
The Magnificent Yankee is a splendid contribution to American history. Go to Full Review Manny Farber The Nation 11/24/2020
The theatrical Calhern mauls the process of growing old into a picturesque joke of rheumatism, fatigue, diminishing powers. Go to Full Review Michael E. Grost Classic Film and Television 12/05/2016
Low key near-documentary biopic, with interesting sidelights in US history and culture. Go to Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 03/02/2013
B
Susan Granger www.susangranger.com 08/08/2006
4/5
Nick Davis Nick's Flick Picks 01/23/2004
C
So inoffensive and so insignificant, it makes you wonder why a film version of Emmet Lavery's play was either desired or delivered...there's just no apparent motive. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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09/13/2022 Very dated and pointless biopic. Because it was made during the HUAC years there could be no sign of anything political, or views on the law (other than safe bits about anti-trust topics), so it has nothing to say. Calhern is theatrical in the kind of role that demands little. He struts about and every line is a pronouncement or clever bit. He never has to truly interact with other actors. He acts AT them. That’s not completely Calhern’s fault though but the writer’s. Its just a slight, inoffensive, meaningless show. See more steve d 07/21/2020 Interesting and well acted. See more s r @ScottR 02/08/2016 Not much in terms of a simple biographical plot, but it was still intriguing to see a story about a Supreme Court justice. See more 02/07/2014 Very enjoyable bio-pic with a light touch to the material a great help from making it seem like a history lesson. Louis Calhern is simply great in the title role. He and Ann Harding have a wonderful easy camaraderie as Holmes and his wife making it believable that they are a long time married couple. See more 12/15/2013 Delightful but uninteresting. See more 08/10/2010 Fairly dull. While I realise that Oliver Wendell Holmes jr was a great and influencial man, and the movie linearly and faithfully recounts his Supreme Court days, the movie doesn't really capture what made him great. In addition the oldy-worldy gentileness and pleasantries cause this movie to not age well, and make it fairly boring. See more Read all reviews
The Magnificent Yankee

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Cast & Crew

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John Sturges

Director

Louis Calhern

Oliver Wendell Holmes

Ann Harding

Fanny Bowditch Holmes

Eduard Franz

Judge Louis Brandeis

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The Magnificent Yankee

The Magnificent Yankee (1950) The Magnificent Yankee (1950) The Magnificent Yankee (1950) The Magnificent Yankee (1950) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes (Louis Calhern) spends his leisure time at his home, where he entertains guests with the assistance of his loving wife, Fanny (Ann Harding). His most trusted friend is Judge Louis Brandeis (Eduard Franz), with whom he spends hours debating the law. When Fanny dies, Holmes is heartbroken and aimless, but he finds direction again by dedicating himself to his court duties and teaching the Harvard law clerks who come to work for him.
Director
John Sturges
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Genre
Biography
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 18, 1951, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 22, 2009
Runtime
1h 29m
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