The Magnificent Yankee

Released Jan 18, 1951

1h 29m

Biography

List

83%

6 Reviews

Tomatometer

53%

100+ Ratings

Audience Score

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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Audience Member

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.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

09/18/22

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steve d

Interesting and well acted.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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s r

Not much in terms of a simple biographical plot, but it was still intriguing to see a story about a Supreme Court justice.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

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.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

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Audience Member

Delightful but uninteresting.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

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Audience Member

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.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

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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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Bob Thomas

Associated Press

The Magnificent Yankee is a splendid contribution to American history.

Jul 30, 2019

Full Review

Manny Farber

The Nation

The theatrical Calhern mauls the process of growing old into a picturesque joke of rheumatism, fatigue, diminishing powers.

Nov 24, 2020

Full Review

Michael E. Grost

Classic Film and Television

Low key near-documentary biopic, with interesting sidelights in US history and culture.

Dec 5, 2016

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: B

Mar 2, 2013

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Susan Granger

www.susangranger.com

Rated: 4/5

Aug 8, 2006

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Nick Davis

Nick's Flick Picks

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.

Rated: C

Jan 23, 2004

Full Review

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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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