The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)

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Originally Posted by RockyIII

I watched this movie for the first time, and by the end of it I was left with a huge ?

What was George's big problem with Eugene and why was he so against his mother marrying him even after father died? I don't get it

The idea is that by rejecting Eugene she didn't marry for love, so instead she loved her son all the more, causing him to be spoiled and overly attached. George can't tolerate having a rival for his mother's affections. As I understand it, the book emphasized this Freudian aspect less and instead George's antipathy to Eugene was rooted in reactionary hatred for modernity as exemplified by the automobile.