Thomas M. Pryor of "The New York Times" praised "The Magnificent Ambersons" as "an exceptionally well-made film, dealing with a subject scarcely worth the attention which has been lavished upon it." He further praised the performances from the cast highlighting Dolores Costello as being "too beautiful and capable an actress to remain inactive for such long periods. Agnes Moorehead, playing the role of a romantically frustrated aunt, is splendid. Other fine performances are contributed by Ray Collins, Anne Baxter and the veteran Richard Bennett as the grandfather." "Time" heralded the film as "a great motion picture, adult and demanding. Artistically, it is a textbook of advanced cinema technique. The novel use of sidelighting and exaggerated perspective that made "Kane" seem unlike any other movie floods "Ambersons" with the same revealing eloquence, examining faces, bathrooms, streets, the cluttered detail of the "Ambersons" magnificence, from a viewpoint so fresh that it creates a visual suspense in the very act of clarification." "Harrison's Reports" positively wrote the film "is an artistic achievement, excelling in every department—that of direction, acting, production, and photography."