Return to Europe (1959–1970) Orson Welles

welles in crack in mirror (1960)

he continued shooting don quixote in spain , italy, replaced mischa auer francisco reiguera, , resumed acting jobs. in italy in 1959, welles directed own scenes king saul in richard pottier s film david , goliath. in hong kong co-starred curt jürgens in lewis gilbert s film ferry hong kong. in 1960, in paris co-starred in richard fleischer s film crack in mirror. in yugoslavia starred in richard thorpe s film tartars , veljko bulajić s battle of neretva.

throughout 1960s, filming continued on quixote on-and-off until end of decade, welles evolved concept, tone , ending several times. although had complete version of film shot , edited @ least once, continue toying editing 1980s, never completed version film satisfied with, , junk existing footage , shoot new footage. (in 1 case, had complete cut ready in quixote , sancho panza end going moon, felt ending rendered obsolete 1969 moon landings, , burned 10 reels of version.) process went on, welles gradually voiced of characters himself , provided narration. in 1992, director jesús franco constructed film out of portions of quixote left behind welles. of film stock had decayed badly. while welles footage greeted interest, post-production franco met harsh criticism.

welles being interviewed in 1960

in 1961, welles directed in land of don quixote, series of 8 half-hour episodes italian television network rai. similar around world orson welles series, presented travelogues of spain , included welles s wife, paola, , daughter, beatrice. though welles fluent in italian, network not interested in him providing italian narration because of accent, , series sat unreleased until 1964, time network had added italian narration of own. ultimately, versions of episodes released original musical score welles had approved, without narration.

the trial

in 1962, welles directed adaptation of trial, based on novel franz kafka , produced michael , alexander salkind. cast included anthony perkins josef k, jeanne moreau, romy schneider, paola mori , akim tamiroff. while filming exteriors in zagreb, welles informed salkinds had run out of money, meaning there no set construction. no stranger shooting on found locations, welles filmed interiors in gare d orsay, @ time abandoned railway station in paris. welles thought location possessed jules verne modernism , melancholy sense of waiting , both suitable kafka. remain in spirit of kafka welles set cutting room film editor, frederick muller (as fritz muller), in old un-used, cold, depressing, station master office. film failed @ box-office. peter bogdanovich later observe welles found film riotously funny. welles told bbc interviewer best film. while filming trial welles met oja kodar, later became mistress , collaborator last 20 years of life.

welles played film director in la ricotta (1963), pier paolo pasolini s segment of ro.go.pa.g. movie, although renowned voice dubbed italian writer giorgio bassani. continued taking work find acting, narrating or hosting other people s work, , began filming chimes @ midnight, completed in 1966.

chimes @ midnight


chimes @ midnight (1965)

filmed in spain, chimes @ midnight based on welles s play, 5 kings, in drew material 6 shakespeare plays tell story of sir john falstaff (welles) , relationship prince hal (keith baxter). cast includes john gielgud, jeanne moreau, fernando rey , margaret rutherford; film s narration, spoken ralph richardson, taken chronicler raphael holinshed. welles held film in high regard: s favorite picture, yes. if wanted heaven on basis of 1 movie, s 1 offer up.

in 1966, welles directed film french television, adaptation of immortal story, karen blixen. released in 1968, stars jeanne moreau, roger coggio , norman eshley. film had successful run in french theaters. @ time welles met oja kodar again, , gave letter had written , had been keeping 4 years; not parted again. began collaboration both personal , professional. first of these adaptation of blixen s heroine, meant companion piece immortal story , starring kodar. unfortunately, funding disappeared after 1 day s shooting. after completing film, appeared in brief cameo cardinal wolsey in fred zinnemann s adaptation of man seasons—a role won considerable acclaim.

sergei bondarchuk , welles @ battle of neretva premiere in sarajevo (november 1969)

in 1967, welles began directing deep, based on novel dead calm charles williams , filmed off shore of yugoslavia. cast included jeanne moreau, laurence harvey , kodar. financed welles , kodar, not obtain funds complete project, , abandoned few years later after death of harvey. surviving footage edited , released filmmuseum münchen. in 1968 welles began filming tv special cbs under title orson s bag, combining travelogue, comedy skits , condensation of shakespeare s play merchant of venice welles shylock. in 1969 welles called again film editor frederick muller work him re-editing material , set cutting rooms @ safa palatino studios in rome. funding show sent cbs welles in switzerland seized irs. without funding, show not completed. surviving film clips portions released filmmuseum münchen.

in 1969, welles authorized use of name cinema in cambridge, massachusetts. orson welles cinema remained in operation until 1986, welles making personal appearance there in 1977. in 1969 played supporting role in john huston s kremlin letter. drawn numerous offers received work in television , films, , upset tabloid scandal reporting affair kodar, welles abandoned editing of don quixote , moved america in 1970.