Orson Welles and Me

2010_9_07 Me and Orson Welles
Sue and I love sleepers, which are strictly my department, that is, to find them. I have a talent to sniff them out. I go by three things: who are the actors in any particular movie; who was the director; and subject matter.
Three days ago I picked up 5 movies at Blockbusters, on their 5 day plan. Last night we watched “Orson Welles and Me,” so the subject matter was the strong suit of that choice. I am an Orson Welles fan from way back; plus he was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, which is eight miles south of Racine, my home town. I have read three biographies about him (Brady, Callow, Thomson) and I have four other books about his life and work. With a couple of pictures of him as Charles Foster Kane, they constitute a little shrine to his memory and genius.
“Orson Welles and Me” was an indie film directed by Richard Linklater whose film record is impressive and solid. He made “Dazed and Confused,” “Slackers,” “Waking Life,” and “Before Sunset.” This particular movie is about one of Welles’ early successes on the stage, “Julius Caesar,” which was performed in New York by the newly formed Mercury Theater. 75% of the movie was taken up with rehearsal time and in-group bickering among Orson and the cast, and John Houseman, who ran the business side of things. There was meticulous attention to the styles of the thirties and how everything looked. Orson adapted the play to a 90 minute performance with no intermission. His politics were liberal so he decided to do the play in modern dress with political implications. He got a deal on a batch of black uniforms with boots, perfect attire for fascist police. His wardrobe people added shiny silver buttons. The man who played Caesar was stocky and bald; the allusion to Mussolini was unmistakable. He had studied Edward Gordon Craig’s innovations on set design. The play took place on tiers of platforms and with the back wall being the brick of the building, enhanced only by lighting. He wanted a look that was neutral and non-representational. No thrones, no fancy togas, no allusions to ancient Rome. The narrative was contemporary more than historical or both at once. The lighting was minimal and dramatic; clouds of smoke wafted up from the platforms Opening night was November 11, 1937. Welles told one cast member this play would either make him or break him.
It was a huge success; both the audience and the critics loved it. The play went on the road to six more cities after they closed in New York. It closed for good on November 11, 1938.The only actors the movie-goer might recognize were Claire Danes and Ben Chaplin. The actor who played Welles, Christian McKay, who I had never heard of, was excellent in the part; he was a Brit born in 1973 who bore a remarkable physical resemblance to the man from Kenosha, including the deep, booming voice. When I checked on him online I discovered he had done a touring one man show as Orson Welles, so he was not only a natural to play him he was experienced at doing so. His imitation of Welles was right on, showing him as brilliant, formidable, intuitive, visionary, but also full of himself, dominating, sometimes incredibly insensitive and screwing every woman within range. He also wanted credit for everything and was always right, if not exactly without fault. And he wasn’t below stealing an idea or two. But clearly, it was the force of his magnetic personality that kept the cast together and heading toward a common goal and success.
On the other hand, his egocentric approach to projects and lack of patience with the money people crippled many of his aims and goals, and many things never came to fruition or if they did, they did so by half-measure. He made a lot of mediocre movies as an actor trying to support his personal vision as a filmmaker, but he needed more than he could make. Still, he had quite an impact on theater and “Citizen Kane” was many people’s choice as the greatest film of the 20th century. In addition, his “Othello” and “Macbeth” are solid efforts and will be around for a long time. They are the best of the black and white versions of the plays.