Orson Welles Story, The

Synopsis

Two-part television documentary on Orson Welles. In the first part, which covers his career in America, Welles talks to interviewer Alan Yentob about MACBETH (1948) saying it was a B-picture quickie. He praises Alexandre Trauner’s art direction on OTHELLO (1952), stating that the production difficulties influenced the editing. He admits that some of the scenes are weak and does not know what went wrong with the sound. In Part 2 he describes CAMPANADAS A MEDIANOCHE/CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT (1966), saying that it stands as a record of his preoccupation with loss of innocence. He also speaks of the notion of ‘Merrie England’, his interpretation of Falstaff and the intention behind the filming of the battle scene and the final rejection.

Series

Arena

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Television

Technical information

Colour / Sound

Transmission details

18 May 1982 (Channel: BBC2)

Duration

105 + 50; 5,600 (16mm) feet

Credits

Producer

Alan Yentob; Leslie Megahey

Contributor

Alan Yentob; Anthony Perkins; Charlton Heston; Jeanne Moreau; John Huston; Micheál MacLiammóir; Orson Welles; Peter Bogdanovich

Additional Details

Production type

Documentary/Educational/News

Plays

Henry IV Part 1; Henry IV Part 2; Macbeth; Othello

Subjects

Drama

Keywords

Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); Welles, Orson (1916-1985)

Notes

History

Part 2 transmitted 21 May 1982

Production Company

Name

BBC

Notes

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Archive

Name

Learning on Screen Off-Air Recording Back-up Service

Email

services@bufvc.ac.uk

Web

http://bufvc.ac.uk/tvandradio/offair External site opens in new window

Phone

020 7393 1514

Fax

020 7393 1555

Address

For Learning on Screen Members only
77 Wells Street
London
W1T 3QJ

Distributor (VHS)

Name

BFI National Archive

Web

http://www.bfi.org.uk/archive-collections/searching-access-collections/research-viewing-services External site opens in new window

Phone

020 7255 1444

Fax

020 7436 0165

Address

21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN