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Orson Welles #3
Orson Welles, Vol. 3: One-Man Band
• A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice •
The third volume of Simon Callow’s acclaimed Orson Welles biography, covering the period of his exile from America (1947 – 1964), when he produced some of his greatest works, including Touch of Evil
In One-Man Band , the third volume in his epic and all-inclusive four-volume survey of Orson Welles’s life and work, the celebrated British actor Simon Callow again probes in comprehensive and penetrating detail into one of the most complex, contradictory artists of the twentieth century, whose glorious triumphs (and occasional spectacular failures) in film, radio, theater, and television introduced a radical and original approach that opened up new directions in the arts.
This volume begins with Welles’s self-exile from America, and his realization that he could function only to his own satisfaction as an independent film maker, a one-man band, in fact, which committed him to a perpetual cycle of money raising. By 1964, he had filmed Othello , which took three years to complete; Mr. Arkadin , the most puzzling film in his output; and a masterpiece in another genre, Touch of Evil , which marked his one return to Hollywood, and like all too many of his films was wrested from his grasp and reedited. Along the way he made inroads into the fledgling medium of television and a number of stage plays, of which his 1955 London Moby-Dick is considered by theater historians to be one of the seminal productions of the century. His private life was as spectacularly complex and dramatic as his professional life. The book reveals what it was like to be around Welles, and, with an intricacy and precision rarely attempted before, what it was like to be him, answering the riddle that has long fascinated film scholars and lovers alike: Whatever happened to Orson Welles?
The third volume of Simon Callow’s acclaimed Orson Welles biography, covering the period of his exile from America (1947 – 1964), when he produced some of his greatest works, including Touch of Evil
In One-Man Band , the third volume in his epic and all-inclusive four-volume survey of Orson Welles’s life and work, the celebrated British actor Simon Callow again probes in comprehensive and penetrating detail into one of the most complex, contradictory artists of the twentieth century, whose glorious triumphs (and occasional spectacular failures) in film, radio, theater, and television introduced a radical and original approach that opened up new directions in the arts.
This volume begins with Welles’s self-exile from America, and his realization that he could function only to his own satisfaction as an independent film maker, a one-man band, in fact, which committed him to a perpetual cycle of money raising. By 1964, he had filmed Othello , which took three years to complete; Mr. Arkadin , the most puzzling film in his output; and a masterpiece in another genre, Touch of Evil , which marked his one return to Hollywood, and like all too many of his films was wrested from his grasp and reedited. Along the way he made inroads into the fledgling medium of television and a number of stage plays, of which his 1955 London Moby-Dick is considered by theater historians to be one of the seminal productions of the century. His private life was as spectacularly complex and dramatic as his professional life. The book reveals what it was like to be around Welles, and, with an intricacy and precision rarely attempted before, what it was like to be him, answering the riddle that has long fascinated film scholars and lovers alike: Whatever happened to Orson Welles?
496 pages, Hardcover
First published November 5, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 12, 2016
Something like 25 years ago, I sat at a bus stop in a university town in central Pennsylvania and read an exciting review about the first volume of what was to be a three-volume biography on Orson Welles, written by respected (if less known) actor and writer Simon Callow. This was at the peak of my infatuation with Welles as a director and actor, and I was eager to read an impartial account of his life. Callow did not disappoint, as that first volume was engaging, objective and exhaustively researched in a way no Welles bio before had been. He interviewed hundreds of friends, co-workers, paramours and peers of Welles (although the great man himself was long dead, so unable to continue to mythologise his life in person), read countless articles and books both published and unpublished, and watched every film available in any way connected to Welles. The first volume covered Welles' life from birth (and a little bit before) up to the release of his first film, Citizen Kane.
Over the next 2 and a half decades, Callow has continued to plug away at the series and it has continued to achieve acclaim on all fronts. This third volume has been much-awaited, though regrettably announced as no longer the final part of the series (there's to be one more...at this point). However, Callow makes certain the ride remains a terrific one, even during this period, largely considered the beginning of the end for Welles' career.
Though the period covered herein (from Welles' 'self-exile' from America to the release of what Callow considers his other masterpiece, Chimes at Midnight) may not be as noteworthy as the earlier two volumes' periods, Callow makes a strong case for Welles being just as creative, dynamic and inventive as ever. Welles continued to explore the possibilities in a variety of media, attempting new things at every opportunity, but unfortunately also continued to be the same tyrannical user of people he had been thus far. It was beginning to tell on him and his career.
This is not an easy time in his life to read about, though there are a handful of successes. It is entirely to Callow's credit that the book never gets difficult to get through or anything less than enchanting. His touch is as light here as it was in Road to Xanadu, and will make readers as anxious for the final volume as I was for the first.
I was fortunate enough to have caught Callow giving a speaking engagement to promote this book, and his enthusiasm for Welles, the man and the myth, has clearly remained unhampered since the drama student Callow discovered him. He speaks of Welles as of an old friend, mentor or even lover, and his adoration is utterly infectious both in person and in print. If ever there will be a better biography of such a fascinating, infuriating creative powerhouse, I will certainly want to see it. For now, though, we couldn't ask for better than this.
This Jonathon Cape edition features full-colour Welles-drawn endsheets (missing from the American hardcover), two black-and-white photo sections, a prefatory 'Word of Explanation' about the series and how it happened (and why it keeps going), a listing of Welles' performances during this period as well as his stage productions, films and TV output, a section of footnotes (mostly regarding sources), and a bibliography.
Over the next 2 and a half decades, Callow has continued to plug away at the series and it has continued to achieve acclaim on all fronts. This third volume has been much-awaited, though regrettably announced as no longer the final part of the series (there's to be one more...at this point). However, Callow makes certain the ride remains a terrific one, even during this period, largely considered the beginning of the end for Welles' career.
Though the period covered herein (from Welles' 'self-exile' from America to the release of what Callow considers his other masterpiece, Chimes at Midnight) may not be as noteworthy as the earlier two volumes' periods, Callow makes a strong case for Welles being just as creative, dynamic and inventive as ever. Welles continued to explore the possibilities in a variety of media, attempting new things at every opportunity, but unfortunately also continued to be the same tyrannical user of people he had been thus far. It was beginning to tell on him and his career.
This is not an easy time in his life to read about, though there are a handful of successes. It is entirely to Callow's credit that the book never gets difficult to get through or anything less than enchanting. His touch is as light here as it was in Road to Xanadu, and will make readers as anxious for the final volume as I was for the first.
I was fortunate enough to have caught Callow giving a speaking engagement to promote this book, and his enthusiasm for Welles, the man and the myth, has clearly remained unhampered since the drama student Callow discovered him. He speaks of Welles as of an old friend, mentor or even lover, and his adoration is utterly infectious both in person and in print. If ever there will be a better biography of such a fascinating, infuriating creative powerhouse, I will certainly want to see it. For now, though, we couldn't ask for better than this.
This Jonathon Cape edition features full-colour Welles-drawn endsheets (missing from the American hardcover), two black-and-white photo sections, a prefatory 'Word of Explanation' about the series and how it happened (and why it keeps going), a listing of Welles' performances during this period as well as his stage productions, films and TV output, a section of footnotes (mostly regarding sources), and a bibliography.
May 30, 2016
Bravo, Simon Callow.
This third volume of the definitive life of Orson Welles covers the most important era for understanding the man, when he was a legend but also underappreciated and underfunded. He makes Othello, Mr. Arkadin, Touch of Evil, and Chimes at Midnight, all of which were trashed upon release (or even in the case of Arkadin, completely re-edited into a different film) but he endures and Callow wonderfully and insightfully gets to the heart of the man here, a child at soul, impetuously giving in to his appetites literally and figuratively, but never ceasing to experiment. It is a tragic irony that Welles's greatest triumph - Chimes at Midnight - was also the time when he descended into caricature in the public eye, and when he finally became a joke for pundits to aim at. These are all films (all four of these masterpieces) that have required posthumous rehabilitation and restoration, and with the release of Chimes at Midnight in August by the Criterion Collection, we will finally have a more complete picture of the auteur that Welles was. It is no coincidence that Callow has done the same in literary form. The closing chapters on Chimes will stand as the definitive account of that film, as will this series on Welles. Essential reading.
This third volume of the definitive life of Orson Welles covers the most important era for understanding the man, when he was a legend but also underappreciated and underfunded. He makes Othello, Mr. Arkadin, Touch of Evil, and Chimes at Midnight, all of which were trashed upon release (or even in the case of Arkadin, completely re-edited into a different film) but he endures and Callow wonderfully and insightfully gets to the heart of the man here, a child at soul, impetuously giving in to his appetites literally and figuratively, but never ceasing to experiment. It is a tragic irony that Welles's greatest triumph - Chimes at Midnight - was also the time when he descended into caricature in the public eye, and when he finally became a joke for pundits to aim at. These are all films (all four of these masterpieces) that have required posthumous rehabilitation and restoration, and with the release of Chimes at Midnight in August by the Criterion Collection, we will finally have a more complete picture of the auteur that Welles was. It is no coincidence that Callow has done the same in literary form. The closing chapters on Chimes will stand as the definitive account of that film, as will this series on Welles. Essential reading.
May 7, 2017
If you had told me 10 years ago that I would willingly read a four-volume biography of anyone, I would have said no way. If you had told me it was a four-volume bio of Orson Welles, I would have laughed. Yet here I am, having finished the third volume of Simon Callow's amazing and entertaining bio of Welles, and I have to give it the highest rating possible.
Callow is himself an actor, musician, writer and director (his best known role is as life-of-the-party Gareth in "Four Weddings and a Funeral") and he's a skilled raconteur with a wealth of great anecdotes about Welles, pulled from every possible source: contemporary news stories, memoirs by actors and production people he worked with, interviews, letters etc. He also offers the insights that only someone in the same business as Welles could provide, pointing out both the brilliance of his direction and sound choices in some movies and the flaws in Welles' own acting technique.
The first volume covered Welles' life up to "Citizen Kane," while the second tackled the disaster of "The Magnificent Ambersons" and the lasting innovations of "The Lady from Shanghai." This third one covers two of my all-time favorite Welles movies: "The Third Man," which he performed in but did not direct, and "Touch of Evil," which he adapted, directed and acted in. Oh my Lord, the tales he tells about these movies! Just the details about how much fun he and Charlton Heston had improvising some shots that had never been done before made that part of the book really sing.
I especially loved the part where Callow tells us about the radio show that spun off from "The Third Man," featuring the adventures that Welles' character Harry Lime got into before the events of the movie. At one point Welles complained about the hackneyed scripts and so the producer dared him to write better ones. Two weeks later he handed in six scripts which the producer agreed were good enough to air, and paid Welles for his work. But a month later, another man showed up at the producer's door and said he had written six scripts for Welles and never got paid. The producer went to Welles, told him what the man said, then asked what they were going to do about it. To his surprise, Welles said, "I wouldn't pay him. Those scripts weren't very good."
I learned a lot about Welles' endeavors in other fields, as well, including his foray into television. The one project he made for Desilu sounds amazing -- a pilot that no network would touch, yet it later won a Peabody award.
Welles experienced far more failures than successes, in part because of his own ego and impulsiveness, in part because by this time in his life he was regarded in America as a has-been. Yet he never stopped plugging away, never gave up, always was trying to pull some new rabbit out of his hat. That's a lesson for all of us -- and also, be sure to get paid for whatever you write.
I am curious to see what Callow can do with the final volume of his bio, since Welles completed no more movies after the one that forms the climax of this volume, "Chimes at Midnight" (which I had never heard of, and now want to see). This is the Welles I grew up with, the fat guy hawking wine on TV. I had no idea of his genius until I saw "Citizen Kane" and "Touch of Evil," and I am thankful Callow has shown me there was far, far more to this man's story than just that.
Callow is himself an actor, musician, writer and director (his best known role is as life-of-the-party Gareth in "Four Weddings and a Funeral") and he's a skilled raconteur with a wealth of great anecdotes about Welles, pulled from every possible source: contemporary news stories, memoirs by actors and production people he worked with, interviews, letters etc. He also offers the insights that only someone in the same business as Welles could provide, pointing out both the brilliance of his direction and sound choices in some movies and the flaws in Welles' own acting technique.
The first volume covered Welles' life up to "Citizen Kane," while the second tackled the disaster of "The Magnificent Ambersons" and the lasting innovations of "The Lady from Shanghai." This third one covers two of my all-time favorite Welles movies: "The Third Man," which he performed in but did not direct, and "Touch of Evil," which he adapted, directed and acted in. Oh my Lord, the tales he tells about these movies! Just the details about how much fun he and Charlton Heston had improvising some shots that had never been done before made that part of the book really sing.
I especially loved the part where Callow tells us about the radio show that spun off from "The Third Man," featuring the adventures that Welles' character Harry Lime got into before the events of the movie. At one point Welles complained about the hackneyed scripts and so the producer dared him to write better ones. Two weeks later he handed in six scripts which the producer agreed were good enough to air, and paid Welles for his work. But a month later, another man showed up at the producer's door and said he had written six scripts for Welles and never got paid. The producer went to Welles, told him what the man said, then asked what they were going to do about it. To his surprise, Welles said, "I wouldn't pay him. Those scripts weren't very good."
I learned a lot about Welles' endeavors in other fields, as well, including his foray into television. The one project he made for Desilu sounds amazing -- a pilot that no network would touch, yet it later won a Peabody award.
Welles experienced far more failures than successes, in part because of his own ego and impulsiveness, in part because by this time in his life he was regarded in America as a has-been. Yet he never stopped plugging away, never gave up, always was trying to pull some new rabbit out of his hat. That's a lesson for all of us -- and also, be sure to get paid for whatever you write.
I am curious to see what Callow can do with the final volume of his bio, since Welles completed no more movies after the one that forms the climax of this volume, "Chimes at Midnight" (which I had never heard of, and now want to see). This is the Welles I grew up with, the fat guy hawking wine on TV. I had no idea of his genius until I saw "Citizen Kane" and "Touch of Evil," and I am thankful Callow has shown me there was far, far more to this man's story than just that.
April 7, 2021
I was startled when I began reading ORSON WELLES: ONE MAN BAND that it was not going to end Simon Callow’s fascinating (and, yes, massive) exploration of the life and work of Orson Welles. In his second book, he made comments that made it seem as if this third volume would be the final one. However, that was not the case. He estimated that with the material remaining, the book would be well over 1,000 pages ... so, he kept this one at a much more manageable size and intends to produce a fourth (and presumably ending) volume.
Of course, there is an unintended irony in this “to be continued” saga. Like the most famous of the uncompleted projects of Mr. Welles, “Don Quixote,” there is always both the anticipation of completion and the expectation of more to come. To Mr. Callow’s credit, both his writing style and the details he imparts will bring me back again and again.
ORSON WELLES: ONE MAN BAND focuses on his years bracketed by the film productions of OTHELLO and CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT. These include not only film, but television and theatrical endeavors. Also included are interviews, news stories, and memories from many who knew him. The conclusion to be drawn is that there wasn’t only one Orson Welles. There were many, many facets to his talents and personality, and they each took prominence from time to time.
Some insights I gleaned:
* It is remarkable how lacking Welles was regarding self-assurance and faith in his own abilities. This was especially the case in acting roles. There seemed to be a childlike fear that those “who knew what they were doing” would “find him out” as a fake. I should think that much of this had to do with the Hollywood Studio system taking projects away from him. This made him complicit in his own “failures.” (Throughout this book, he is living in exile from the United States.)
* He had a belief that editing could “fix” anything. This is understandable in that he could create and maintain an appropriate rhythm in his work, and achieve moments that were startling to see. Sometimes, he over-relied on editing ... and even used it as an excuse that a project was not yet complete. (He almost cut CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT until it lacked sense. Thank goodness he accepted advice and restored key elements!) Again, was this a manifestation of a lack of self-assurance? An incomplete project wouldn’t be subject to “failure” criticism.
* He was brilliant in spotting inspiring moments and using them in his work. Many of these were accidental. He just took the time to notice them and determine how they could be best employed. This caused me to reflect on the number of times I’ve wondered “How did he ever think of that?” when watching certain scenes in his films.
* I think he must have had a personality disorder of some kind. Why else couldn’t he restrain himself from the verbal attacks he made against others, even those who were helping him? He must have recognized that something was wrong considering his prodigious number of apologies.
I was never less than intrigued during my reading sessions. I learned so much, and the details made me return to viewings of a number of his films to see them with the backstory in mind. I am very much looking forward to the fourth volume! (It is anticipated that it will cover the final twenty years in the life of this remarkable man.)
Of course, there is an unintended irony in this “to be continued” saga. Like the most famous of the uncompleted projects of Mr. Welles, “Don Quixote,” there is always both the anticipation of completion and the expectation of more to come. To Mr. Callow’s credit, both his writing style and the details he imparts will bring me back again and again.
ORSON WELLES: ONE MAN BAND focuses on his years bracketed by the film productions of OTHELLO and CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT. These include not only film, but television and theatrical endeavors. Also included are interviews, news stories, and memories from many who knew him. The conclusion to be drawn is that there wasn’t only one Orson Welles. There were many, many facets to his talents and personality, and they each took prominence from time to time.
Some insights I gleaned:
* It is remarkable how lacking Welles was regarding self-assurance and faith in his own abilities. This was especially the case in acting roles. There seemed to be a childlike fear that those “who knew what they were doing” would “find him out” as a fake. I should think that much of this had to do with the Hollywood Studio system taking projects away from him. This made him complicit in his own “failures.” (Throughout this book, he is living in exile from the United States.)
* He had a belief that editing could “fix” anything. This is understandable in that he could create and maintain an appropriate rhythm in his work, and achieve moments that were startling to see. Sometimes, he over-relied on editing ... and even used it as an excuse that a project was not yet complete. (He almost cut CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT until it lacked sense. Thank goodness he accepted advice and restored key elements!) Again, was this a manifestation of a lack of self-assurance? An incomplete project wouldn’t be subject to “failure” criticism.
* He was brilliant in spotting inspiring moments and using them in his work. Many of these were accidental. He just took the time to notice them and determine how they could be best employed. This caused me to reflect on the number of times I’ve wondered “How did he ever think of that?” when watching certain scenes in his films.
* I think he must have had a personality disorder of some kind. Why else couldn’t he restrain himself from the verbal attacks he made against others, even those who were helping him? He must have recognized that something was wrong considering his prodigious number of apologies.
I was never less than intrigued during my reading sessions. I learned so much, and the details made me return to viewings of a number of his films to see them with the backstory in mind. I am very much looking forward to the fourth volume! (It is anticipated that it will cover the final twenty years in the life of this remarkable man.)
June 18, 2020
I've stopped being amazed by how much I love Simon Callow's books about Orson Welles. This is another fantastic volume. Taking in an epic life over a twenty year period which contains so much thwarted hope and genuine sadness. There are triumphs here, but there is a sense of Welles - often as a result of his own actions - forever doomed to try and shove a boulder up a hill.
In the last six months I've read all three volumes. So Callow better hurry up and write the fourth. I am waiting anxiously.
In the last six months I've read all three volumes. So Callow better hurry up and write the fourth. I am waiting anxiously.
April 26, 2016
Very informative, very entertaining, a good solid read about the period in Welles' life between 1947 and 1965. There are some lively accounts of the creation of two of Welles' greatest films: TOUCH OF EVIL and the sublime CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT. Well worth reading.
One caveat -- this has got to be the worst copy-edited book I've every gotten from a major publisher. Typos abound, sentences are clearly missing words, and there's some real sloppiness in the writing that I'd expect to have been tidied up: the words "vintage Welles" "quintessential Welles" and "quintessentially Wellesian" are all allowed to appear in the same paragraph, and couple of sentences about TOUCH OF EVIL being "one for posterity" is repeated word for word seven pages later. Maybe the paperback edition will be tidied up?
One caveat -- this has got to be the worst copy-edited book I've every gotten from a major publisher. Typos abound, sentences are clearly missing words, and there's some real sloppiness in the writing that I'd expect to have been tidied up: the words "vintage Welles" "quintessential Welles" and "quintessentially Wellesian" are all allowed to appear in the same paragraph, and couple of sentences about TOUCH OF EVIL being "one for posterity" is repeated word for word seven pages later. Maybe the paperback edition will be tidied up?
September 2, 2019
And so, in this third volume of Callow's mammoth biography, we reach 1948-65: the (mostly) European years. Self-exiled from Hollywood and roaming the continent, famous and infamous, loved and loathed in equal measures, Welles essentially tried to continue disproving John Donne's famous line that "No man is an island". If he needed to be the continent, he would be the continent, not just a piece of it. But for all his talents, his dreams needed succour and it could only come on the heels of his promising some form of immortality to would-be producers, usually greenhorns flattered by his silvery tongue and ample frame. Occasionally he even sold more than 100% of the project to the various chumps, an action that in another field would have doubtless led to jail time and opprobrium. But he was Orson Welles, and his motives were not to enrich himself (although they did include maintaining a certain luxury in his lifestyle) but reather to complete his artistic work.
It is in some ways a fascinating conundrum he faces: he can earn from the stage, but his overbearing methods and reliance on pure instinct (even for the learning of his lines) make him something of a liability. He is a natural for the early years of television, but because he is in Europe and is considered poison in the US, he is unable to get to any bonanzas there. Also, his tastes in stories tend towards the rather old-fashioned now, in a world where the Nouvelle Vague and its imitators are playing with how stories can be told. As a film actor, he is limited to small scene-stealing roles with big personalities, and only then when he can work with directors who are able to circumvent or weather his generous arrogance. He is fascinated by the societies he comes into contact with (France, Italy, Spain, Croatia etc.) and learns to speak their languages to some extent. He is not able to works as a scriptwriter for hire, but rather only writes in service of his own projects. He makes lots of ads, where his booming voice and substantial frame can be parlayed into effect. He is too famous to shrink back, too poorly-regarded by certain sectors to march back into Hollywood. When he does return, from 1956-59, his return is both triumphant (Touch of Evil and its much-vaunted opening scene will forever be a classic) and disastrous. There is no modern equivalent to Orson Welles, especially when we consider that at the outset of the period covered by the book, he is only in his mid-30s.
Through these years he hops from here to there, raising money in one place, putting together a few more weeks of filming with the proceeds. He lives in hotels and has something of a retinue. He is demanding and short-tempered. He believes in himself to all intents and purposes, and yet I suspect he has a vast array of doubts to overcome that he only manages to sail over by puffing himself up to Orson Welles size. His most-indefatigable biographer, actor Simon Callow, fascinated, admiring and appalled all at once, manages to put the finger on the failings of Welles' modus operandi, while hailing some of the fruits of this curious period of exile. Tagging along with him are a series of long-suffering actors, some of whom do their best-known work with him, others of whom come too close to the flame and are eventually burned by it.
Callow, while he had initally planned a three-volume biography, decided he had to end on the high of Chimes at Midnight, both due to the length of this third volume and the arc of this particular part of the story. This makes a fourth volume necessary and hopefully forthcoming. It will be a difficult work, covering nearly twenty years for a bloated director who has turned into a kind of Ahab, embracing some of the cinematic ideas of the young turks (like jump cuts and suggestive editing) while in search of some form of worthy Grail, making practically nothing that can be released and even sinking into embarrassing moments of self-pity. I do not envy Callow that task, seeing that most of the other biographers have used the high points as tent poles and glossed over the Other Side of the Wind period as a sad decline, but I have a feeling he might have something to say that will show us the irreductible artist within Welles, that was working until the very end, sadly a little like the knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail left armless and legless and still vowing to fight. Welles was only 70 years old at the time, but he had already lived several creative and culturally-important lives.
It is in some ways a fascinating conundrum he faces: he can earn from the stage, but his overbearing methods and reliance on pure instinct (even for the learning of his lines) make him something of a liability. He is a natural for the early years of television, but because he is in Europe and is considered poison in the US, he is unable to get to any bonanzas there. Also, his tastes in stories tend towards the rather old-fashioned now, in a world where the Nouvelle Vague and its imitators are playing with how stories can be told. As a film actor, he is limited to small scene-stealing roles with big personalities, and only then when he can work with directors who are able to circumvent or weather his generous arrogance. He is fascinated by the societies he comes into contact with (France, Italy, Spain, Croatia etc.) and learns to speak their languages to some extent. He is not able to works as a scriptwriter for hire, but rather only writes in service of his own projects. He makes lots of ads, where his booming voice and substantial frame can be parlayed into effect. He is too famous to shrink back, too poorly-regarded by certain sectors to march back into Hollywood. When he does return, from 1956-59, his return is both triumphant (Touch of Evil and its much-vaunted opening scene will forever be a classic) and disastrous. There is no modern equivalent to Orson Welles, especially when we consider that at the outset of the period covered by the book, he is only in his mid-30s.
Through these years he hops from here to there, raising money in one place, putting together a few more weeks of filming with the proceeds. He lives in hotels and has something of a retinue. He is demanding and short-tempered. He believes in himself to all intents and purposes, and yet I suspect he has a vast array of doubts to overcome that he only manages to sail over by puffing himself up to Orson Welles size. His most-indefatigable biographer, actor Simon Callow, fascinated, admiring and appalled all at once, manages to put the finger on the failings of Welles' modus operandi, while hailing some of the fruits of this curious period of exile. Tagging along with him are a series of long-suffering actors, some of whom do their best-known work with him, others of whom come too close to the flame and are eventually burned by it.
Callow, while he had initally planned a three-volume biography, decided he had to end on the high of Chimes at Midnight, both due to the length of this third volume and the arc of this particular part of the story. This makes a fourth volume necessary and hopefully forthcoming. It will be a difficult work, covering nearly twenty years for a bloated director who has turned into a kind of Ahab, embracing some of the cinematic ideas of the young turks (like jump cuts and suggestive editing) while in search of some form of worthy Grail, making practically nothing that can be released and even sinking into embarrassing moments of self-pity. I do not envy Callow that task, seeing that most of the other biographers have used the high points as tent poles and glossed over the Other Side of the Wind period as a sad decline, but I have a feeling he might have something to say that will show us the irreductible artist within Welles, that was working until the very end, sadly a little like the knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail left armless and legless and still vowing to fight. Welles was only 70 years old at the time, but he had already lived several creative and culturally-important lives.
March 16, 2022
Orson on the decline
I've read the previous two volumes of this biography of Orson Welles with great delight and was eager to jump into this one, but struggled to get into it. I read in fits and it never really grabbed my imagination like those two previous volumes. But here we find Orson in his declining years. There are few bright spots but for the most part he has truly become his own worst enemy. The only section that held my attention was his filming of The Trial. I could read an entire book about that film and consider it to be my favourite of his films. Throughout Orson frequently comes across as a spoiled, over indulged brat, frequently going MIA during the production of one film to start on another production, leading to the film to being re-edited and become some lesser than what he envisioned. He has only himself to blame. He excesses would literally be the death of him as we shall see in the fourth and final volume. The scope of these books is astounding as we watch this wunderkind turn into the "youngest hasbeen". Reading about his descent is less compelling than his ascent. You quietly mourn all the great films that we have been robbed of due to his inability to play the Hollywood game. At moments it is admirable that despite his exile from Hollywood he would become one of the great independent filmmakers and never allowed anyone to compromise his vision. He had only one insurmountable obstacle: himself.
I've read the previous two volumes of this biography of Orson Welles with great delight and was eager to jump into this one, but struggled to get into it. I read in fits and it never really grabbed my imagination like those two previous volumes. But here we find Orson in his declining years. There are few bright spots but for the most part he has truly become his own worst enemy. The only section that held my attention was his filming of The Trial. I could read an entire book about that film and consider it to be my favourite of his films. Throughout Orson frequently comes across as a spoiled, over indulged brat, frequently going MIA during the production of one film to start on another production, leading to the film to being re-edited and become some lesser than what he envisioned. He has only himself to blame. He excesses would literally be the death of him as we shall see in the fourth and final volume. The scope of these books is astounding as we watch this wunderkind turn into the "youngest hasbeen". Reading about his descent is less compelling than his ascent. You quietly mourn all the great films that we have been robbed of due to his inability to play the Hollywood game. At moments it is admirable that despite his exile from Hollywood he would become one of the great independent filmmakers and never allowed anyone to compromise his vision. He had only one insurmountable obstacle: himself.
July 4, 2021
I just hope this series continues on. Mainly focuses on Orson working in Europe on films like Othello and Chimes at Midnight. Two very underrated classics. I saw an interview with Fincher, who was basically saying Orson didn't do anything substantial after Kane, which shocked me that he would say that having made Mank. I'm guessing he's not a fan, but as film buff, he's very wrong. Just watch the Stranger, not perfect in no ways a Citizen Kane, but it is tremendously entertaining, as is Touch of Evil, which in my opinion rivals Kane in many aspects. The boldness, the grime and the shot compositions, all excellent work. I won't even go into Lady From Shanghai, which is also brilliant. As far as this book goes, my favorite thing is the manner at which Callow writes. It's almost as if we are witnessing a grand narrative of Orson's life and for that reason, do I truly enjoy these biographies so much. The genius, frustrations, near misses, all beautifully told and expressed by the author.
April 29, 2020
I've read these three volumes over the course of two years and it's hard to tell of Welles's life is becoming more interesting or if Callow is just becoming a better biographer. Really enjoyed it, either way, and felt thar Callow himself, without being distracting or overtly biased, makes for wonderful company as a narrator: quipping here and there, ruminating aloud sometimes, drawing connections I would never have thought of between elements in Welles's middle age that echo events from childhood. Welles's 1940s radio days might be my favorite period of his career to date, so I might have a marginal preference for the 2nd volume, but it was wonderful here to finally get the stort of how he made CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT and TOUCH OF EVIL.
Callow does seem to favor the stage productions with a little more detail than the filmmaking, but that's fine. The whole thing is propulsive and delightful.
Callow does seem to favor the stage productions with a little more detail than the filmmaking, but that's fine. The whole thing is propulsive and delightful.
May 20, 2024
Welles in exile
In the third volume of Callow’s exhaustively researched life of Welles, we find Welles now in Europe working without studio support and always looking for money for his next “experiment”. Covering the years 1947-1965 this is Welles at his most compelling, constantly in motion to secure financing while at the same time dreaming up new ideas that lead to a never ending cycle of brilliant ideas that never quite come to fruition the way that Welles envisioned them, but remaining some of his fascinating works. Callow remains an interesting biographer as he is always willing to cast a critical eye at Welles while being amazed at the sheer volume of his output and creative process.
February 7, 2021
I totally enjoy Callow’s accessible and engaging writing. Particularly notable is Callow’s painful attention to acting details of Welles and the rest of his cast in his films. Callow makes a significantly poignant and somewhat melancholy defense of Chimes at Midnight as his brilliant bastard child, widely reviled by American critics he so wanted to woo to regain entry back into making films in the United States. Such is the way of Welles tragicomic life. Callow writes as an admirer of Welles, not necessarily all his work but in his approach to life: gluttonous, passionate, with verve and times petulant.
I look forward to the appearance of the forth snd final volume.
I look forward to the appearance of the forth snd final volume.
September 18, 2025
Final words on Orson Welles
This was an interesting account of Mr. Wells' later years of his film career. He was a genius in in film making, writing and directing classic films that I have watched multiple times. I still discover something new and fascinating every time I see them. It's unfortunate that with all that talent the studio system in Hollywood dismissed him as being "difficult". With his forceful personality and interactions with various powers that be, he rubbed a lot of them the wrong way. I still admire Mr. Welles. Sothere.
This was an interesting account of Mr. Wells' later years of his film career. He was a genius in in film making, writing and directing classic films that I have watched multiple times. I still discover something new and fascinating every time I see them. It's unfortunate that with all that talent the studio system in Hollywood dismissed him as being "difficult". With his forceful personality and interactions with various powers that be, he rubbed a lot of them the wrong way. I still admire Mr. Welles. Sothere.
July 15, 2017
I received a copy of this for free through Goodreads First Reads
DNF: I tried really hard to get into this, as I generally like biography's. I just couldn't. Nothing against the author at all, I just apparently have no real interest in Orson Wells.
DNF: I tried really hard to get into this, as I generally like biography's. I just couldn't. Nothing against the author at all, I just apparently have no real interest in Orson Wells.
March 15, 2019
Callow is a little severe with Welles sometimes, often siding with his critics more than I would. But, overall, it's a fascinating read, from someone who clearly appreciates the depth of Welles' life and work.
June 27, 2020
Masterful look at a fascinating period with loads of detail and revelations. Perhaps a slight too dismissive of The Trial but overall this series is the best scholarship on Welles there is (and I’ve read a lot!)
December 17, 2022
Kind of bullshit that this trilogy ends with a chapter on Chimes at Midnight and covers the last 20 years of his life in two paragraphs. The people want to hear about Orson on the set of The Muppet Movie.
Also, had no idea these books were written by the villain in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls.
Also, had no idea these books were written by the villain in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls.
June 15, 2024
Welles is an inspiration. This book shows his vitality, his energy. His commitment.
March 8, 2017
Simon Callow brings us the third book in his ongoing biography of Orson Welles covering from about 1948 to 1965, culminating in The Chimes At Midnight, his most personal and arguably most creatively successful film, at least according to Callow (I haven't see it).
His story is unreal. One year in this guy's life is like 20 if anyone else's. His output of ideas was prodigious. If you've only ever known Welles as the Citizen Kane/
Paul Masson wine guy, and have any interest in film or theatre, Callow's books are a must.
But It's astonishing how Welles, an undisputed genius, commits the same mistakes over and over again, sometimes creating high art, sometimes a mess, but rarely achieving anything like success. Again and again the same things undo him: his insecurities, his appetites, his paradoxical need to be the spotlight and his inability to get over his shyness, and his boredom when whatever he's working on comes together. How he gets screwed over in editing repeatedly is unreal, and often because he just leaves after filming is done.
Anyhow it's a fascinating story whether one is familiar with Welles or not.
Greatly looking forward to the last and inevitably tragic fourth volume. All three books are highly recommended.
His story is unreal. One year in this guy's life is like 20 if anyone else's. His output of ideas was prodigious. If you've only ever known Welles as the Citizen Kane/
Paul Masson wine guy, and have any interest in film or theatre, Callow's books are a must.
But It's astonishing how Welles, an undisputed genius, commits the same mistakes over and over again, sometimes creating high art, sometimes a mess, but rarely achieving anything like success. Again and again the same things undo him: his insecurities, his appetites, his paradoxical need to be the spotlight and his inability to get over his shyness, and his boredom when whatever he's working on comes together. How he gets screwed over in editing repeatedly is unreal, and often because he just leaves after filming is done.
Anyhow it's a fascinating story whether one is familiar with Welles or not.
Greatly looking forward to the last and inevitably tragic fourth volume. All three books are highly recommended.
December 9, 2024
You have to admire the author's research and honesty, but this is frankly more about Mr. Welles than you really want to know. Suffice it to say that very few people who had dealings with the Great Man (whether personal, financial, or artistic) came out the better for it.
April 12, 2016
Simon Callow's "Orson Welles, Volume 3: One-Man Band" is the penultimate volume in his magnificent epic biography of the Academy Award-winning international filmmaker, covering his prolific years of 1947-1964. During this period, Welles directed five films (Touch of Evil, Othello, Mr. Arkadin, The Trial and Chimes at Midnight), wrote, helmed or starred in seven stage productions (which included directing Laurence Olivier in the acrimonious production of Eugene Ionesco's Rhinoceros) and acted in more than three dozen films (including The Third Man, Moby Dick, King Lear, The Long, Hot Summer, Compulsion and The V.I.P.s). He also married his third wife, fathered his third daughter and burned a lot of bridges in Hollywood.
Actor, director and biographer Callow (Charles Laughton: A Difficult Actor) writes with energy, fluidity and the astute knowledge of an industry insider and historian. While Callow has great admiration for the filmmaker, he is not blind to Welles's excesses, ego, volcanic rages and his constant need for new stimulation that often left projects abandoned in the hands of others--whom he would later rail against for destroying his work. As Eartha Kitt observed, "If one was not quick enough, Orson lost patience."
Three volumes in, Welles (1915-1985) continues to be a ceaselessly fascinating subject--an artist with unbridled enthusiasm and creativity for his projects, who could not abide any form of constraint or interference. Callow's insightful, analytical and entertaining biography captures the magic and mania of Orson Welles and his work. Simon Callow's third volume in his epic Orson Welles biography is epic, fascinating and entertaining.
Actor, director and biographer Callow (Charles Laughton: A Difficult Actor) writes with energy, fluidity and the astute knowledge of an industry insider and historian. While Callow has great admiration for the filmmaker, he is not blind to Welles's excesses, ego, volcanic rages and his constant need for new stimulation that often left projects abandoned in the hands of others--whom he would later rail against for destroying his work. As Eartha Kitt observed, "If one was not quick enough, Orson lost patience."
Three volumes in, Welles (1915-1985) continues to be a ceaselessly fascinating subject--an artist with unbridled enthusiasm and creativity for his projects, who could not abide any form of constraint or interference. Callow's insightful, analytical and entertaining biography captures the magic and mania of Orson Welles and his work. Simon Callow's third volume in his epic Orson Welles biography is epic, fascinating and entertaining.
May 30, 2016
I got annoyed with the first volume of Callow's biography of Welles. I loved the second volume, and this third volume is equally terrific.
We see Welles' struggles here with foes both exterior and interior. The exterior ones are pretty familiar. The interior ones are more surprising, particularly a deep-seated insecurity about acting. (Perhaps Callow overstates this. I would disagree with his judgment on Welles' as Hank Quinlan.) There is also a terrible temper that lashes out at subordinates, and a compulsion to needle those in authority. (I came away from the discussion of "Touch of Evil" with more sympathy for Eddie Muhl than I thought possible.)
One thing that Callow brought up that I hadn't considered with Welles is how time was working against him during his exile years. Welles became "old-fashioned" during this 1947-67 era. He was not, and couldn't be an "angry young man" when that broke out, and he detested "the Method" as well. In these years, he was out-of-date and not yet classic.
Callow's assessment of Welles' film is spot on. I found myself utterly in agreement with him on "Othello," that after the brilliant opening scene, the movie goes nowhere. His judgments on "Mr. Arkadin" and "The Trial" seem quite fair as well. I haven't seen the movie, but his words about "Chimes at Midnight" brought me to the edge of tears.
I find myself awaiting the fourth volume.
We see Welles' struggles here with foes both exterior and interior. The exterior ones are pretty familiar. The interior ones are more surprising, particularly a deep-seated insecurity about acting. (Perhaps Callow overstates this. I would disagree with his judgment on Welles' as Hank Quinlan.) There is also a terrible temper that lashes out at subordinates, and a compulsion to needle those in authority. (I came away from the discussion of "Touch of Evil" with more sympathy for Eddie Muhl than I thought possible.)
One thing that Callow brought up that I hadn't considered with Welles is how time was working against him during his exile years. Welles became "old-fashioned" during this 1947-67 era. He was not, and couldn't be an "angry young man" when that broke out, and he detested "the Method" as well. In these years, he was out-of-date and not yet classic.
Callow's assessment of Welles' film is spot on. I found myself utterly in agreement with him on "Othello," that after the brilliant opening scene, the movie goes nowhere. His judgments on "Mr. Arkadin" and "The Trial" seem quite fair as well. I haven't seen the movie, but his words about "Chimes at Midnight" brought me to the edge of tears.
I find myself awaiting the fourth volume.
May 7, 2016
The third but not quite final volume of Callow's epic biography, One-Man Band covers a period of roughly fifteen years in Welles' life, from long struggles to film "Othello" to his completion of the film he often cited as his best, "Chimes at Midnight". In between, there were ambitious theatrical productions - "Moby-Dick", "Rhinoceros" and a version of "King Lear" in which Welles played the title role from a wheelchair - and a great deal of struggling to survive by his wits. No one is better than Callow at describing or understanding Welles' working methods, whether he's staging a play, testing the new medium of television, editing a film or simply using his skills to attract another financier. Callow leaves Welles at a precarious place at the end, having just completed one of his greatest and most personal works, yet aware that it will barely be seen and that he will remain a kind of exile in the film world. I eagerly await Callow's account of Welles'final two decades.
September 11, 2016
There has never been a better time to read this book, its release coinciding with the pristine remaster/release (practically the first ever in the US) of Welles' late masterpiece, CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT from Criterion Collection. The experience of reading these books has been so rich, with the easy availability of so much of his work, often from the phone in the palm of my hand. (Of course, I feel like I need to assure the ghost of Orson that I didn't watch any of his films on my phone.) Simon Callow is so insightful about Welles' work, not to mention he has crafted a really fun read. Now if only THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND could be released, along with Callow's upcoming 4th volume. Here I stand, waiting for the last volume of OW's story, along with Robert Caro's LBJ biography. Grateful.
June 23, 2020
This is Orson Welles in all his complexity, from filming his landmark Othello and MacBeth through his European exile, the making of Touch of Evil, The Trial and Chimes at Midnight, and struggles as an actor, director and celebrity. Resuming his multi-volume bio after the Hollywood years, Simon Callow is honest enough to show the flaws (and there were many), but never loses sight of Welles' originality and genius. Must-read film history.
August 16, 2016
Yeah it was good. Orson Welles is a fascinating character and Simon Callow is sympathetic but also gets his failings. The carelessness when it comes to his own performances was a particular revelation and his insecurity. I loved the story of him telling Kenneth Williams to get off the stage during a performance of Moby Dick (Welles was Ahab). Williams asked why afterwards and Welles told him 'You were boring me'.
January 11, 2017
Fills in a detailed picture of a larger-than-life personality: ambition, compulsion, frustrated genius. What was surprising to me was how fragile he could be, insecure, and how small he could be as a result. Who would have thought that someone with his reputation and who physically towered and audibly thundered would feel the need to be a bully?
March 23, 2016
I won this book on Good reads. Did not know a lot about Orson Welles. Did not read the first two books in the series. But after reading this one very anxious to read them. What an interesting human being. I love all books, but biographies are the surprisingly most interesting. A must read.
April 21, 2018
Energetic, witty treatment of a fascinating figure. Lots of details, which often are terrific, sometimes can be skimmed.
Want to read
January 15, 2017NYT's 100 Notable Books of 2016
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