Joseph McBride and Peter Bogdanovich on THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND
The new issue of Gary Morris's Bright Lights online film magazine has a terrific interview with Joe McBride and Peter Bogdanovich, by Damien Love, about their work on THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND. It can be accessed here:
http://brightlightsfilm.com/55/windiv.htm
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OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND
Script Excerpt
Here is a brilliant piece of writing from Welles's script, which contains numerous in-jokes. Just the fact that Welles calls all the guests at the party taking place at Jake's ranch house "Citizens" would seem to be enough reason to finish the film.
But the naysayers, led by David Thomson, say it's not a Welles' masterpiece. Well, maybe it's not, but having read the script, I say it is a masterpiece... of screenwriting acumen, if nothing else, and it could still possibly be one of Welles greatest works, if it were finished properly.
As evidence, I submit this script excerpt. At the very least, there are fabulous performances from John Huston and Lilli Palmer. I'd rather see even a very rough version of an unfinished Orson Welles film, than any of the the crappy movies Hollywood is willing to lavish 10 to 100 million on these days... it's really a sad comment when $4 million can't be found to finish this film. Even if it were $10 million, there is absolutely no excuse for this situation.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND - Script Excerpt
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THE SIDE TERRACE - JAKE'S RANCH HOUSE
A minority group of well-established Hollywood citizens.
FIRST CITIZEN
(winding up a little speech) ...Screen Director’s Guild waiting around on their tired old asses for the phone to ring. His ass is tired too, but he don’t sit on it. Jake gets out and HUSTLES. SECOND CITIZEN Sure – just to keep up all of this... THIRD CITIZEN
Who says he’s keeping it up? I hear he’s
in trouble...
FOURTH CITIZEN
Look at the dictators... Symphony conductor – look at THEM. Power – that’s then answer.
You don’t keep going just by playing GOLF.
Get a country under you, or a whole orchestra – that charges up the old batteries...
He stops – catching sight of JAKE, who has come up behind them, drink in hand...
FOURTH CITIZEN
(continuing, to Jake)
How about it?
JAKE
(a sardonic lifting
of one eye-brow)
Give me an orchestra and we’ll see...
JACK SIMON
(who has been lurking in
the background)
And go on playing the same old piece?
JAKE
(with perfect serenity)
Nice to see you, kid.
JAKE smiles sweetly at him.
THE BARON
We do chug along a little, Mr. Simon,
with the times...
JACK SIMON
Which times? – and who are YOU?
THE BARON
There never was an artist yet who didn’t
work from memory.
JAKE
The Baron is in charge of metaphysics.
ABE VOGEL
(turning on Simon)
And who got HIM an invitation?
JAKE
“Confrontation” is the word, Abie. Take
it up with our hostess.
ABE VOGEL
Zarah? She must be nuts.
FRESH ANGLE:
JAKE has just caught sight of the cute blonde again
JAKE
Mother seems to think a little young
Blood’ll be good for us -
FIRST CITIZEN
(lecherously registering the
young Blonde)
She could be right at that!
JAKE
She’s always right... Excuse me, fellas,
But I think we got ourselves a confrontation...
JAKE starts moving in on his target. The CITIZENS chuckle appreciatively as they sit watching his progress.
FIFTH CITIZEN
He’s got another motivation --
FIRST CITIZEN
I’ll say --
FIFTH CITIZEN
(soberly)
The one that matters. He’s in love --
SECOND CITIZEN
Get off it, he’s too old for that –
FOURTH CITIZEN
Some people never are. You’d be surprised
at how mustard’s being cut in the old
people’s home.
SECOND CITIZEN
So who’s he in love with – Zarah?
FIFTH CITIZEN
The movies.
CUT TO:
JULIETTE RICHE’S GROUP
JULIETTE’S group includes several journalist colleagues, along with ROGER and DENISE KLEE, a film-making partnership.
ROGER KLEE
(in his solemn Dutch accent)
I dig... It’s not that he did not MAKE
female stars – it is just that he did not
make them STARS --
JULIETTE RICHE
That’s my whole THESIS --
ROGER KLEE
Great thesis, the old man can still score –
JACK SIMON
Who says so? --
JULIETTE RICHE
HOW he scores – WHO he scores WITH...
That, my friends, gets us into some
very interesting country...
CUT TO:
THE BLONDE ACTRESS (IN A TIGHT GROUP SHOT)
OSSIE
Hi! –-
THE BARON
Jake – I think you know Ossawatomie
Duluth...
JAKE lays a hand on OSSIE’S Shoulder.
JAKE
I’ll meet by candlelight, proud Titania!
(he turns to the blonde) Ossie... we
like your little friend...
OTTERLAKE
(putting his arm around her)
Not his, Skipper. She’s mine.
JAKE
(disregarding this, bending
his good ear to her and
oozing charm)
What’s your name Sweetie?
MAVIS
Mavis Henscher.
CUT TO:
JULIETTE RICHE’S GROUP
JULIETTE RICHE
...Oh, yes, his partners are FEMALE.
Certainly... But which females?
ROGER KLEE
You tell US – albinos with wooden legs?
CUT TO:
JAKE’S GROUP
JAKE
Tomorrow’s Sunday, Mavis... you’ll be
flying with us down to Mexico.
MAVIS
What for?
JAKE
Piedras Negras.
MAVIS
Who?
OTTERLAKE
Bulls.
MAVIS
Pardon?
OTTERLAKE
Dangerous breed, Sweetie.
THE BARON
One of them once killed a friend of
ours --
JAKE
(closing in for the kill)
Tomorrow we’re going to see what
happens to our NEW boy.
CUT TO:
JULIETTE RICHE AND COMPANY
ROGER KLEE
(losing his patience)
So the old man has a kink or two –
What of it?
JACQUELINE
(quietly serious)
The old man is a destroyer.
JULIETTE RICHE
What he creates, he has to WRECK. It’s a
compulsion.
ROGER KLEE
It’s a theory.
JULIETTE RICHE
I’ve got names and dates...
The folder she’s holding is, indeed, rather suggestive of a dossier. But before we can hear more of this we...
CUT TO:
JAKE’S GROUP
MAVIS
Gee, I don’t know... I’ve got school on
Monday.
JAKE
(grinning to the others)
I’ll write a note to the teacher.
Tags: orson-welles
