Ishaghpour

[Skylark]

Maccarthysme

Mention of Welles' 1947 departure from the US due to reasons of income tax problems and suspicions of communism by the FBI and and the California committee for unamerican activities. Hearst was a strong MacCarthy supporter.

The communist witchhunt period is examined in some detail. Touch of Evil and The Trial are seen partly as a commentary on that political climate.

'The age of conformity' and the birth of the counter-culture

Welles' denonciation of Alfred Luce's Life Magazine manifesto. The decline of the American intellectual is examined, with a quote from Christopher Lasch's 'The Agony of the American Left' among others. The rise of the beat generation and the counter culture movement is touched upon - Chimes at Midnight and the figure of Falstaff is considered as a reflection of this period.

Communication and consumerism

Welles ' dual image of media personality and artist is examined. The author identifies the end of the modern period with Andy Warhol's Campbell Soup prints (ironically establishing a link with Welles' Campbell-sponsored radio series). The problems of the post-modern mass media consumer society are examined. The position of art in mass production marketplace as exemplified by Warhol. F for Fake is seen as a reflection of this period.

Here ends this brief summary of two sections of this book - the other sections deal with Welles and film theory, Welles as public figure, actor, and director, Welles in theatre and radio, and ends with an analysis of Welles' Heart of Darkness project. The book is a massive compendium of essays examining various aspects of Welles' career - there are two other large volumes - dealing more specifically with Welles' career chronoligically.