1968

58 minutes

ORTF/Albina Films

Principal Cast:

Orson Welles: Mr. Clay

Jeanne Moreau: Virginie Ducrot

Norman Eshley: Paul

Roger Coggio: Elishama Levinsky

Principal Crew:

Director/Script: Orson Welles

Photography: Willy Kurant

Editors: Marcelle Pluet, Yolande Maurette, Francoise Garnault, Claude Farny

Art Direction: Andre Piltant

Costumes: Pierre Cardin

Producer: Micheline Rozan

The first in what was supposed to be several Dinesen adaptations, The Immortal Story was made for French TV and cinema release thanks to Jeanne Moreau's presence. The story is of an aging man, Mr. Clay, who tries to make a fable told to him become reality.

The film unfolds in a quiet, economical fashion; characters and action are kept to a minimum, as is the running time. For whatever reason, the film remains the most obscure of Welles' finished works, unavailable in America in any accessible form outside bootlegs, although it has been released on video in Europe.

VIDEO

The Immortal Story is unavailable on video in the United States, aside from poor quality bootlegs probably made from the only legitimate release, a PAL VHS tape from England (left).

 

 

 

Welles and Jeanne Moreau on set.