Merchant of Venice

[A Sled in Flames]

Add me to the list of people impressed by the MOMA screening. I really didn't expect much, but came away thinking Welles's incomplete Merchant of Venice was better than his finished Immortal Story! As Mr. Drossler pointed out in his stellar but concise rundown of Welles's Shakespeare career, the two were truly meant for each other.

Welles the actor shines as the most nuanced Shylock I'd ever seen. It's very clear where Welles sympathies lie, and I'm glad that he completely runs with his choice. Even in his old age, Welles's acting skills never faltered. His Shylock is simultaneously imposing yet pitiable, undeniably wronged and left alone. Even the scene with Tubal, which he had to be convinced into including, still makes him come across as sympathetic.

It's interesting to see the juxtaposition of Welles's 1930s aural portrayal of Shylock and the one he actually did for this movie. As someone noted above, Welles was trying harder in the 1930s to sound imposing and make his voice deeper. In the 1960s, Welles just plays Shylock as how he views him-- the aging, wronged Jew; he confidently relies on his natural stature and presence for the intimidation factor.

Nonetheless the closing "Hath a Jew Eyes" monologue delivered by Welles in the 1930s is very striking. I actually didn't mind how it didn't have accompanying video. The silence let us focus on the words. I believe that the monologue is more aggressive than Welles would have performed it in the 1960s, but, for this specific speech, such bite is needed.

The versions he filmed of the speech later in life were intriguing alternatives-- truly, Welles never stopped growing as an actor, despite his greatness from his earliest years.

[Wellesnet]

Jonathon Rosenbaum has posted few images from the new restoration on his website:
http://www.jonathanrosenbaum.net/2016/0 ... limpses-2/

[Jedediah Leland]

Could someone who's seen the restored version of The Merchant of Venice clear up something for me?

I see that several of the most common photos of the restoration have Welles wandering around Venice in modern day clothes. I'd assumed this must be behind-the-scenes photography. But I see from the photos of the restored film, posted by Jonathan Rosenbaum at http://www.jonathanrosenbaum.net/2016/0 ... limpses-2/ that these seem to be included in the film, and that it also features Welles in modern dress getting into his Shylock makeup. Is this the case?

The reason I ask is twofold.

Firstly, I was wondering how Welles was planning to "bridge" the shift in tone in Orson's Bag, from the lightweight, funny segments (London, Vienna, cookery, magic tricks) to something more 'heavy' and serious like The Merchant of Venice. Welles getting into his Shylock makeup in front of us is rather reminiscent of the late 1960s Dean Martin Show appearance he made where he got into his Falstaff makeup in front of us, before giving us a dramatic reading. It would certainly make sense to see the "film" in the context of being the last 40 minutes of a mostly-light-hearted TV special, and of this "changing" acting as a narrative bridge to the rest of the TV special. So is that how the "film" starts? If so, how is the transition managed?

Secondly, I've read about the way the Munich Film Museum substituted for the missing final reel, made up of Welles's "Hath Not a Jew Eyes" speech, by playing the 1938 recording over a freeze-frame of Welles in character in his 1969 Shylock make-up. But I wonder whether Welles had something different in mind? For decades, it was said that no-one could work out why Welles kept re-filming that speech in modern dress against a sunrise/sunset, in various European locations, throughout the 1970s. I wonder, was the film meant to end as it had begun, with a transition to Welles in modern dress? Was there some sort of postmodern twist to how Shylock was being presented, consciously as a fictional character in a film within a TV special?

Thoughts?

[jbrooks]

Jedidiah:

To respond to your question, the restoration begins with Welles in modern dress riding on a boat in Venice -- he gets off the boat and walks over to a makeup and begins getting made up as Shylock -- all the while giving an introduction to the play. Unfortunately, much of the soundtrack for this introduction is lost, but the script remains. And it is clear that this introduction was intended to introduce a television audience to the play.

If I recall correctly, the film cuts from Welles getting made up to the film proper (or maybe even to the introductory credits?). Welles does not jump up directly from the make up table and start performing the play as part of the same scene.

I doubt that Welles intended any of his modern-dress Shylock speeches to be used to complete this version of "Merchant." But it's an interesting thought.

[Jedediah Leland]

Thanks for the clarification, jbrooks - all very interesting!

[Wellesnet]

If anyone in the Los Angeles area is going to the showing this evening (Welles's 102nd birthday) of "The Merchant of Venice" and other footage from OW's unfinished projects, which will be screened at Grauman's Egyptian Theatre on 6712 Hollywood Boulevard, we would love to hear more feedback about it.

Orson Welles fest with unfinished films taking place in Hollywood:
http://www.wellesnet.com/orson-welles-f ... hollywood/

The schedule for Orson Welles: The Studio Years and Beyond, includes:

Saturday, May 6:  Orson Welles, Shylock and King Lear hosted by Dröessler features the 2015 reconstruction of The Merchant of Venice.  It will followed by a second 100-minute program with Dröessler,  Orson Welles Rarities, which includes The Deep trailer, the amusing  London sketches and screen tests for The Dreamers.

Here's Welles author FX Feeney on the series:
http://americancinematheque.blogspot.co ... elles.html

[tonyw]

I hope all these items eventually become available on DVD.

[Wich2]

Accordingly, what he's done (and he interjected "and I know some Wellesian purists are going to hate this!") is synched the film to Welles's 1939 gramophone recording of The Merchant of Venice.

I look forward to seeing this, as the MERCHANT material in the package I saw at Film Forum a few years back was very interesting.

Of course, I understand why purists would take offense. But on the other hand, the recorded media are technical animals to begin with, so...

A dream project I've long had, if I ever had the time and money: wedding the best available, restored audio from Jack Barrymore's '30s radio HAMLET and RICHARD, with artfully shot footage of the many stills - perhaps even, colorized per original guidelines - from his '20s stage performances of those roles.

Technical as such projects may be, they do offer us a closer approximation of treasured performances of this classic material by these gifted men.

-Craig
(aka "Antonio, the Merchant")

[nickleschichoney]

I look forward to seeing this, as the MERCHANT material in the package I saw at Film Forum a few years back was very interesting.

...well, hopefully it was good, too...

[nickleschichoney]

I hope all these items eventually become available on DVD.

Well, AFAIK, Oja Kodar's main focus has been getting TOSOTW released more than any other Welles project. After this is done, The Merchant of Venice, The Deep, and even Don Quixote might be next.

[Wich2]

I look forward to seeing this, as the MERCHANT material in the package I saw at Film Forum a few years back was very interesting.

...well, hopefully it was good, too...

Within the constraints of what it was, and judging as well as can be from its unfinished nature, yes.

-Craig

[Roger Ryan]

Here's an Italian feature story on the screening of the reconstructed Merchant of Venice at the Venice Film Festival in 2015...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM1VDenkfY8
...which includes actual footage of the screening. Also, an orchestra is shown performing some of composer Francesco Lavagnino's score live...and there's even footage of the European cut of Othello dubbed in Italian.

[Le Chiffre]

Thanks for the link, Roger. That must have been quite an event to see it with live orchestra.

That's the second time I've seen footage of Welles's Merchant where someone asks Shylock for money on the street. This time it looked like some kind of prank by several people. I don't what the significance of that may be, but it's interesting.