The Immortal Story on Youtube

[abasak]

Hi guys, hope this hasn't been posted before, but I found Welles' The Immortal Story on Youtube.

It's not in the best quality, but if you (like me) haven't seen it before, it's definately worth a look (and a download).
Here goes:

Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEkuBuNBxeg

Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7us2gVy2WpA

Part 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd-cRoOlwEU

Part 4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEH4fGsmnZs

Part 5:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC_o-KaBD9s

Part 6:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgYoeMdWxxY

Part 7:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4jW5wsq9lI

[Lance Morrison]

Thanks for positing this. I have a VERY low quality VHS of this film, and it is all i have seen; this is much much much better. The film looks just beautiful. I do not think of this as minor Welles. It shows that he was still evolving stylistically.

One day maybe we'll get a real release in this country. I dream of Criterion getting the chance to do a box of his three Shakepeare films, and a set with Immortal Story, Fountain of Youth, other things like the Dreamers. Alas.

[kipling71]

This is fantastic!!! Nothing like I expected! It's much more of four-handed drama than I thought it would be, equally divided between pathetic, sad old Mr. Clay, the clerk with plans of his own, Virginie with trainloads of baggage, and Paul the young sailor. I loved the moment when after Clay's dinnertime speech telling the sailor his part in the drama, the sailor starts telling his own story - Clay fidgets nervously with his stick when his character shows signs of doing his own thing. Nicely observed moment, I thought.

Wish I could look at this properly rather than on YouTube. Welles leaped into color cinematography like a champ, didn't he? One of the loveliest-looking films I can think of from this era, especially considering the resources Welles' must've had to work with.

[nextren]

This appears to be the longer cut. There are three cuts: one is about 62 minutes (the TCM cut), another is 47 minutes (the French TV cut), and the one IMDB lists for the USA is 58 minutes. To confuse things further, we have the issue of PAL speedup.

However, the cut on YouTube is the TCM cut (you can see the TCM logo at one point in the later parts). And, there are some interesting differences between it and the Connoisseur Video version that I have. First of all, the Connoisseur Video has the PAL speedup issue: at certain points, Welles sounds as if he has just inhaled from a helium balloon.

But differences in content are also present - very interesting ones! They all occur, as far as I can see, in the section of the film covered by the YouTube "Part 1." All the changes are intended to speed the first part of the movie along. The first is the transition to the men talking in the street about Mr. Clay's ruined partner. On the YT/TCM cut, they have a longer conversation. On the CV cut, Welles adds some narration and the men's conversation begins with the line, "There would be a little matter of 300 guineas." (Also the transition shot showing the men, or at least two of them, for the first time, is reduced to a very rapid shot.)

Another change is that material from the Clay-Levinsky-cricket conversation ( ) is cut. For example, Mr. Clay's request that Levinsky repeat part of the prophecy (on the veranda) is cut. Some material prolonging Levinsky's astonishment at his new assignment is cut. And strangest of all, Welles's wonderful narrative voiceover lines "But he had been thinking it over...He thought this old man was going mad. He knew he held Mr. Clay's fate in his hands" etc. (I am paraphrasing) are cut completely. Instead, Levinsky leaves the veranda for the second time, glances at Mr. Clay, and closes the gate all in total silence; then we cut to his walk home and Welles's voiceover line, "This clerk could have been a dangerous person...."

Which cut is the true Welles cut? I opt for my CV cut (which appears to be the 58 minute USA cut sped up by PAL to about 54 minutes). It's faster, points of exposition in the first part are made with greater alacrity, and as such it feels more in line with Welles's previous movies (though it is still slow-moving).

A gorgeous movie. Isn't the Satie music wonderful and moving, especially in the end titles? And aren't Welles's supporting players terrific?