Mr. Arkadin blog post on FforFilms.net

[magadizer]

Hello, fellow Wellesians, I would like to invite you to read my latest blog post regarding MR. ARKADIN.
Drop by, give it a read, and leave a comment if you are so inclined!
Thanks!
https://fforfilms.net/2016/05/17/mr-arkadin/

[Le Chiffre]

Arden is somewhat unfortunately cast, as he is not quite up to holding his own against a force like Welles. The film could have been greatly improved with the casting of a actor with more gravity in the lead, like Jo Cotten…but I digress.

Thanks Megadizer, good article. Unlike many people, I never had a big problem with Arden as Von Stratton, since Arden was one of Welles's "Lives of Harry Lime" troupe, and I think gives a serviceable performance in the film. Someone here once mentioned that Welles had originally wanted Richard Basehart for the role, who probably would have been better, but then Welles wouldn't have been able to manipulate Basehart as much, and as critic Dave Kehr put it, the film seems to have been designed to have the effect of a "sinister puppet show." If so, that may be why there is such an emphasis on masks, and why the film seems stronger in metaphor and implication than dramatic impact.

[magadizer]

Thanks for reading. "Serviceable" is a good description for Arden's performance. It's by no means bad, I just feel that a stronger actor with a bit more charisma might have improved the film. In a lot of ways, the role is similar to Cotton's in THE THIRD MAN, so I kept imagining him in the Van Stratten part and seeing an improvement.
A "sinister puppet show" is another great description. I'll remember that.
Another great thing about the film that i didn't have room to go into is the use of distorting lenses and angles to magnify or diminish characters. Especially in the interview scene in the office where Arkadin proposes his job to Guy, Arkadin is filmed to look massive, like he barely fits in the room, while the reverse shots on Guy make him look like a kid in the principal's office. And the scent on the boat where Mily is being drunkenly interrogated by Arkadin has a nauseating swaying of the set that produces an effect unlike any I've ever seen.

[DexyMan]

I can't really argue with anyone that doesn't appreciate Arden's performance but I felt it was akin to Tim Holt in Magnificent Ambersons. Both characters are very unlikeable but I feel like that that was the role they were meant to play - that typical Welles spin on the lead character NOT being the most interesting or heroic character. I think Welles meant for him to feel so insubstantial so that he can be manipulated so easily.

Or maybe he was just the best Welles could get!

[magadizer]

I like Tim Holt much better. The problem for me is Arden's voice (ironically, since he came from radio acting.)
The reason I keep thinking of Jo Cotten is not only because of THE THIRD MAN, but also a role like SHADOW OF A DOUBT, where he plays a villain that is creepy yet nevertheless has charm. The ability to bring contradictory sides of a characterization to life, particularly through the voice, wasn't really present to me in Arden's serviceable performance.

[NoFake]

As to Jo Cotten being a better choice for the role of Guy Van Stratten, a curious connection, of course, is that Cotten would wed Patricia Medina five years after the film was released.

[magadizer]

As to Jo Cotten being a better choice for the role of Guy Van Stratten, a curious connection, of course, is that Cotten would wed Patricia Medina five years after the film was released.

That is interesting. I didn't realize that. Thanks for sharing!