The Hurricane

[Wellesnet]

On 5 November 1939, Orson Welles's production of "The Hurricane" was broadcast on "The Campbell Playhouse," CBS-Radio. Another story praising the virtues of pre-industrial civilization, and contrasting it with the injustices and other predatory aspects of colonialism. This was a theme that fascinated Welles. The Mercury does a fine job here, aside from a rather annoying "Wind" sound effect towards the end that is unconvincing and wears out it's welcome.

I believe this was the only John Ford film that Welles ever dramatized on his own. Interesting that "The Other Side of the Wind", which has a lead character not unlike Ford, also ends with an onscreen hurricane, part of Hannaford's film-within-the-film. Coincidence?

[Wellesnet]

Two performances at the IU/Lilly website:

East coast performance:
https://orsonwelles.indiana.edu/items/show/2000

West Coast performance (not listed, but part of the website's source code):
https://orsonwelles.indiana.edu/wowza4/ ... .high.m3u8

The recording of the west coast performance has noticeably better sound quality.

[Le Chiffre]

To my ears the main difference between the two performances is that the introduction of the priest character played by Ray Collins is somewhat botched in the east coast version, but goes smoothly in the west coast performance.

The story bears some resemblances to Les Miserables in the way the young islander is treated by the colonialists.