Arkadin's lost "Zouk let out of prison" scene

[Roger Ryan]

Mteal's reordering of the shots would still work stylistically since the doorway Van Stratten steps through as he passes the band is rectangular as well. In effect, Zouk would exit the space which Van Stratten would enter after the dissolve, symbolically linking the garrett to the prison cell.

I'm thinking that the decision to place the credits at the film's beginning (non-bat Corinth version, right?) would have resulted in the Zouk prison release scene being cut since it would have made the opening credit sequence too busy (I believe it would be another ten years before it would become accepted for scenes with important dialogue to play under credits). A question for Glenn would be if he remembers the credits playing at the end of the film back in '55!

Personally, I love how the new "Comprehensive Version" uses the "Silent Night" music to immediately establish that the film takes place during the holiday season; it's like an overture that is timed to end perfectly in synch with the fadeout on the stairwell, the fade signifying to the audience that the story proper is about to begin. Had Zouk's prison scene remained in the position mteal suggests, we would have had Zouk leaving, Van Stratten entering, close-up of Zouk, close-up of Van Stratten, then finally the two meeting. Nice symmetry.

[Glenn Anders]

You must remember, mteal and Roger, that I am recalling a version of a film that I saw ONCE, over 50 years ago.

My only thought is that the scene of Zouk's release, which I was interested to learn is in the novelized MR. ARKADIN, was discarded years ago, available only in part, or marred in some way. Perhaps Drossler, if he did find the footage, just decided it did not fit his vision.

Let me go back back to my description, written as an Epinion in 2000, long before I had any idea that the film might be restored:

"This CONFIDENTIAL REPORT began with a fade in of the nude body of a young woman lying on a beach, and then a close up of her face and open eyes.

"(The sound of waves. The voice of Adventurer Guy Van Stratten [Robert Arden] spoke a eulogy for Milly [Patricia Medina] and trailed off.) The camera lifted in a lap dissolve to an airplane flying aimlessly. (Sound of engine. A Narrator [Welles] told us that the sighting of this plane on Christmas Morning last eventually threw half a dozen European governments into turmoil, and that the film would reveal why.)

"Another dissolve, this one to black, and almost immediately, a cell door opened in a bright rectangle near mid-screen, and an old man, Jacob Zouk (Akim Tamiroff), came blinking into the light. Because he was near death, Zouk was being released from a German prison, where he had been confined for 14 years. As he stumbled reluctantly down the hall, Zouk complained that he didn't want to go outside, that he had forebodings. The jailer said, too bad, he was pardoned and had to go. Zouk's mind filled with strange, violent images from World War II and before.

"(Cut to a tenement at Sabastian Platt 16, Munich, Germany.) Van Stratten took up the narration again, finding Zouk, and after a time, explaining to Zouk in flashback how it was he had come to this bleak city tenement, at the bidding of one Gregory Arkadin (Welles), on Christmas Eve.

"The last part of the film revealed why the plane in the first sequence was flying with no one in it.

"All the credits were at the end, a practice Welles favored."

That scenario would pretty well fit what you both suggest. What I remember saying at the time was: "You know, guys, this movie was like a flashback within a flashback within a flashback."

The rectangular doorway full of light against a dark screen would have been used in several ways. Van Stratten would have been going into the tenement. Zouk would going in toward the light and then coming out into the cold dimly lit prison hallway. And late, in the movie, Arkadin makes a somewhat similar entrance to the tenement.

As you put it perfectly, Roger: "In effect, Zouk would exit the space which Van Stratten would enter after the dissolve, symbolically linking the garrett to the prison cell."

Zouk's exit into doomed light would be Van Stratten's entrance into promising darkness.

Milly's dead eyes were looking toward the sky, and it is my impression that the eyes of Zouk are meant to refer to the eyes of the dead Milly, early and late, but I do not describe the exact mechanism of the tripple flashback as you both do, but it must essentially be as you have it.

I cannot remember if the title was where it is in Drossler's version, but I agree, Roger, that the credits were all at the end.

Finally, the above exerpt came from a review which was part of a "Christmas Write-Off" in the Year 2000, a practice peculiar to Epinions. It was entitled:

"CONFIDENTIAL REPORT/ MR. ARKADIN (Christmas Write-off): Orson's Noirish Gooseliver."

And so, it fits your remark, mteal, about MR. ARKADIN being a strange (and favorite) Christmas offering.

Indeed, not only Zouk and Van Stratten but Arkadin are linked by coming to that dark garret, with Hitler turned on his ear in the corner.

Glenn

[Roger Ryan]

Thank you Glenn for your clarification. I see now that it is possible that Welles was playing around with the rectangular doorway shapes with Zouk leaving the prison followed by Van Stratten entering Sebastian Platz 16. I also suspect that the prison footage was dropped when Welles (or others?) determined to put the credits at the film's beginning (Welles may have ultimately thought that the prison scene was one digression too many anyway).

The prison scene footage you describe, by the way, was not found among the varied material used by Stefan Droessler and Claude Bertemes for the "Comprehensive Version". It may interest you to know that they told me last year that they had read your Epinion review as part of their research and I suspect they may have chosen to place the credits at the end of their version in part because of your recollection.

[Glenn Anders]

Thank you, Roger. That information is indeed gratifying.

I wish there was an Arkadinian option to pursue.

Glenn

[Le Chiffre]

The prison scene footage you describe, by the way, was not found among the varied material used by Stefan Droessler and Claude Bertemes for the "Comprehensive Version".

That's too bad. No stills either? Maybe someone can do an Adobe Premiere thing on it sometime. Roger? Jaime?

In the novel Zouk is just one of the several vignettes that make up Van Stratton's investigation. It would be interesting to know why Welles, somewhere along the way, decided to elevate him into one of the leading characters.

[Roger Ryan]

In the novel Zouk is just one of the several vignettes that make up Van Stratton's investigation. It would be interesting to know why Welles, somewhere along the way, decided to elevate him into one of the leading characters.

I tend to think Welles found Akim Tamiroff's performance highly amusing, which it is. After that first day of shooting, Welles probably wanted more of Tamiroff. "Arkadin" was the first film they worked on together, right?

[Harvey Chartrand]

Nay, 'twas BLACK MAGIC in 1949, co-directed by Welles and co-starring Tamiroff's wife Tamara Shayne.

[tony]

co-directed by Welles? ???

[Roger Ryan]

co-directed by Welles? ???

Well, there is the oft-quoted story of the film's producer arriving on set during a crowd scene only to find Welles on a camera platform directing the action. When the producer asked where director Gregory Ratoff was, Welles pointed out into the crowd where Ratoff was happily performing as an extra in his own film. Officially, of course, Welles was not credited as co-director.

Thanks Harvey, by the way, for reminding me of Tamiroff being in the film.

[Wellesnet]

We luckily managed to pull up recently from Archive.org the preceding recollection of an early test version of Mr. Arkadin, seen in 1955 by Alex Fraser, one of our most prolific posters, who we think passed away in 2016, although we've never been able to confirm it. He posted here as "Macrsarf1", but mainly as "Glenn Anders". That version of Arkadin that he saw and refers to in the review probably doesn't exist anymore, but it has provoked the imaginations of many Welles scholars since.

[tonyw]

I also enjoyed his posts but fear he has passed away. Iconoclastic, lively, he was one of the most stimulating (and sometimes delightfully irritating) voices on this site

[Le Chiffre]

Yes, his enthusiasm, wit and knowledge are sorely missed around here, although not by everyone.

Following up on my earlier post about Zouk being elevated by Welles from a cameo appearance in the novel to a major character in the film, that lost prison scene was clearly a part of that process, as was the flashback structure Welles employed. My guess is that the novel was based on an early version of the script and Welles deviating from the chronological structure of it may have been one of the things that caused the eventual run-in with Dolivet, who hacked the film apart in order to make it chronological again for the American release.