‘Chimes at Midnight’ Presents Orson Welles as a Tragic Shakespearean Figure

GameStop, Inc.

chimes-at-midnight-0002

From an early age, Orson Welles had an immense fascination with the works of William Shakespeare. Legend has it that a two-year-old Welles asked his mother to read him the unabridged plays of Shakespeare. Whether or not that particular story is true is immaterial. Before he was scaring countless Americans with his inventive radio adaptation of War of the Worlds, Welles gained a bit of notoriety for his adaptation of Macbeth, transposing the story to a Caribbean island and featuring an all-black cast. Later in his life, after his brief moment as a Hollywood darling had faded, Welles would helm a couple of Shakespeare adaptations – 1948’s Macbeth and 1952’s Othello – as well as a few adaptations that failed to gain traction. In 1965, Welles would embark on an ambitious adaptation of a number of Shakespeare plays, focusing solely on the bard’s recurring character of Sir John Falstaff. Chimes at Midnight presents Welles as ambitious as ever while operating as the culmination of Welles’ larger cinematic work.

In adapting parts of Shakespeare’s Henry IV: Parts I and II, Richard II, Henry V, and The Merry Wives of Windsor, and using narration from the Hollinshed Chronicles by Raphael Hollinshed, Welles focuses the story of Chimes at Midnight on Sir John Falstaff (Welles), a knight and all around unreliable narrator, and his relationship with Prince Hal (Keith Baxter), heir to the throne held by his father King Henry IV (John Gielgud). As Falstaff neglects his debts for room and board while embellishing Prince Hal with stories of increasing grandeur and decreasing believability, Henry IV is facing dissent from the family of Edmund Mortimer, the true heir to the throne, led by Henry Percy (Norman Rodway), known as Hotspur. The forces clash at the Battle of Shrewsbury, with Henry IV’s army being victorious over the sympathizers of Mortimer. But Henry IV is ill, and when he passes Prince Hal takes his place upon the throne. Hearing that his friend is now king, Falstaff rushes to see Hal, who now goes by Henry V, only to be shunned. Heartbroken, not much time passes before Falstaff’s life expires.

Shakespearean themes run throughout Welles’ filmography, right down his legendary debut feature Citizen Kane. Another aspect that runs parallel to Welles’ Shakespearean aspects is a strong sense of autobiography, which also found its way into Kane. With Chimes at Midnight, Welles brings these two elements together as the story is based upon the works of Shakespeare but the character of Falstaff very much mirrors where Welles was at in 1965. This once valiant figure with boyish good looks and carte blanche in Hollywood slowly descended from golden boy to goat, his good looks ravaged by age and weight gain with a predilection for booze. The tragedy of Falstaff being shunned by the very person he entertained reflects his own professional struggles. One could almost see the Falstaff that was befriended by Prince Hal as Welles during Kane and his eventual discarding as the moment that The Magnificent Ambersons was butchered behind his back. He was a respected storyteller, a man revered for his abilities to embellish the facts with an unrivaled flair only to have those talents rejected by those who praised him. Perhaps the greatest Shakespearean character Welles ever played was himself.

Despite the financing issues that would plague Welles’ filmmaking career following The Lady From Shanghai, he never lost a step as a filmmaker. Chimes at Midnight features the stark black and white photography that became a trademark of Welles even after his collaborations with cinematographer Greg Toland ended. Wellesian flourishes of contrasting shadows and low angles remain firmly intact in the master’s late-period masterpiece.

The director claimed that when preparing Kane he watched John Ford’s Stagecoach in excess of 40 times. But while Kane never featured a frenzied action-packed climax like Ford’s legendary western, the lessons Welles took from the film are apparent in the stunning Battle of Shrewsbury. Like Ford’s film, Welles doesn’t bother adhering to the 180-degree rule of cinema. Action comes from all sides in a thrilling melee of medieval mayhem. As all the chaos unfolds, Welles’ Falstaff hides from the battle only to take credit upon his side’s victory. Again, paralleling one of the greatest battles of Welles’ life, as if he was on the sidelines, unable to fight when Ambersons, and thus his filmmaking career as it stood, was taken from him.

Chimes at Midnight represents the culmination of Orson Welles’ lifelong fascination with William Shakespeare, and is likely his finest adaptation of the bard’s work. Aside from F is for Fake, Chimes at Midnight is the crown jewel of Welles’ late-period filmmaking. The director himself held the film in high regard, and said of it, “If I wanted to get into heaven on the basis of one movie, that’s the one I would offer up.” While I may not personally agree with the legendary director’s assessment of his work, Chimes at Midnight is undoubtedly a deeply personal work from Welles, a cinematic cocktail of autobiography and tragic themes that run through his career. This is a singular work from a singular filmmaker.

https://vimeo.com/147403933

The brand new restoration of Chimes at Midnight by Janus Films will play at New York City’s Film Forum from January 1st through January 12th and in Los Angeles at Cinefamily from January 1st through January 7th with a Blu-Ray to come from Criterion Collection later in the year.

Anytime Costumes

Leave a Reply

FanboyNation
Animation/Anime Interviews Animation/Anime News Animation/Anime Reviews Film/TV Interviews Film/TV News Film/TV Review
The Ninaber Bros. and Kristen Kaster Talk DREAD’S ‘A Knight’s War’ – Interview

‘A Knight’s War‘ from DREAD takes us on a mystical journey...

We Test Our EQ By Revisiting the ‘New Zoo Revue’ with Doug and Emily Momary – Interview

We revisit the classic 1970s series, ‘The New Zoo Revue‘ with...

Kari Wahlgren Talks Voicing Aunt May in ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’

Legendary voice actress, Kari Wahlgren returns to the Spider-Man multiverse as...

Event News Event Reviews
In Love with ‘Shakespeare in Love’ at the Maverick Theater – Review

Fall in love with ‘Shakespeare in Love‘, the Maverick Theater has...

‘Tick, Tick…BOOM!’ Explodes on stage at the Chance Theater – Review

‘Tick, Tick… Boom!‘ has dynamite performances with a lackluster book that...

‘The Marvelous Wonderettes’ is Wonderous at The Phantom Projects – Review

Off-Broadway comes to North Orange County with ‘The Marvelous Wonderettes‘ at...

Automotives Football MMA, Kick Boxing & Boxing Professional Wrestling
Goldie Collins uses her ‘Animal Instinct’ in the WOW Tag Team Division – Interview

Goldie Collins and her Animal Instinct tag team partner, Katarina Jinx...

Top Tier Talk About the Season Premiere of WOW – Women Of Wrestling – Interview

Top Tier Talk About the WOW Season Premiere and being named...

WOW and Pluto TV Tag Team with a New Channel – SDCC News

WOW – Women Of Wrestling has a new tag team partner...

Adult Continuity Comics on the Can Cultural Junk Drawer Future Comic Rock Stars Is That Racist? Revisiting the Reviled THAT'S NOT ROTTEN! The B-Reel The Cantina Scene This Week in Crowdfunding What the HELL Did I just...?
Fantoy Comics Presents – Valentine’s day special 2025 pt 1

Ok you got me, I don't surf.

Fantoy Comics Presents – A REPRINT!

Oop!

Fantoy Comics Presents – THINGS TO COME 2025 pt 4

J-Hope's Animal Mystery Squad

Music Interviews Music News Music Reviews
John Dawson Talks His Cody Rhodes Inspired Song ‘Under All the Lights’ – Interview

Canadian Singer/Songwriter John Dawson Talks About His Cody and Brandi Rhodes...

Composer Youssef Guezoum Nominated for Two HMMA Awards – Interview

Moroccan born composer, Youssef Guezoum takes his adopted country by storm...

Isabella Summers Talks Composing for the Animated Feature ‘Hitpig!’ – Interview

‘Hitpig!‘ Composer, Isabella Summers Talks About Composing for the Indie Animated...

Enabled Gaming Gaming News Gaming Reviews
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Gameplay Trailer

The first Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League gameplay trailer was revealed during...

Wonder Woman Game
Wonder Woman Game Announced By DC and WB Games

Wonder Woman game will feature the iconic hero in a 3rd...

MultiVersus
MultiVersus brings Batman, Arya Stark, Bugs Bunny, and More

MultiVersus is bringing Shaggy, Harley Quinn, Jake, Batman, Arya Stark, Bugs Bunny,...

Comic Creator Interviews Comic/Graphic Novel News Comic/Graphic Novel Reviews Manga News Manga Reviews Novel/Novella Author Interviews Novel/Novella News Novel/Novella Reviews
Michael Hirsh Made Gen X Citizens Via his ‘Animation Nation’ – Interview

Legendary Animator, Michael Hirsh goes from Immigrant to Emperor in his...

Billy Eddy Talks His new Book ‘Our New World of Adult Bullies’ – Interview

Lawyer, Mediator and Personality Expert Bill Eddy Provides a Six-Step Strategy...

Gary Morgenstein Talks ‘A Dugout to Peace’ the Final Installment of his Trilogy

Gary Morgenstein Talks About ‘A Dugout to Peace‘ the final installment...

Apparel/Personal Maintenance News Apparel/Personal Maintenance Reviews Entertainment Product News Entertainment Product Reviews Food/Beverage Reviews Hardware News Hardware Reviews Mystery Box News Mystery Box Reviews
Relive ‘Batman Forever’ with the Spin Master Exclusives at Target – Toys

Celebrate 30 years of ‘Batman Forever‘ with this DC Comics Retro...

The Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan Unveils Halo Collar 4 – Interview

Cesar Millan Unveils Halo Collar 4: A Game-Changer for the Safety...

Artista Cigars Unveils Name Change For Two Cigar Lines – News

Artista Cigars Unveils Packaging Redesign and Name Change for Puro Ambar...

Gaming Uncensored Toon-In-Talk
Episode 38: Hamid Rahmanian

Join Whitney Grace as she speaks with artist Hamid Rahmanian, who...

No Preview
Toon-In Talk Episode 37: Niki Smith

Whitney Grace interviews graphic novel writer and artist Niki Smith about...

Toon-In Talk Episode 36: Rob Paulsen

Rob Paulsen takes some time from his busy voice acting schedule...