Least Favorite Welles

[colwood]

We all worship at the foot of the greatest cinema genius, but that isn't to say all his work was perfect. I'm interested to see what others have to say is their "least favorite" film from the thirteen films he finished and released in his life (normal 12 plus Filming Othello included).

Without a doubt I'd say F for Fake (to me) was the least of his films. Interesting? Yes. Brilliant editing? Yes. I'm sure others may say the Immortal Story or Filming Othello but I liked those and would rather watch them or anthing else anytime instead of F for Fake.

[Johnny Dale]

Perhaps you haven't seen Macbeth

[Glenn Anders]

For my part, as it stands, THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS is Welles' worst. The bar of satisfaction is raised so high, and then cast so low.

I would say, colwood, that if you fall asleep during F FOR FAKE, you either don't understand Welles' purpose and accomplishment in doing the film -- to create a new form of cinematic personal essay -- or you don't care for Welles in a happy and gently philosophical state. F FOR FAKE is no doubt his single most successful film after CITIZEN KANE. It is as innovative and startling, in its quiet way, as . . . KANE, and besides that masterpiece, it is only film he intended to make, as he made it, unlike . . . AMBERSONS, TOUCH OF EVIL, or any of the others.

Glenn

[blunted by community]

glenn, same thing could be said about you. If you don't like ambersons, you don't understand what the problems were and how magnificent what ended up on the screen is.

i love all the films welles directed. all of them. perhaps what i look for in a welles film, and find, is not what others are looking for. every single time he directed, no matter how badly it was truncated later, it's f*cking brilliant. can't think of a single welles film that doesn't have at the very least, flashes of brilliance that make the viewing experience exhillirating.

for me there are no worst welles. he created magic every time he controlled the camera, and i'm thankful for every minute of welles directed footage that i can experience.

[R Kadin]

For me, THE IMMORTAL STORY stands out on both counts, direction and performance - although I am open to persuasion on the former (not, alas, on the latter).

[Christopher]

I agree with what Blunted said in his post. There are flashes of brilliance in every one of Welles's films, finished or unfinished, and to me, given the difficulties he faced, it is a miracle that he finished anything and produced as much as he did during his lifetime.