UPDATED: Wonderful news. We have been told by Peggy Daub at the University of Michigan that “The Deep” papers were purchased for the Special Collections Library. U-M is already home to “The Orson Welles – Chris Welles Feder Collection” and the “The Alessandro Tasca di Cutò – Orson Welles Collection.”
By RAY KELLY
A collection of production notes, correspondence, film rolls, contracts, scripts, and other materials related to Orson Welles’ unfinished movie “The Deep” were sold at auction in California for $8,320.
Julien’s Auctions of Beverly Hills did not identify the new owner of the materials reportedly left by Welles to Bill Cronshaw, described as a longtime friend and London manager. Prior the Nov. 9-10 auction, Julien’s had estimated the value of the materials at between $3,000 and $5,000. The Welles items were Lot #644 of Julien’s “Icons & Idols 2012” auction.
The lot description read: “Included in this archive are color film clippings and black and white film rolls, with various clips attached to production notes with direction and dialogue; correspondence relating to the production of the film including notes, letters, and telegrams to and from agents, prop merchants, actors, and producers, some in Welles’ hand and others signed by Welles; signed and unsigned copies of contracts, including a signed contract for Welles to act in the 1969 film The Battle of Neretva ; and various letters relating to the financing and production costs of the film. Also included are copies of portions of the script, some annotated by Welles, and noting changes in dialogue.”
Filmed off the Dalmatian coast of Yugoslavia on two yachts between 1966 and 1969, “The Deep” stars Laurence Harvey, Jeanne Moreau, Orson Welles, Oja Kodar, and Michael Bryant. Filming and post-production was not competed before the death of Harvey in 1973.
The original negative has been lost and a restoration using a workprint has been undertaken by the Munich Film Museum.
