Streaming review: Orson Welles' Falstaff: Chimes at Midnight

[@dalebaker9109]

Orson at his best wasn’t only a fabulous director, but an astounding actor who could hold his own with anyone. Brilliant review of a magnificent film. Great work.

[@anton1990]

There will never be another Orson Welles.

[@ergbudster3333]

One of your best reviews ever, Robin.

[@MightyMezzo]

I finally saw “Chimes at Midnight” last year. The battle scenes are mesmerizing.

[@angelaarmie5789]

rumor has it 2nd Unit Director Jess Franco shot the battle scenes

[@buzzawuzza3743]

Chimes At Midnight has been one of my favorite films for decades. The quality of the sound on the version that was here on KZbin for years was not good but the film itself is a joy.

[@cedricmaclobster2324]

The film has wonderful, breathtaking visuals. But unlike Welles' MacBeth it never feels too artsy. And for goodness' sake, Margaret Rutherford is on board! How can you not love this?!

[@michaelevans898]

Superb! I read mostly negative reviews when it was new, but I was only 10 years old at the time. When I finally got to see the film at last, I thought it was wonderful and seriously questioned the motive of critics who would bollock directors like David Lean and Welles when they weren't perfect enough for them.

[@CorbCorbin]

This is one of the classics, that has been looked over, barely mentioned in Welles’ oeuvre.

[@joshuawestfall9982]

Absolutely adore this movie. I love your balance between the B movie reviews and then occasionally giving us solid classics in the Streaming reviews.

[@toddboughn5168]

Many years ago, I read a Welles biography that went in depth about the making of this and it was incredibly fascinating. Wish I could remember the author.

[@karlkarlos3545]

Was it Peter Bogdanovich?

[@toddboughn5168]

@@karlkarlos3545 No, I know that one very well. It's making me a little nuts. Gonna have to go through some boxes of books I have in a closet and find it.

[@Marckymarc71]

Simon Callow

[@blueberrypanquakes]

Watched a bunch of Welles a few years back. Really liked this one; Othello was also incredible.

[@strivingtobalance]

A few years ago saw it at a sold out screening in the early AM and it's a mighty piece of work.

[@terrymeister7072]

Thanks for the review of this magnificent film! Enjoyed your Things to Come and Invisible Man reviews - pleasantly surprised to see this one! Love the film - Criterion has a great DVD of it! By the way, Welles subsequently re-dubbed his Macbeth without the Highland brogues - both versions are available on the Olive Signature DVD. Love your reviews!

[@matthewh.9544]

Orson Wells was a genius. His few moments in the 3rd Man says it. Probably the greatest British film ever made, and he's the most memorable role in it. 👌

[@anton1990]

…The Cuckoo Clock… So long, Holly…

[@GrandOldMovies]

Lovely video essay on this truly great film!

[@kriitikko]

Honestly, this is my favorite film adaptation of Shakespeare's works, followed closely by Kozintsev's take on Hamlet. Both films came out around the same time.

[@Bigbadwhitecracker]

Kurasowa's Ran, which I saw in the cinemas - twice - when it came out and I never see any movie more than once.

[@lindaloe]

ORSON WELLES WAS ONE OF THE BEST ACTORS EVER !!

[@euansmith3699]

*CAN YOU REPEAT THAT FOR THOSE IN THE CHEAP SEATS!!!?* 😄👍

[@cedricmaclobster2324]

@@euansmith3699 MWAAAHH! THE FRENCH CHAMPAGNE hasalwaysbeencelebrated for its excellensss!

[@justinsheppherd1806]

Nicely done, chaps. I love this film. Possibly my favourite if Welles' works. And you've (technically) just liked a Jess Franco movie for the first time, I think. He directed 2nd unit.

[@euansmith3699]

This looks absolutely amazing; and Wells certain assembled a fine cast.

[@davidroberts1026]

Nice to see this! Such a great film, really a marvel to take in, and to be drawn into--it really is a masterpiece, by a master of several arts. The Criterion Collection version is great, with of course lots of cool extras, as well as great sound and visual restoration. Another excellent review, and cool that you can do this so well and also the great bad films, where you always make me laugh. Well done, Sir.

[@wintermute-]

So glad you reviewed this. I love this movie and hope that maybe one day it is remastered properly. Cleaning up the video and more importantly the sound. I do think part of the charm is roughness of the film but would love to see it with proper sound and the video cleaned up a bit. That may turn it into an obvious masterpiece.

[@Claytone-Records]

There’s a Criterion release from a few years back that is very nice. Not sure it will get a 4K release as did C. Kane, however.

[@GlenHallstrom]

Thanks for this. I have the Criterion Blu-ray and, let me tell you, watching on a 70" 4K TV it is simply breathtaking.

[@ericjanssen394]

It’s one of the great Shakespeare movies, and a good “prequel” to Kenneth Branagh’s Henry V,, as Welles is having just as much fun playing Falstaff as Robbie Coltrane had in Branagh’s film. Welles’ Othello was completely miscast, but it’s rare that we see later Welles not egotistically blowing off one of his roles.

[@themysteriousdomainmoviepalace]

I haven't seen but I have seen Welles Othello which I really love. I have really come to appreciate him in the last 10 years or so. He was very tuned in to archetypes and symbolism and was unique.

[@reignfire85]

The visuals look incredible. Another must-watch for me.

[@danthsmith]

A masterpiece

[@skylx0812]

Heard of it, but haven't seen it. I do like Zefferlli's "Hamlet". Hellena Bonham Carter as Ophelia is top notch. Then there's "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead". For a Shakespeare story Gary Oldman's simple but regal "...I want to go home." was hilarious.

[@Bigbadwhitecracker]

Tom Stoppard's play. Great choice!!!!

[@RavenHouseMystery]

Thanks very much for the review. I will have to check it out now. Orson Welles was such a powerful force in acting, regardless of whether the film was good or not. Quick question: Have you guys ever listened to the music of Paul Roland? He seems to take a lot of inspiration from classic horror tales.

[@walkure48]

I first heard of this film while watching a Welles documentary back in the 90's which included clips from his films. The one that I remember most was that great coronation scene (Falstaff: God save thee! God save thee, my sweet boy! My king! my Jove! I speak to thee, my heart! Henry IV: I know thee not, old man. Fall to thy prayers....). It became a holy grail, and since I found it, it's been a favorite for years. While the sound isn't first-rate, it's still better than The Trial (Le Procès, also a favorite of mine) where Welles himself dubbed probably 80% of the characters.

[@dbsommers1]

Indeed this was excellent.

[@jeffreycarter6455]

I wonder if Branagh was influenced by the battle scene in this movie for the muddy, messy battle scene in Henry V?

[@Bigbadwhitecracker]

Yes.

[@robotrix]

The only Shakespeare adaptation I can think of that I've found interesting was "Joe MacBeth". Starred Paul Douglas and Ruth Roman and is set in Chicago during the 30's. Joe's a hit man wants to become "Kingpin" of the gangs. Liked how they adapted things. The "Witches" is changed to a woman who reads tarot cards in a nightclub. And being Joe's wife knows what he does for a living, a spot of blood on a knife wouldn't be enough to get under her skin so they had to find something else. Boy, do they.

[@workingstiffdiogenes2195]

Once again, Robin proves he can make a positive review as entertaining as a pan. And this forgotten movie deserves our attention. It's amazing how far Hollywood has fallen; I can't imagine any director today having the vision to pull this off.

[@TheNecessaryEvil]

Biding his time til he meets Megatron

[@thribs]

LoL!

[@Pauldjreadman]

Looks like a good film

[@earlleeruhf3130]

I have never heard of this movie before. It looks amazing.

[@inanimatecarbongod]

Absolutely a fan (and still baffled that Jess Franco was involved in it). Getting an adequate copy of it was near impossible for years, though; my own first copy of it was a shitty grey-market monstrosity, and my second was the Mr Bongo edition which was superior in almost every way but still of evidently dubious legality. Really need to get my hands on the Criterion edition.

[@Bigbadwhitecracker]

Maybe 40 years ago, I tried to watch it but the copy was SOOOO bad it wasn't worth it.

[@JamiesonHorton]

This is an excellent film, and not enough people (even Shakespeare fans!) talk about it. Cinematic adaptations of the Bard's works are... tricky... and I don't think they're often effective. It's clear from the lines of dialogue that the scripts are written solely for the stage (that's all they had back then, after all), with long dramatic speeches and poetic descriptions of each new scene's setting... so I think, when film versions of Shakespeare's works are more "artfully" translated to film, the lyrical (unrealistic yet heart-felt) dialogue matches that tone. These movies feel more dreamlike, but still maintain a strong connection with the audience. More recently, A24's Macbeth did this effectively. I'd love to see an adaptation of Midsummer Night's Dream... I think Del Toro's artistic vision would pair marvelously with the Bard's phantasmagoric fantasy-comedy.

[@jameslee9614]

Jess Franco was an assistant director on this. He took credit for the battle sequences, but since Franco also claimed he was the inspiration for Yoda, better get that salt ready!

[@Kitsaplorax]

"Chimes at Midnight" is I think the title of an exceptionally scary episode of the BBC Radio series "Fear on Four".

[@emmanuelgilliot6128]

WELLES WAS A GENIUS !!!!!!!!!

[@KRhetor]

This is probably the best thing Jess Franco had anything to do with.

[@earth9544]

Can you imagine sitting through 5+ hours of Orson Wells?

[@grahamgreene779]

great review of a great film! I don't think Welles made a movie that doesn't contain some bit of brilliance. It's a shame the narrative of him as a wasted talent ever began although I understand how it did. He was something like an independent filmmaking trailblazer. Chimes, Othello, Arakadin, F for Fake, the Trial, Filming Othello - all truly amazing. And the Hollywood stuff obviously - The first 2, Lady from Shanghai and Touch of Evil. Yet to see Macbeth or Other side of the Wind.

[@JeffreyDeCristofaro]

Definitely Welles' last truly great film. Sir Kenneth Branagh's Henry V owes a lot to this one, particularly his own Battle of Agincourt.

[@a.champagne6238]

I have thus on VHS but no longer have a VHS player. I'll upgrade next time there's a 50% Criterion sale at BN.

[@paulthomas3247]

Great review. I want to go back and revisit this movie again. I hope you can spend a lot more time on your channel with excellent films as opposed to schlock I the future - though I do enjoy the bad film reviews as well.

[@josephmatthews9866]

I've never knew about this movie, ( I believed it was not finished until recently) I must remember to view it soon ! PS : was the film THE BLACK WINDMILL completed also ??

[@robotrix]

Much as I love Welles, dare I say that I've never gotten The Magnificent Ambersons. The basic story is meh and his point seems to be "Weren't things better before cars and things were slower?" Well, yeah if you were so rich that you had servants doing all the real work for you so that you had free time. It looks great but....

[@richmcgee434]

That's what most faux nostalgia for the "good old days' is based on - privilege, money and power. The world has always sucked for people without it, and people can't seem to see themselves as a member of the struggling poor in any era.

[@robotrix]

@@richmcgee434 Add to that that it's a story where a woman throws over the man she really loves because he dares trip in her garden in the dark. Who are we supposed to sympathize with exactly?

[@TheRealNormanBates]

@@richmcgee434 that is so not true. *A Christmas Story* is pure nostalgia, which is nothing more than the fond remembrance of your childhood before the monotony, responsibility and awareness of adulthood ruined everything with its various shades of cynicism.

[@richmcgee434]

@@TheRealNormanBates Tell that to any child who's grown up hungry, cold, and/or homeless. Or bullied and abused. Or trafficked for sex. Or any of the other horrible things that make childhood a nightmare for so many real people. Your carefree time of innocence only applies to those lucky enough to have lived that way, which excludes at least 15% of modern day people and a far larger proportion of humanity historically.

[@ThreadBomb]

At the time the Magnificent Ambersons was made there was still a vogue for nostalgia for the late 1800s. See James Cagney's "The Strawberry Blonde" for a more excruciating version of this. The nostalgia existed because at the time there were still many people who could remember the before times. The way of life before radio, telephone, electric light, automobiles, movies, etc. was rougher but in some ways more gentle.

[@johndemeritt3460]

I've never seen this film before, so I haven't any real opinion. But we were seeing the opening moments of Saturn 3 on the TV as we queued this Dark Corners up and began speculating on the starring roles Farrah Fawcett's hair has played over the years. For example, we speculated that her hair played opposite Lawrence Olivier in Hamlet and all three witches in the original production of Macbeth. Her hair also appeared in From Hair to Eternity. But in this movie, I'd suggest her hair played Falstaff's beard.

[@trull122]

well Gary Oldman and Tim Roth did a good job in that Rosencrantz & Guildenstern thing. Oh and Richard Dryfuss was really good too.

[@quadropheniaguy9811]

I suggest some one writes and directs... Iago : Escape from the moor? A sequel to "Othello" where Iago skips gaol and wreaks havoc on his enemies?

[@pathatfield2543]

To be honest,I haven’t seen many Shakespeare plays,or read that much Shakespeare but,based on what I do know and upon my interest in things about horror,the supernatural,and the bizarre,I think a movie having to do with the three witches in Macbeth would be interesting.That’s such an obvious idea that I’m sure it’s been done already.It’s possible I’m aware of one myself and just cannot recall it now.

[@robotrix]

Doesn't help that everybody and their brother (and their brother's dog) have done Hamlet while the others are few and far between.

[@pathatfield2543]

@@robotrix true

[@augurcybernaut4785]

He never sold wine before it’s time

[@20th_century_Ghost]

I miss when movies still had magic in them.

[@richmcgee434]

3:24 I've owned Franklin stoves that were smaller than that breastplate.

[@stonereviews4738]

This is an odd request, but can you put some of my favorite DCR documentaries on vhs, or at least dvd. (The Golem Trilogy, Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney, F. W. Murnau, M, and Hammer)

[@DarkCornersReviews]

Go to the about page on our channel for my email and shoot me a message.

[@mariochabot7972]

Wells n'aimait que quelques réalisateurs dont Eisenstein. Et ça parait...

[@itowmyhome797]

🎉

[@dannystaton5386]

😮

[@paulfillingham4778]

Excellent film but as you say poor sound quality and on my Blu ray copy no subtitles

[@danddoty3981]

Without saying it, you Robin and Graham have proven last statement ; THEY'LL LOVE ME WHEN I'M DEAD. Wells has proven himself again and again as one the greatest film makers of the 20th Century. His only draw back as he saw it was that he was always ahead of his time ( and he was ). But still, he proves again what genuis he was , and its a shame that Hollywood shunned him instead lifting Wells on high as he so desevered to be. Still my favorite of his films was TOUCH OF EVIL , even the version the studio butched.

[@ergbudster3333]

Buckminster Fuller said it was deadly to be ten years ahead of your time. Therefore, he said, be fifty years ahead and they won't know what to make of you and will embrace you.

[@noahbody9747]

Film critics think this film was one of Welles a later classics? Eh, wasn't that impressed. Found it slow at times. The audio track does seem to be re-recorded. Not a film maker, audio engineer, or film critic. Just my take on the film.

[@Bigbadwhitecracker]

Freaking Welles and his bad audio. I could never understand why is audio is so poor. All of his indies, even going back to Macbeth (well, not an indy but Republic) and It's all true (RKO) have poor audio. But I love MacBeth and what survives of It's all true is breathtaking.

[@erikgustafson9302]

Ahh...the French campaign.

[@orlandoblanco6969]

Rosencrantz and Gilderstern are dead Y far my favorite

[@richmcgee434]

Yeah, they were the first thing that I thought of too.

[@Bigbadwhitecracker]

The best Welles from his late period ("late" meaning everything after The Trial). I saw it years ago and I love this film (I love The Trial as well.) Welles masters Shakespeare like no other. I'm also a fan of MacBeth and his Othello is out of this world. Such as shame he didn't live long enough to play Lear. As far as breakout characters: The Fool would be one. Puck might be another. What is it with Welles and horrid soundtracks???

[@dawwe8869]

Eyy

[@ViaFerrataCH]

I thought this was a great film

[@anitarichmond8930]

I am a fan of anything Orson, Welles🎟️