Been devouring Orson Welles the past week or so. Started with watching The Other Side of the Wind, which I would not recommend to another human being. Still, I found it fascinating.
Since, I’ve watched/rewatched eight films either by him, and/or starring him, or about him. Plan on keeping that up while I await next week’s Criterion release of The Magnificent Ambersons.
Even managed to crack Bogdanovich’s This Is Orson Welles, which has been collecting dust on my shelf for far too long. There’s an anecdote in the book about MGM looking for an actor to play opposite Hedy Lamarr that I’m finding far too relatable at the moment. It’s like a metaphor for my entire life:
“Welles – that’s who we want! Get him! Who’s his agent?”
“He doesn’t have an agent.”
“What?”
“No, he’s on the radio and he’s running a theatre in New York called The Mercury.”
“Get him.”
Because of the time difference, it is now two o’clock in the morning on the East Coast; ten secretaries are put on the job… [they] start wildly searching by long distance telephone. “We hear he’s at the Stork Club.” “No. El Morocco.” From Harlem to Chinatown, the telephone dragnet spreads out over Manhattan; and for four or five hours, the conference proceeds…
Finally, a secretary, breathless with victory, throws open the door: “I’ve got him for you!” she exclaims, “I’ve got Orson Welles!”
Then, somebody says, “What does he want?”