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You're right, Ray, he didn't care for his own nose, hence the multiple cover-ups.
THREE CASES OF MURDER is a fondly-remembered pleasure from my childhood, although I'd just as soon get out my Moviola editing machine and make it TWO CASES OF MURDER. The first one with Badel is haunting. If they'd found a story with a bizarre fantasy element to match the Badel and the Welles segments, then they might have ended up with another DEAD OF NIGHT. Still, I'd gladly see it again, any time. And you're right, Orson hoofing is a hoot, and you can imagine him not only dancing with Rita but also gauge what he must have looked like cavorting with all those Carnivale cuties down in Rio while RKO ran riot with AMBERSONS stateside.
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I hate to contradict Robert Wise, especially as he happens to be the hero of my newest book, and I haven't read Tarkington, so I'll just take your word about the source material, but I can't go along with the notion that the lost AMBERSONS wasn't that different from the one we've got. Read the book about the making of the film, listen on CD to the Herrmann score for scenes no longer in the film, read interviews with Welles and people who knew Welles who recall that he couldn't bear to watch AMBERSONS on TV because it broke his heart… Well, you get the picture. (So to speak.)
Maybe.
The previews turned off the audience because of the story elements i mentioned.
So, there was no way to 'save' the movie.
As it stands , its an amazing film. I am content to enjoy what exists
bruce
There is an interview with Wise, still occasionally shown on TCM, wherein he explains test screenings of AMBERSONS were a disaster, and the need for re-cutting, and adding a different ending. Wise has no regrets about having done this, and continues to point out the pragmatic nature of the changes at the time. Also, by the time the film was finally released, in July of 1942, audiences were involved with the war, and a story about the early 20th century decline of a Midwestern family held little public interest.
Also, it should be noted that the tacked-on ending to the altered version is exactly what Tarkington wrote in his original book. So, the ending as it stands now isn't at all contrary to the spirit of its original source material, even to the observation that Eugene feels that Isabel would have approved of his assisting George.
Apparently, efforts to discover the original 132 min. version have continued for years. There was a print of this version sent to Welles in Brazil, where he was working on a possible documentary. A number have searched for this over the years, so far to little avail.
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Hear Peter Bogdanovich tell an excellent and funny story about how Orson Welles made a suggestion about how to make THE LAST PICTURE SHOW.
https://youtu.be/EAPoBmLC8uo?t=598
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Can't believe I've never seen this thread before.
I've ready probably a dozen books about Welles over the years. LOVE the Callow books.
Currently reading one I'd only recently discovered: Young Orson by Patrick McGilligan. https://amzn.to/39tuBiJ
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LnuQZ6VD_Y
This link is a 3.5 hour audio recording taken from meetings with Peter Bogdanovich between 1969-1972. It's really interesting, filled with fascinating stories and they're both great to listen to. I've listened to this many times.
Sounds worthwhile. I wonder if this is what that last Bogdanovich book was based on.
I'm going to give it a listen.
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