Chimes at Midnight Movie Review 1967

Classic tragedy--derived by Welles from five Shakespeare plays--about a corpulent blowhard and his friendship with a prince. Crammed with classic sequences, including a battle that is both realistic and funny. The love scene between massive Welles and a nonetheless willing Moreau also manages to be both sad and amusing. Great performances all around, but Welles understandably dominates. The film's few flaws (due to budget problems) are inconsequential before considerable strengths. This one ranks among Welles', and thus the entire cinema's, very best.

Distribution

Facets Multimedia, Inc., 1517 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago, IL 60614, Phone: (773)281-9075, Toll-free: 800-331-6197, Fax: (773)929-5437, Email: sales@facets.org, URL: http://www.facets.org

Available on VHS
Running time 115 minutes.
Originally from Spanish, Swiss.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Comedy Drama, Adapted from a Play, Modern Shakespeare, Royalty, Growing Older, 4 Bones

Screenplay

Orson Welles

Cast

Orson Welles, Jeanne Moreau, Margaret Rutherford, John Gielgud, Marina Vlady, Keith Baxter, Fernando Rey, Norman Rodway

Cinematography

Edmond Richard

Director

Orson Welles

Music

Angelo Francesco Lavagnino

Other

Ralph Richardson

Producer

Alpine Productions