Mr. Kane of Cinema Turns One Hundred; Preparation of Orson Welles' Unfinished Film

Orson Welles turned one hundred years old on May 6, 2015, while an unfinished and unreleased film by this great director and actor remains in the archives of cinema history. Welles began filming a movie titled 'The Other Side of the Wind' in 1970, but due to numerous problems such as changes in the screenplay, cast, and financial issues, its filming took several years. Afterward, due to legal disputes over ownership, the unfinished film was abandoned, and its negatives went into the archives. Orson Welles never had the opportunity to complete and prepare 'The Other Side of the Wind' for release. He only edited 40 minutes of the film, and after that, he was unable to finish and prepare it. This unfinished film, whose story was not unrelated to Welles' own situation at the time, narrated the story of a great Hollywood director who intended to return to Hollywood after years and direct his last film. Welles played the role of this director alongside René Clair, with the famous American filmmaker John Huston portraying him, and several other directors such as Peter Bogdanovich and Claude Chabrol also appeared in Welles' film. Interestingly, in 2004, Peter Bogdanovich announced that he had edited 'The Other Side of the Wind' and it was ready for release, but legal issues prevented Bogdanovich's version from being shown. Recently, Royal Road Entertainment in Los Angeles has managed to resolve the legal ownership issues of the film and has begun preparations for its completion and release. Officials at this company hope to raise two million dollars through a public fundraising campaign to finish Orson Welles' film. This money is intended for purchasing the original negatives and scanning them in 4K quality, as well as editing, color grading, and restoring the film. It is said that many notes from Orson Welles regarding this film remain, and they can be used to complete the film in alignment with the director's vision. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Alfonso Gonçalves, editor of films such as 'Only Lovers Left Alive' and 'The Southern Wild', is set to edit 'The Other Side of the Wind' and prepare it for release. Orson Welles was born on May 5, 1915, in Wisconsin, USA. His father was a failed inventor who was addicted to alcohol. He lost his mother, who supported their living by playing the piano, at the age of 9. Young Orson, at the age of 16, traveled to Europe with money inherited from his father's death and engaged in theater. He then returned to America and launched a weekly radio program, performing adaptations of Shakespeare and Charles Dickens as radio plays. Welles' first feature film was made when he was only 26 years old. Initially titled 'American', it was later named 'Citizen Kane'. 'Citizen Kane', which caused a lot of noise regarding its subject matter during its production, failed to achieve success at the box office and was considered a flop. However, critics praised it, and the film was nominated for 9 Academy Awards. Welles' film only won one Oscar for the screenplay, and 'Citizen Kane' lost out that year to John Ford's 'How Green Was My Valley', which took home most of the statues. For several decades after its release, 'Citizen Kane' has consistently ranked among the top films in cinema history as chosen by critics and filmmakers. Welles' next film was 'The Magnificent Ambersons', which some critics considered technically superior to his first film. In 1943, Welles married his second wife, Rita Hayworth, and their four-year marriage produced the film 'The Lady from Shanghai' starring the couple. Welles then went to Europe, where he continued to work; he acted in several films, including 'The Third Man' directed by Carol Reed, and directed several films as well. In 1958, Welles returned to America and directed 'Touch of Evil'. Throughout his career, Welles often clashed with companies and producers. 'The Magnificent Ambersons' was cut down by the studio as much as possible, parts of 'Touch of Evil' were filmed and edited again by the studio, and the filming of 'Don Quixote' took a decade due to financial issues. In 1971, the Academy Awards decided to award Orson Welles, who had become angry and isolated by that time, an honorary Oscar; however, Welles refused to attend the ceremony and sent John Huston in his place to express his protest against Hollywood in this manner. Orson Welles ultimately passed away on October 10, 1985, just hours after his last television interview, at his home in Hollywood and was buried on the private property of his bullfighter friend.