The version with the pre-title sequence and voice-over is Welles' own re-edit which is considered to be the film in its final form. However, it should be stressed that Welles was not given the time nor resources to create a true "director's cut" (or, in this case, a "producer's cut"). He had only enough time to recut a few of the scenes, add Cotten's voice-over and shoot a new scene to conclude the film after the hotel ledge climax.
A now-lost 91 min. preview version, completed by director Norman Foster, clarified much of the action and emphasized the comical subplot of Josie embarking on an affair with Howard while Col. Haki attempts to woo Howard's wife. The studio eliminated much of this material (primarily due to censorship concerns) and Welles did not attempt to reinstate it. Ultimately, there is not a huge difference between the initial studio re-edit (the version craig-278 saw) and Welles' attempt to tinker with that studio re-edit to make it more palatable; the film as originally envisioned by Mercury Productions was already wrecked.
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tdl797
9 years ago
That makes a lot more sense. Cotten apologizing to his wife with the letter made little sense since he only talked to the other woman a time or two.
Shame this was so cut up. You can see a lot of potential in what was left. TCM is showing Welles' films on Fridays this month and this was one.
Opening scene is great. It's really awesome how the strings come in immediately after he shuts the record off. The title sequence is pretty much identical to Kane. Jack Moss is fine for much of the film, but it looks like they should have given the part to a stuntman for the finale on the ledge.
I have watched it over and over and I have been unable to figure out the magician's trick where the assistant appears from behind his cape. Did they have a trapdoor below? There doesn't seem to be any pausing edits. Did they film it backwards and then reverse it? That may be it.
Dolores del Rio's acting seems a bit stilted, a lot of her lines fall flat. One curious line when they first meet on the boat:
"Except the you have a nice *loud foghorn obscures the word*."
It kinda looks like she says 'house.'
If so, I guess I missed when he mentioned it.
The foghorn has to be intentional, but why? Is it sort of a dirty joke?
The finale on the ledge lacked some tension/stunt choreography, but there are some cool overhead rain shots.
Has anyone tried to make a longer edit featuring all the unique bits of both versions?
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MagAmbersons
8 years ago
Has anyone tried to make a longer edit featuring all the unique bits of both versions?
Sorry for the late reply, but the Munich Filmmuseum created a version in late 2005 that combined the footage from both extant edits, rearranging certain scenes so the continuity would be restored to how the preview version played and added a few stills and explanatory text to describe missing screen action. This "expanded" version of the film has played at a number of film festivals including a Welles retrospective held at MOMA in New York last year.
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