1960: How did Orson Welles make CITIZEN KANE? | Monitor | Classic Movie Interviews | BBC Archive

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  • Опубліковано 23 січ 2025

КОМЕНТАРІ • 150

  • @tracethisspace
    @tracethisspace Рік тому +93

    "The storyteller's first duty is always to the story." Love this.

    • @Arjmm
      @Arjmm 7 місяців тому +2

      Tolstoy said it's to the truth.

    • @TheVCRTimeMachine
      @TheVCRTimeMachine 12 днів тому +1

      Franchise fans (Star Wars) think the storytellers first duty is to the fans which is absurd

  • @chrisjohnston4445
    @chrisjohnston4445 Рік тому +102

    When Orson talks about his "sheer ignorance" and "not knowing that these things were impossible", it reminded me of the old joke:
    "Theoretically, a bumblebee can't fly... but nobody told the bumblebee!"

    • @branislavvukic7752
      @branislavvukic7752 Рік тому +12

      This reminded me of joke we have here in Balkan: Police comes to the Gypsy fella accusing him for stealing the rail-tracks for scrap- metal, he denies telling the police officer that children were playing there and they must have take it with them. The officer said:"C'mon man that rail-track weights 300 kilos!!!", and Gypsy answers: "Like child knows what is 300 kilos!!!!"

    • @TheHappyBachelor
      @TheHappyBachelor Місяць тому

      This made me laugh out loud, thank you Branislav! 😂👍🏻👍🏻

    • @TheHappyBachelor
      @TheHappyBachelor Місяць тому

      You should check out, if you haven't already, Orson's "Paris Interview" also in 1960, where he talks about Gregg Toland's impact on him during filming. He said that Toland was a technician that agreed with Orson's belief that anyone can be taught the basics of anything in a week or so, and that when Orson showed up to the set, he was under the impression that the lighting for films was handled by the director. Orson spent five days telling everyone how to light the scenes, with Toland in the background motioning to everyone to listen to Orson, and then tweaking what Orson had set up based on his experience. Orson said Toland was furious when someone finally told Orson how it was "supposed" to work, because then he became self-aware and began asking for things that were technically impossible. He said that it was Toland that allowed him to see things from an entirely different point of view.

  • @davidrobinson2776
    @davidrobinson2776 11 місяців тому +39

    Welles not only produced the greatest film of all time, he gave us the greatest acting performance of all time in the space of only 10 minutes in The Third Man. He had so much presence, so much charisma and despite not being a conventionally handsome man, the camera loved him.
    If someone told Welles something was impossible, he'd prove them wrong. That's genius.

    • @andrewharty3874
      @andrewharty3874 10 місяців тому

      We'll said sir

    • @Karen-nn6kg
      @Karen-nn6kg 2 місяці тому +1

      Not conventionally handsome, to be sure, yet I'm totally in love with him; in all of his (physical) incarnations. His erudition is his sex appeal. Ruth Warwick, one of his stock acting company, said everyone was in love with him. I'm sad I'll never get to meet anyone like him ...

    • @Karen-nn6kg
      @Karen-nn6kg 2 місяці тому +2

      I've had an MD tell me this recently: "We're not good at telling you what's wrong only what's not wrong. 7:59

    • @missizaskun
      @missizaskun 5 днів тому +2

      Orson Welles in ‘The Third Man’ was beyond outstanding!

  • @glamourdazeshorts
    @glamourdazeshorts 2 роки тому +94

    I could listen to Orson all day

  • @jphillips7083
    @jphillips7083 2 роки тому +28

    "Anything you say about Hollywood is true good or bad there is no statement too extreme which does not apply." (100%)

  • @garrison6863
    @garrison6863 Рік тому +30

    The contract Welles had on his first film is utterly incredible. And the fact he had Toland on his first film is just as amazing.

  • @lisaburns4131
    @lisaburns4131 2 роки тому +78

    What an interview , great man and great mind, plus a great voice.

    • @arriuscalpurniuspiso
      @arriuscalpurniuspiso Рік тому +2

      His voice was musical, passionate, with a beautiful tone

    • @geeblanco
      @geeblanco Рік тому +2

      Yeah his greatness is without question but the fact he stole his voice from Pinky and the Brain rather soiled his legacy imho.

    • @mybigfartsreallystin
      @mybigfartsreallystin Рік тому

      ​@@geeblancoHow cute...a trollbot...
      ...not really...gky... XD

  • @SevenFields108
    @SevenFields108 2 роки тому +21

    There's not enough thumbs-ups in the world to do this justice! 👍👍👍👍👍🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

  • @retrothingz
    @retrothingz Рік тому +19

    Text book perfect interview ..on both sides. Thanks for the upload.

  • @kipperbill
    @kipperbill Рік тому +5

    Infectious Laughter!

  • @brikfiend
    @brikfiend 10 місяців тому +4

    A legend interviewing a legend , perfect .

  • @rigsby1454
    @rigsby1454 2 роки тому +17

    What a brilliant man

  • @VintageSongstress
    @VintageSongstress Рік тому +7

    Such a voice! Such class! I absolutely adore this man.

  • @jonathaneffemey944
    @jonathaneffemey944 Рік тому +10

    Thanks so much for posting.

  • @emgee81
    @emgee81 2 роки тому +20

    18:37 Interesting to note that Agnes Moorehead was mentioned here. A very fine actress, born in 1900 in Clinton, Massachusetts (35 miles outside of Boston) who appeared in many a great production on radio, TV and in film. She won a Primetime Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards, in addition to being nominated for four Academy Awards. However, I think she will always be most fondly remembered on screen for wonderfully playing the part of Endora (Samantha's Mother) in the TV series Bewitched. She died in 1974 in Rochester, Minnesota.
    Bewitched is one of my favourite programmes of all time and I'm 41! My mother was born in 1965 and she was named Samantha after the character played by the lovely Elizabeth Montgomery - so I think maybe I might be a little bit biased? LOL :D

  • @stevemccormack9948
    @stevemccormack9948 2 роки тому +16

    Orson Welles, a sharp mind right to the last.

  • @martinwatters2729
    @martinwatters2729 Рік тому +8

    I love ORSON such a breath of fresh air held in check because he was so on track and remained in the same. GENIUS,

  • @Brucie27
    @Brucie27 Рік тому +16

    well sir it is 2023 almost 2024 and we learn about you in film class as one of the youngest directors to make one of the greatest movies of all time. id like to think. theres no more hate on that you were amazing. i learned about you in Hs and college.

    • @TheJonathanNewton
      @TheJonathanNewton Рік тому +3

      Of course. What did the haters ever achieve themselves?

    • @JuanMiPibernus
      @JuanMiPibernus Рік тому +1

      Hate to tell you this, but Orson is THE quintessential hater, but he was also extremely talented

  • @TheJPCatholic
    @TheJPCatholic 2 роки тому +36

    I’ve been waiting for this entire interview, very happy to see it in good quality. Very underrated director and film.

    • @pfzt
      @pfzt 2 роки тому +8

      Very underrated director and film? wut? You forgot the /s my friend ;)

    • @CrackSmonka
      @CrackSmonka 2 роки тому +8

      Yeah, that exactly the word to define Orson Welles: 'underrated'. He directed arguably the best film ever, but he's 'underrated'. Yeah.

    • @Film-Watcher12
      @Film-Watcher12 Місяць тому

      Agree. Nobody mentions him outside of Citizen Kane. He made some truly outstanding films.

  • @AaronPatelzick
    @AaronPatelzick Рік тому +9

    Incredible interview.

  • @JM-uk9yb
    @JM-uk9yb 3 роки тому +33

    He’s a genius

  • @flipflopsguy8868
    @flipflopsguy8868 Рік тому +5

    "Yes, Always" !
    - Orson Welles

  • @ThorD4602
    @ThorD4602 2 роки тому +14

    17 minutes in, tells the true story of an artist and the fear of selling out

  • @rickarra1833
    @rickarra1833 Рік тому +5

    I love the way he uses his voice to suck you into his story

  • @jphillips7083
    @jphillips7083 2 роки тому +7

    I could smell his cigar when he fired it up!

  • @chriskelvin248
    @chriskelvin248 2 роки тому +27

    Fascinating interview with a fascinating man. It also struck me how similar "the Queen's english" and "American broadcast english" sounded at that point in time. Only 62 years ago and already the trajectories are headed in quite different directions. Today's American broadcast english is liberal with contractions and slang, whereas if the "dialect" of then were spoken now, with its use of non-rhotic R's and more rigorous vocabulary and sentence structures, it would be perceived as comedy.

    • @dan4x4
      @dan4x4 Рік тому +3

      As an english person i noticed this too - very similar

  • @SuperEgo19
    @SuperEgo19 7 місяців тому +13

    Hearing Orson use the term cryptofascist is quite surprising for 1960. He was always ahead of the curve.

    • @christopherpardell4418
      @christopherpardell4418 6 місяців тому +3

      Erudition was far more prevalent in the world before 1960. Welles was certainly one of the most intelligent people you might run across, but people who could enthrall others with insight, education, and complex perspectives were one of the things education and affluence often produced.
      Philosophy was taught in school, as well as the rich tapestry of classical mythology, with all its deeper psychological and political ramifications explored.

    • @garryferrington811
      @garryferrington811 6 місяців тому +2

      We've lost a great deal.

  • @hassanshayegannik155
    @hassanshayegannik155 Рік тому +4

    The greatest!

  • @kmetcalfe
    @kmetcalfe 9 місяців тому +1

    This is a great interview. Thank you for posting it.

  • @TheRausing1
    @TheRausing1 2 роки тому +159

    I’m 25 and a filmmaker and have made four or five absolutely awful short films. The fact he wrote, produced and directed Citizen Kane at 25 makes me feel a little sad I have to admit.

    • @TheStockwell
      @TheStockwell 2 роки тому +29

      You won't feel so bad if you watch his first experimental film, "The Hearts of Age," or Kubrick's "Fear and Desire." 😸

    • @fredbreadbun6277
      @fredbreadbun6277 2 роки тому +44

      'Do you think,' said he, 'I have not just cause to weep, when I consider that Alexander at my age had conquered so many nations, and I have all this time done nothing that is memorable? '”- Caesar looking at a statue of Alexander the Great.

    • @fritsbos1527
      @fritsbos1527 2 роки тому +6

      When you cant remember if you did 4 OR 5 movies mabe IT is saying SOMETHING about your motivation

    • @maxresdefault_
      @maxresdefault_ 2 роки тому +24

      He spent a good chunk of his early life working in theatre. Kane was his first movie but he went in with years of experience directing live performances.

    • @arricammarques1955
      @arricammarques1955 2 роки тому +12

      Be true to yourself, mate. Orson set the bar rather high.

  • @bijuviswanath2637
    @bijuviswanath2637 Рік тому +3

    Great filmmaker

  • @spacemissing
    @spacemissing 10 місяців тому +1

    Superior interview of a superior talent.

  • @rameybutler-hm7nx
    @rameybutler-hm7nx 7 місяців тому +5

    Orson welles would be criticised and shunned by modern media. He would be hated.
    Im glad this showman, came at the time he did because without him i would have never explored other films and books.

  • @spikemufc
    @spikemufc Рік тому +5

    It is obvious how disappointed he was for not being able to complete "The Magnificent Ambersons". He regretted it until the rest of his life

  • @RetrofIex
    @RetrofIex 6 місяців тому +2

    Orson Welles may have been the most articulate speaker ever

  • @dannywoody5497
    @dannywoody5497 7 місяців тому +1

    Absolutely love Orson Welles. What a deep in interest & human being.
    Way too much of an artist to be treated fairly

  • @ThorD4602
    @ThorD4602 2 роки тому +8

    Reminds me of the way Shatner looks in his old age

    • @rigsby1454
      @rigsby1454 2 роки тому +2

      haha yes I know what you mean. Same cadence in the voice. Never thought of that!

  • @MegaFount
    @MegaFount 6 місяців тому

    Everything Welles made has value and unique features. My favorites: Mr. Arkadin, The Trial, and Touch of Evil.

  • @Edward1312
    @Edward1312 2 місяці тому

    Welles is a joy to listen to, being a great raconteur and story teller.

  • @theowlreviewernest9330
    @theowlreviewernest9330 2 місяці тому

    Orson Welles is seriously one of the directors I have no issue listening to talk about film all day similar to Scorsese, Del Toro & Hitchcock

  • @photosbydoyle
    @photosbydoyle Рік тому +9

    he's only 45 years old here.

  • @BirdieParker-y1z
    @BirdieParker-y1z 3 місяці тому

    The whole group doesn't always sell out together. But when they do!

  • @TopOfThePopsFan
    @TopOfThePopsFan Рік тому +2

    Did he do the voice-over for Carlsburg lager - 'probably the best lager in the world'.

    • @stephenbarrette610
      @stephenbarrette610 Рік тому

      He might have done. He certainty did a lot of commercial voice overs. I remember hearing a ‘tape’ back in the 1980’s when I was working at the BBC of Orsen having an argument with a producer / f-wit about ‘Peas in July. A quick Google and the UA-cam copy of part of it just appears by magic. Gosh anything I can think of, seems to appear… when I type it into the ‘Google’ - just kidding, worked in IT for the last 40 years.
      ua-cam.com/video/0O1_AyKSV88/v-deo.html

  • @findingnino
    @findingnino 2 роки тому +6

    The head of RKO was a genius!

  • @edwardmulholland7912
    @edwardmulholland7912 Рік тому +6

    Welles was an incredible artist, “Citizen Kane” is an incredible movie. The powers that be never forgave him. But Orson kept on going, but the establishment never stopped punishing him for daring to call out powerful people/families. Stanley Kubrick was a fan - but Kubrick was a better chess player than Welles - until “Eyes Wide Shut”, apparently. Both men were critical of the elites, that’s a no no. The sheeple should never have access to the truth.

    • @danzambrana
      @danzambrana Рік тому +1

      Kubrick finessed the execs in the making of 2001. He was a genius as well.

    • @edwardmulholland7912
      @edwardmulholland7912 Рік тому

      @@James-ks7lv
      No, get back in your box.

  • @DirkRevised
    @DirkRevised 27 днів тому +1

    01:25 With a lot of ruthless hatchet men (and women) in the right place, you can become president of the United States, as history shows. 🙄 That said, thanks for sharing this document.

  • @Mc007Queen
    @Mc007Queen 5 місяців тому

    He's not lying ... the topic about the cameraman ... saying that you can learn this in less than 3 days ... back then it was true that topic was brought up many years later and he said the same thing ... Orson Welles if you watch videos after this interview many years later .. he will say the same thing

  • @aladdinbinschamar2442
    @aladdinbinschamar2442 2 місяці тому

    What did u cut from the interview, bbc? We see u!!

  • @lucianopavarotti2843
    @lucianopavarotti2843 4 місяці тому

    Amazing to me that interviewer Hew Wheldon was 44 at the time , actually year younger than Welles. Wheldon looks and sounds 20 years older.

  • @jasonenosart
    @jasonenosart Рік тому +3

    This kind of picture will never be made until a deal like this is given again... And we got that with Nolan's Oppenheimer

  • @yossarianmnichols9641
    @yossarianmnichols9641 2 роки тому +7

    Nowadays the stars have their own production company and they get their own financing and there is no more studio dictatorship.

    • @chisciccise
      @chisciccise 8 місяців тому +2

      The one element missing: Orson Welles.

    • @garryferrington811
      @garryferrington811 6 місяців тому

      Quite a few movies go through corporate executive committees. You don't have the old studios, you have corporations which couldn't care less about the movies themselves.

  • @Setare.hezarshab
    @Setare.hezarshab 10 місяців тому +1

    ❤❤❤

  • @stewartmoore5158
    @stewartmoore5158 4 місяці тому +1

    Can you imagine meeting someone with the personality of a 1960s television host? You'd think you'd met a real life android.

  • @alev4287
    @alev4287 Рік тому +3

    Spell Kane Cain and you got the real idea behind the story. All these movies have double meanings behind them.

  • @gvran71
    @gvran71 Рік тому +2

    First bust on Hollywood Mount Rushmore.

  • @stevejohnston2715
    @stevejohnston2715 7 місяців тому +1

    Orson was an incredible liar, truth-teller and gentleman...what an interesting, contradictory character.

  • @CartersRemasters
    @CartersRemasters Рік тому

    So much noise on that image, I'm all for not messing much with the orignal film, but c'mon, you can clean it up a bit

  • @garryferrington811
    @garryferrington811 6 місяців тому

    Small television screens then, which is why you have these really extreme, discomforting closeups.

  • @mishaguitar
    @mishaguitar 3 місяці тому

    This is a great movie, but not ideal as an intro to Welles’ movies or “art cinema” in general

  • @TheFruitsOfZellman
    @TheFruitsOfZellman 5 місяців тому

    I've heard they are remaking a gender swapped Citizen Kane with Elizabeth Banks directing and playing the lead.

  • @BirdieParker-y1z
    @BirdieParker-y1z 3 місяці тому

    My focus upon your interview cause stress to the electronics.
    You offended them gravely like that other fellow from literature. Sinclair

  • @lizriveratoro8729
    @lizriveratoro8729 11 місяців тому

    Hearst hate the citizen Kane movie cause was about diversity and cultural differences and since Orson didn't have a clue about how it would've worked in the cinema industry. But did knew a lot of culture and diversity in races. But clearly shows that the Charles Kane was identical and identifiable to William Ran Hearst. 😂😂 Hearst was a coward because of Rosebud joke at the end. When everyone knew that Mollie and Marion knew the horns and screw up Hearst was. 😂

  • @mrg8255
    @mrg8255 4 місяці тому +1

    Real men are mostly obsolete now.

  • @christiansmith-of7dt
    @christiansmith-of7dt 7 місяців тому

    Dar Pan Sus 3 legs one arm

  • @mrg8255
    @mrg8255 4 місяці тому

    I am reminded of Trump listening to orson.

    • @baudelaire2169
      @baudelaire2169 4 місяці тому +3

      Por favor no vuelvas a comparar a Orson con ese animal

    • @kathypiazza7228
      @kathypiazza7228 4 місяці тому +1

      What the contrast between an intelligent interesting well spoken man as compared to TFG?

  • @SharonDavis-v6n
    @SharonDavis-v6n 3 місяці тому

    Harris Donna Miller William Johnson Scott

  • @lanepianta
    @lanepianta 13 днів тому

    BBC: Is this the first known use of the term 'crypto-fascist' in your archives?

  • @SharonDavis-v6n
    @SharonDavis-v6n 3 місяці тому

    Anderson William Thomas Ruth Jackson Susan

  • @joemarshall4226
    @joemarshall4226 Рік тому +2

    Orson still has his affected mid Atlantic accent here. By the 70s, he lost it.

  • @SandraSmith-vb5pf
    @SandraSmith-vb5pf 10 місяців тому

    MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE 💭🚨💉💲💲💲💲💲💲

  • @lighth7h-im3gd
    @lighth7h-im3gd Рік тому

    nerd

  • @NRG2
    @NRG2 Місяць тому

    Now, now Orson, don’t be so antisemitic!! 😉👌

  • @38kob
    @38kob 4 місяці тому

    that was boring as hell man

  • @blurredlenzpictures3251
    @blurredlenzpictures3251 9 місяців тому +1

    Don't worry Orson, your grandkids and every other fan of film is aware you were very good!

  • @martinwatters2729
    @martinwatters2729 Рік тому +7

    No wonder HEMINGWAY and ORSON where great friends in real life . ONE had no fear the other was chased by demon's. ORSON had no fear HEMINGWAY lived it and wrote about courage also placed him self in it.But ORSON truely feared nothing.

  • @jamesmoore9511
    @jamesmoore9511 4 місяці тому +1

    At 2:00 Political cryptofascist describes the Assault on President Trump.

  • @petersokol1603
    @petersokol1603 2 роки тому +2

    He didn’t it was written by someone else…he had no hand in the script….it was filmed by somebody else who knew what they were doing…all he did was act and puff up like a bird….he was not a cinematic genius……most of his films sucked…and he ate and drank himself to death with other peoples money.

    • @bobtaylor170
      @bobtaylor170 2 роки тому +14

      Welles' secretary said he wrote it, dictating it to her. And he always gave great credit to Gregg Toland.

    • @LeeH688
      @LeeH688 Рік тому +6

      So Scorsese is wrong about Orson Welles and you are right I see.

    • @petersokol1603
      @petersokol1603 Рік тому

      @@LeeH688 in what I said…absolutely…..I suggest you watch Mank.

    • @NUCLEARDASH
      @NUCLEARDASH 8 місяців тому +2

      @@petersokol1603 and i sugest you to do your research. Mank is just a movie, one the worst from fincher by the way, gotta read some books

    • @garryferrington811
      @garryferrington811 6 місяців тому

      Conspiracy theories are always so much fun.

  • @kipperbill
    @kipperbill Рік тому +14

    Infectious Laughter!

  • @CliffBronson1212
    @CliffBronson1212 9 місяців тому

    ❤❤❤