Book Review - Orson Welles' Last Movie

This book is the story of the "The Other side of the Wind" released in 2018.  Originally started by Welles on a shoe-string budget in 1970, the shooting was completed by 1975, and needed nothing more than some editing and cutting, but Welles ran into roadblocks in finishing the film.  And legal disputes, after his death, tied the film up for almost 30 years.

The author tries to be fair to everyone concerned in this absurdly delayed film, including Welles,  the Iranian financiers, and Welles heirs. Unlike some other authors, and Welles himself, he makes it clear that the failure to complete the film prior to Welles' death in 1985, wasn't just due to "bad luck" or those "terrible Iranians",  but mostly due to Welles himself.  

By 1975, the shooting was complete, and over $1 million spent.  Quite reasonably, The Iranians wanted Welles to provide a budget and due date to complete the editing. And... Welles refused. Instead, Orson asked for even more money. Frustrated, the Iranians had a CPA firm audit the film's finances and found only 40% of the money spent could be traced to the film.  The remaining 60% had either been embezzled by a 3rd party or wasted by Welles.  This made them even more reluctant to give Welles additional money without a firm due date and a NTE Budget.

From then, till his death, Welles continued to play a strange game. He would ask 3rd parties for money  to complete the film.  And then just as he was about to receive enough $$, Welles would demand even MORE money, or skip requested meetings with investors, or refuse to sign a contract to finalize the deal.  As a result, the funding would fall through, and nothing was done.

You get the feeling, that Welles thought - by the late 1970s - he could simply outlast and outlive everyone else,  and complete the film on his own terms with 100% ownership.  But, of course, that didn't happen. He died un-expectantly in 1985. 

If, like me, you've read about Welles' previous films its "Deja Vu, all over again".  Welles had a life-long habit of starting films and then not completing them. Or finishing them late, and upsetting his backers. What was behind it?  Boredom at the Editing process? Realization that the films wouldn't be a masterpiece?  A desire to make the film perfect, and do an endless number of "corrections"? Who knows? 

Anyway, its a well-written, short book, about a fascinating time in a fascinating man's life.