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Rutgers Films in Print
Chimes at Midnight
Among the films inspired by Orson Welles's lifelong involvement with Shakespeare, the greatest is Chimes at Midnight (1966). It is a masterly conflation of the Shakespearean history plays that feature Falstaff, the great comic figure played by Welles himself in the film. For Welles, the character was also potentially the doomed friendship between Falstaff and Prince Hal becomes an image of the end of an age. To this epic subject Welles brings the innovative film techniques that made him famous in Citizen Kane, The Lady from Shanghai," and Touch of Evil.
This volume offers a complete continuity script of Chimes at Midnight , including its famous battle sequence. Each shot is described in detail and is keyed to the original Shakesperian sources, thus making the volume an invaluable guide to Welles as an adaptor and creator of texts. The first complete transcription of the continuity script of Chimes is accompanied by the editor's critical introduction on Welles's transformation of Shakespeare; a special interview with Keith Baxter, one of the film's principal actors, which discusses its production history; reviews and articles; and a biographical sketch of Welles, a filmography, and a bibliography.
This volume offers a complete continuity script of Chimes at Midnight , including its famous battle sequence. Each shot is described in detail and is keyed to the original Shakesperian sources, thus making the volume an invaluable guide to Welles as an adaptor and creator of texts. The first complete transcription of the continuity script of Chimes is accompanied by the editor's critical introduction on Welles's transformation of Shakespeare; a special interview with Keith Baxter, one of the film's principal actors, which discusses its production history; reviews and articles; and a biographical sketch of Welles, a filmography, and a bibliography.
350 pages, Paperback
First published December 31, 1988
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 4, 2022
Falstaff: “We have heard the chimes at midnight, Master Shallow.”
Shallow: “That we have, that we have, that we have; in faith; Sir John”
I have seen Welles' movie, several times since my own youth, and it speaks to me differently at different times. I believe that it reflects both Welles’ and Shakespeare’s intention since what Welles did was knit together the various pieces of Shakespeare’s plays that featured Sir John Falstaff. The purpose? Well, the picaresque friendship between Falstaff and Prince Hal (the future Henry V of England) fades as Hal grows up. Having seen the Henry the Fourth and Henry the Fifth plays as well as the Merry Wives of Windsor, I am impressed with both Welles vision and his achievements. We get all the contrast between the chilly life at Court and the bawdy life of the tavern. What we also sense is how “the people” a forced to pay the price of the disputes among nobility. The cast assembled for this movie is remarkable.
I agree with GR reviewer Michael P https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... when he notes it is a “5 star book from a 4 star film.” Yet the film is less than 5 stars not because of its screen play, or casting or acting. It fails only in its production because Welles was unable to find financing for it and had to shoot a few scenes at a time over a number of years.
In the movie, Welles makes himself the embodiment of Sir John Falstaff. I learned in this book that Welles had been playing Falstaff since he was a youth! And that was only one of many times he acted the part in various Shakespeare dramatizations during the succeeding decades.
What has struck me in this script and Welles’ approach to “Chimes” is that there is little of Sir John that is played for the laughs that were certainly part of some of the performances starting with those at the Globe during Shakespeare’s lifetime. Even during the action scenes there is a bleak and/or gloomy tone to it all.
Having just focused on the dramatization, let us return to this book. It is wonderful to see the printed words and linger over them. The book not only contains the lines of dialogue but also the director’s instructions (including camera angles!). It also includes several critical reviews from the movie’s initial period of distribution and from subsequent revival.
I am glad that I found this book. It has awakened my desire to watch this production again. I know I will be moved by the performance but I will also be more aware of the technical aspects and that isn’t all bad.
Shallow: “That we have, that we have, that we have; in faith; Sir John”
I have seen Welles' movie, several times since my own youth, and it speaks to me differently at different times. I believe that it reflects both Welles’ and Shakespeare’s intention since what Welles did was knit together the various pieces of Shakespeare’s plays that featured Sir John Falstaff. The purpose? Well, the picaresque friendship between Falstaff and Prince Hal (the future Henry V of England) fades as Hal grows up. Having seen the Henry the Fourth and Henry the Fifth plays as well as the Merry Wives of Windsor, I am impressed with both Welles vision and his achievements. We get all the contrast between the chilly life at Court and the bawdy life of the tavern. What we also sense is how “the people” a forced to pay the price of the disputes among nobility. The cast assembled for this movie is remarkable.
I agree with GR reviewer Michael P https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... when he notes it is a “5 star book from a 4 star film.” Yet the film is less than 5 stars not because of its screen play, or casting or acting. It fails only in its production because Welles was unable to find financing for it and had to shoot a few scenes at a time over a number of years.
In the movie, Welles makes himself the embodiment of Sir John Falstaff. I learned in this book that Welles had been playing Falstaff since he was a youth! And that was only one of many times he acted the part in various Shakespeare dramatizations during the succeeding decades.
What has struck me in this script and Welles’ approach to “Chimes” is that there is little of Sir John that is played for the laughs that were certainly part of some of the performances starting with those at the Globe during Shakespeare’s lifetime. Even during the action scenes there is a bleak and/or gloomy tone to it all.
Having just focused on the dramatization, let us return to this book. It is wonderful to see the printed words and linger over them. The book not only contains the lines of dialogue but also the director’s instructions (including camera angles!). It also includes several critical reviews from the movie’s initial period of distribution and from subsequent revival.
I am glad that I found this book. It has awakened my desire to watch this production again. I know I will be moved by the performance but I will also be more aware of the technical aspects and that isn’t all bad.
January 16, 2011
A 5 star book from a 4 star film. This screenplay from Orson Welles's FALSTAFF (US title CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT) is packed with extras: a useful introduction, interviews, eight reviews and three essays, two by Michael Anderegg and C. L. Barber. Add these to the opportunity to really study the screenplay, and you have a book that is richer than the very good, but flawed film. Superb.
May 18, 2018
Welles’ script and acting: The greatest Falstaff ever in the world.
May 9, 2015
I am not the fan of this film that many of my colleagues are due to Welles's excesses and ego, so a four star film, but this is a five star book. Not only does it print the screenplay, but a number of essays about the film as well. You begin by viewing the film, read this cover to cover next, then finish by watching the film again. It will seem much richer after reading this book.
September 19, 2021
Never guessed that this was a modern remake of Shakespeare...
March 7, 2008
Some fascinating information on what of the great overlooked films of the past 50 years.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews