American pretty boy and opportunist Guy Van Stratten witnesses a suspicious death in a Naples harbor, Before dying, the victim whispers a name. That name is Arkadin, the mysterious billionaire. Van Stratten tries to get to Arkadin through his daughter and is cornered by the billionaire who presents him with a confidential report revealing all of Van Stratten's shady past. Arkadin gives him a mission. Van Stratten must travel through Europe and create a similar report on the supposedly amnesiac billionaire. As his investigation probes deeper, however, witnesses begin to disappear...
This is the longest plot summary I have ever written for a comment, and it barely covers the complexity of Welles's picture. If it seems contrived, that's because, quite simply, it is. But in all honesty, never does it really aspire to realism. Welles chooses instead to create a chaotic and unsettling world that functions as a huge labyrinth above which hovers the elusive and charismatic Mr Arkadin (Orson Welles in his most impressive and flamboyant performance), pulling everybody's strings (a theme underlined by the fact that Welles dubbed many characters' voices). Welles spins a dizzying tale and populates it with oddball characters that even seem extreme despite the noirish style (the flee market scene comes to mind). In fact, some vignettes are reminiscent of David Lynch. Put to awesome contribution is some awesome camera-work, dancing around Arkadin, floating through locations, distorting this surreal world even further.
There are several versions of Mr. Arkadin in existence. None of them are Welles's pure director's cut. Each version, however, bears the mark of genius. Each viewer will find one version he or she can regard as a compelling masterpiece. I recommend any cinephile or Welles enthusiast pick up Criterion's commendable "Complete Mr. Arkadin" (which includes the cinema release, the Corinth version (often preferred) and a new comprehensive restoration (my personal favorite)).
Mr. Arkadin, hugely entertaining and a marvel in its own right, further cements the following solid fact: Orson Welles was one of the greatest film auteurs of all time.
This is the longest plot summary I have ever written for a comment, and it barely covers the complexity of Welles's picture. If it seems contrived, that's because, quite simply, it is. But in all honesty, never does it really aspire to realism. Welles chooses instead to create a chaotic and unsettling world that functions as a huge labyrinth above which hovers the elusive and charismatic Mr Arkadin (Orson Welles in his most impressive and flamboyant performance), pulling everybody's strings (a theme underlined by the fact that Welles dubbed many characters' voices). Welles spins a dizzying tale and populates it with oddball characters that even seem extreme despite the noirish style (the flee market scene comes to mind). In fact, some vignettes are reminiscent of David Lynch. Put to awesome contribution is some awesome camera-work, dancing around Arkadin, floating through locations, distorting this surreal world even further.
There are several versions of Mr. Arkadin in existence. None of them are Welles's pure director's cut. Each version, however, bears the mark of genius. Each viewer will find one version he or she can regard as a compelling masterpiece. I recommend any cinephile or Welles enthusiast pick up Criterion's commendable "Complete Mr. Arkadin" (which includes the cinema release, the Corinth version (often preferred) and a new comprehensive restoration (my personal favorite)).
Mr. Arkadin, hugely entertaining and a marvel in its own right, further cements the following solid fact: Orson Welles was one of the greatest film auteurs of all time.