Orson Welles was a prodigious talent who will go down as one of the greatest film makers who ever lived. But also one whose talent was wasted due to his exile from Hollywood. This documentary tries to cover Welles’ attempts to make what would be his final film, ‘The Other Side Of The Wind’ between 1970 and his death in 1985. The film would eventually be released in 2018. 

This documentary itself is fascinating and infuriating in equal measure. It absolutely captures the feeling of Welles being a force of nature, overflowing with ideas and obsessed with the idea of crafting the perfect film. Taking Welles comment that “it is all in the edit” this documentary uses overlaying voices and imagery from multiple sources to build its story and completely wrap you in this at times, insane story. Where it fails slightly is actually presenting the data in an in depth comprehensive manner. At times it’s difficult to ascertain who is speaking, or at what time they are speaking. It also sometimes rushes through information that is complex. If film maker Morgan Neville’s goal was to provide an entertaining film that will push you towards other sources of information on the subject it absolutely nails its goal. 

There are some absolutely great stories within this film though. My particular favourite was that a scene in Welles’ Othello where a punch is thrown had a reaction shot that was filmed two years later and a thousand miles away! But it also touches on how ‘The Magnificent Ambersons’ led to his exile, his friendship with Peter Bogdanovich, how John Huston made The Man Who Would Be King during filming, why Welles edited porn and how the Iranian revolution scuppered the films financing. 

A must watch for any cineaste. And now I must watch ‘The Other Side Of The Wind’.