The Complete Mr. Arkadin - Criterion Collection
DVD Talk Collector Series

Orson Welles' "Mr. Arkadin" is, depending on whom you ask, an
unfinished masterpiece, an unholy mess, or both at once. It was made during
Welles' European exile of sorts in the 1950s, the same period that found him
scrounging to finish several low-budget, high-ambition features, including
"Othello" and the never completed "Don Quixote." Like the film that followed it,
"Touch of Evil," "Mr. Arkadin" displays Welles' love for pulp thrillers. It's
not nearly the work of genius "Evil" turned out to be - and for reasons tied to
its infamous production history, it's rather incomprehensible at times - but
there's a playful tone and curious spirit pouring out of every scene, proving
that Welles always made something well worth watching.
Ah, but we should
start with that infamous production history. It's a story that's been told and
retold by film geeks over the decades, so pardon me if you've heard it b...
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