The 4 essential films of Orson Welles

Today, May 6, 2021, the director, producer, screenwriter and actor, Orson Welles, would turn 106 years old. Considered one of the most versatile and influential authors in the history of cinema, George Orson Welles revolutionized radio at the age of 23, took a seat at the cinema with his first major film and left a work on Don Quixote de la Mancha unfinished. Of his filmography, the American author was a notable theater writer, although it was in his role as a film director that he achieved all his fame. We review four of his best films to get to know a little better the world of Orson Welles. Citizen Kane (1941) International critics continue to rank ‘Citizen Kane’ among the highest rated films in the history of cinema. It is a round-the-clock work that traces the life of a journalism mogul through various eras of his life, from beginning as a simple journalist to building a media empire. Narratively flawless, ‘Citizen Kane’ inaugurated A glorious time in Hollywood history, the 1940s The Stranger – 1946 With this gripping thriller, Orson Welles definitely emerged as one of the most prominent authors of his generation. Like ‘Citizen Kane’, Welles’ film demonstrates immense storytelling skills in both its script and technical contributions, as well as the huge cast led by Edward G. Robinson and Loretta Young, along with the magnificent photography of Russell Metty, turn ‘The Stranger’ into one of Orson Welles’ staples. The Lady from Shanghai – 1947 A year after surprising with ‘The Stranger’, the American director returned to get in front of and behind the cameras to shoot one of his most exciting movies.In 90 minutes, the director puts together a perfectly told story with unexpected twists and a disturbing plot that made it one of the director’s successes. With Ryta Hayworth and Welles himself as protagonists, ‘The Lady from Shanghai’ is one of the works more accessible to the director, and which, to this day, still makes itself known very well. Thirst of evil – 1958 For many, after ‘Citizen Kane’, the other great film by Orson Welles in his entire career. It was also his latest collaboration with a major Hollywood studio, Universal, which Welles had little regard for. Just seeing the opening sequence shot of the film with Charlton Heston and Janet Leigh as a couple is worth getting close to. ‘Thirst for evil’ intrigue.