Berthomé, Jean-Pierre & Francois Thomas. Orson Welles at Work.

Michael Rogers -- Library Journal, 4/14/2008 7:53:00 AM

Berthomé, Jean-Pierre & Francois Thomas. Orson Welles at Work. Phaidon. Apr. 2008. 320p. illus. filmog. ISBN 978-0-7148-4583-8. $79.95. FILM

Orson Welles was the original multitasker, bringing a whirlwind of creative energy and ideas to every project, often laying the groundwork for the next several potential projects before actually finishing the task at hand. He was also lightning fast at thinking on his feet, so when problems arose in his productions, as they seemingly always did, he could instantly change directions and carry on. The authors, French university film study professors, theorize that as a filmmaker there was no single method to Welles’s work pattern, and that each project was treated as a fresh, unique experience to which he adapted his approach accordingly. While his early radio and theater work receive some discussion, the focus here is on his films, including shorts and TV work, which are dissected individually. The text is accompanied by numerous wonderful stills, screengrabs, set illustrations, script-page facsimiles with Welles’s alterations, and behind-the-scenes documentary pix, and the book is capped with a brief biography and a filmography divided by completed/uncompleted films, completed tv programs, trailers, film fragments, and literary readings to make for a very thorough record. Though geysers of ink have been spilled over Welles, he continues to fascinate, making this book a solid purchase for film collections.

—Michael Rogers, Library Journal