Long-Lost Orson Welles Film Recovered

Okay, Beavis & Butt-head, It's called "Too Much Johnson".

Long-lost early Orson Welles film 'Too Much Johnson' recovered
http://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...elles-film-discovered-20130807,0,501350.story

A longer write-up here:

New York Times: Early Film by Orson Welles Is Rediscovered
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/11/m...lles-is-rediscovered.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

 

Very interesting story! Can't wait to see it.

 

Let the jokes about the title commence!

 

I didn't know he ventured into porn territory

 

Welles refers to the play Too Much Johnson on radio during the introduction to the 1938 Mercury Theater broadcast of Sherlock Holmes. Both Too Much Johnson and the play Sherlock Holmes were written by William Gillette, who played Holmes on the stage. Before Basil Rathbone defined the role for the GI Generation, Gillette was considered the best actor to play Holmes, notably by Conan Doyle himself. Gillette was possibly a real influence on Welles, as he was known as more than an actor, but a producer, director, author triple-threat type. He invented a new realistic theater set style. He also is believed to have coined the phrase "Elementary My Dear Watson", which never actually appears in a Holmes story plus the pipe style that Holmes uses.

Can't wait to see the film. Arlene Francis was quite a beauty. Nothing like someone's first film.

 

At first I thought it might be a joke, too based on the first line of the quoted piece above:

"Orson Welles' long-lost film "Too Much Johnson," which the seminal filmmaker directed two years before coming to Hollywood to make his landmark 1941 drama "Citizen Kane," has been recovered."

 

You left out long and wood.

 

With that voice, cockiness and his sex life, I have no doubt Welles had too much Johnson.

 

In the original Conan Doyle stories and novels, Holmes exclaims to Dr. Watson on several occasions, "elementary" and "my dear Watson", but never sequentially in a sentence.

 

Gotta admit it has a ring to it sewn together like that. Figures it was an actor who figured it out. Apparently the curved pipe was because it was easier to speak his lines clearly with it in his mouth. Clearly the Paget drawings depict a straight one.

 

Gillete and Gillete's Sherlock Holmes play were both personally approved by Conan Doyle, and they proved an enormously successfully combination. Gillete was so identified by the role and so popular in the role that he was still playing Holmes in his '70s. Although Holmes had been portrayed on stage by other actors (in England), Gillete, until Basil Ratherbone, became the living personification of the character in the minds of the public. Gillete was an American, to boot.

And I agree with above observation that Gillete may have a role model for Welles.

Re. the pipe - I've read the excuse that the curved pipe allowed him to recite his lines more clearly, but I've always thought that the curved pipe covered up less of his face - so a little bit of ego on the actor's part may be the true explanation

 

Not so much for this movie, but its great to see that rare films DO turn up when you least expect them to. Theres one that I REALLY would like to see and thats "Daytona Beach Weekend". Its from 1965, and was shot in 16mm Black and White . Its the only film in which Del Shannon appeared. It was shown at many drive ins in the Viginia beach area, but the film has since dissapeared Not even hard core collectors have a copy. I'd bet Del Shannon had a copy tho.

 

Just so ya know, Turner Classic Movies is scheduled to show this Saturday at 2 a.m. EST. Not sure if it has aired before.

 

Next Saturday , 2 May 1:45 am

 

This is the first thing i thought of!

 

Whew!

 

Out on BD next week in the UK:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00W41HAZ6

 

Thanks for the heads-up! One can never have enough Orson Welles films on BD...

 

You're right. I saw Saturday and missed the date. Thanks.

 

You're welcome.

There are lots of Welles releases coming out in the UK over the next few months. All on BD, except, where noted, DVD-only:

Too Much Johnson (Mr Bongo)
The Stranger (Mr Bongo)
The Immortal Story (Mr Bongo, DVD only)
Falstaff: Chimes at Midnight (Mr Bongo)
Orson Welles: Magician (BFI)
Around the World with Orson Welles (BFI)

I have a comprehensive Welles collection on DVD, including many of his actor-for-hire roles, but, so far, only three of his directorial efforts on BD. This is a good time to upgrade.

 

Unwatchable ! , was done as a joke i hope