INDEX:
I. Introduction
II. Why They’re Unseen
III. The Unseen Welles List
INTRODUCTION
The great Orson Welles directed 12 memorable feature films like Citizen Kane, The Magnificent Ambersons and Touch Of Evil. Welles also starred or appeared in many other features such as The Third Man, Black Magic and Jane Eyre. Even more fascinating was the fact that Welles also conceived, wrote, planned or partially shot over 100 other projects that are barely known, if at all, to most Welles scholars and fans. The list below reveals all of those films and stage plays that Welles intended to write, direct, produce or star in, but sadly, never had the chance to complete. Most of these projects never got past the planning stage, or the scripts that Welles wrote ended up being abandoned and stored away, never to be seen again. Alot of these scripts and partially shot films are currently being kept in storage by Welles’ last companion, Oja Kodar.
WHY THEY’RE UNSEEN
1. Welles wrote the script and was about to go into production,
but the financial backers abadoned the project at the last minute.
2. Welles wrote the script for a certain actor or actress, but was unable to secure the deal and the actor’s would leave the project.
3. Welles wrote a script that he believed was marketable, but as the years passed, no one showed any interest and it was soon forgotten.
4. Welles partially shot the film, but not enough footage exists to make a feature film from it.
5. Welles shot and edited the film, but it was owned by a foreign company who wouldn’t relinquish the rights to Welles for a theatrical release.
6. Welles partially shot and edited the film, but the footage was stolen or lost, making completion all but impossible.
7. Welles shot many films to be incorporated into his stage plays, but they were never used or released.
8. Welles shot bits and pieces of many self-financed film projects over the years (in his backyard, ect..), but they ended up being “test footage” or unreleasable, unedited ideas.
THE UNSEEN WELLES LIST
THE HEARTS OF AGE (1936)
(Until recently, Welles’ first short film was rarely seen for over 50 years)
TOO MUCH JOHNSON (1938)
(Footage was shot to incorporate into the stage play but was never used; Supposedly destroyed in a fire in Spain 1970)
THE GREEN GODDESS (1939)
(Footage was shot as a prologue to the stage play; Now completely lost)
HEART OF DARKNESS (1939)
(Screenplay written, sets designed, test footage shot;
Never reached production)
THE PICKWICK PAPERS (1940)
(Developed for W.C. Fields and John Barrymore)
CORTEZ (1940)
(Concept about the explorer)
THE BORGIAS AND THEIR TIME (1940)
(Developed)
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (1940)
(Concept)
THE INVASION FROM MARS (1940)
(Concept for a War Of The Worlds spin-off)
SANTA (1940)
(Screenplay written for Dolores Del Rio)
THE SMILER WITH A KNIFE (1940)
(Screenplay written; Never reached production)
MEXICAN MELODRAMA (1940)
(Screenplay written; Never reached production)
THE OX-BOW INCIDENT (1941)
(The only Western Welles considered making)
THE LIFE OF CHRIST (1941)
(Screenplay written; Welles called it “The greatest drama ever written”)
THE WAY TO SANTIAGO (1941)
(Screenplay written; Never reached production)
IT’S ALL TRUE (1941) which included:
a) The Story Of Jazz (Color tests shot; Never reached production)
b) Love Story (Screenplay to be revised; Never reached production)
c) Bonito The Bull (Filming almost completed; Not fully edited)
d) Carnaval (Footage shot, roughly edited; Unfinished)
e) The Story Of Samba ( Footage shot, roughly edited; Unfinished)
JANGADEIROS aka FOUR MEN AND A RAFT (1940’s)
(Treatment written, footage shot, roughly edited; Remains unfinished)
BOLIVAR (1940’s)
(Screenplay written for a short film)
ARISTAS IN UNIFORM (1940’s) (short)
(Developed)
THE OUTER GATE (1940’s) (short)
(Developed)
UNTITLED “CHARLIE’S AMERICAN BAR” (1940’s)
(Screenplay written)
THE LITTLE PRINCE (1943)
(Screenplay written, animation to be used; Never reached production)
WAR AND PEACE (1943)
(Screenplay written)
DON’T CATCH ME (1944)
(Rights acquired; Never sold)
THE LANDRU STORY (1944)
(Idea by Welles; Later used by Charlie Champlin)
SALOME (1946)
(Screenplay written; Never reached production)
THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE (1946)
(Developed; Unable to acquire the rights)
CYRANO DE BEGERAC (1946)
(Screenplay by Ben Hecht; Abadoned before production)
CARMEN (1946)
(Developed; To star Paulette Goddard)
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF CELLINI (1940’s)
(Developed)
EVIDENCE (1947)
(Developed; Based on an Isaac Asimov story)
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (1947)
(Footage was shot to incoporate into the stage play)
HENRY V (1947)
(Screenplay written)
ENRICO CARUSO (1949)
(Developed)
PORTRAIT OF AN ASSASIN (1949)
(Developed; Filmed by another director)
JULIUS CAESER (1949)
(Concept for a modern dress version)
THE ODYSSEY AND THE ILIAD (1949)
(Developed with Welles in the title role)
ULYSSES (1949)
(Screenplay written)
THE UNTHINKING LOBSTER (1950)
(Concept for a film version of Welles’ stage play; Unrealized)
THE MIRACLE OF ST. ANNE (1950)
(Introduction footage shot for The Unthinking Lobster stage play)
IMPORTANCE AND HENRY (1950) (Vignette)
(Footage was shot but scraped)
CAESAR (1953)
(Screenplay written; Modern dress version to star Richard Burton)
MASQUERADE (1953)
(Screenplay later became Mr. Arkadin)
V.I.P aka UNE GROSS LEGUME (1953)
(Treatment written)
OPERATION CINDARELLA (1953)
(Screenplay Welles calls “The greatetst screenplay I ever wrote”)
PARIS BY NIGHT (1953)
(Sketches and stories to be filmed)
TWO BY TWO (1953)
(Screenplay written; About the bible)
AROUND THE WORLD WITH ORSON WELLES (1955)
(A series of 13 half hour programs for BBC TV; Never completed)
MOBY DICK REHEARSED (1955)
(75 minutes shot for TV; Filming stopped)
DON QUIXOTE (1955-65)
(Film almost complete; Needs U.S. distribution)
THE ORSON WELLES SKETCHBOOK (1956)
(A rarely seen series of 6 programs for BBC TV)
LONELY LIFE (1957)
(Screenplay written; About sexual obsession)
THE SACRED BEAST (1950’s)
(Concept for a Bullfight film)
CAMILLE, THE NAKED LADY AND THE MUSKATEERS (1956)
(An unsold 30 minute European TV pilot)
PORTRAIT OF GINA LOLLABRIGIDA (1958)
(An unsold European TV Documentary)
ORSON WELLES AT LARGE (1958)
(On reel of 16mm film shot for ABC TV)
THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH (1958)
(An unsold 30 minute CBS TV pilot)
THE METHOD (1961)
(Directed a documentary on the Actor’s Studio for BBC TV)
THE TEMPO SHOW (1961)
(Wrote and directed an episode on Bullfighting for ABC TV)
TARAS BULBA (1961)
(Screenplay written)
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT (1963)
(Considered adapting)
KING OF PARIS (1963)
(Considered adapting)
CATCH-22 (1963)
(Considered adapting)
JULIUS CAESAR (1963)
(Concept; Modern dress version for Italian TV)
KING LEAR (1963)
(Concept)
TREASURE ISLAND (1963)
(Concept)
FULLY DRESSED AND IN HIS RIGHT MIND (1960’s)
(Developed; Never reached production)
LORD JIM (1964)
(Screenplay written)
IN THE LAND OF DON QUIXOTE (1964)
(10 episode series produced for European TV; Only 5 episodes aired)
THE BIBLE (1966)
(Wrote the Abraham episode; wasn’t used)
THE DEEP (1967-69)
(Shot, roughly edited, unfinished; Unreleased)
AROUND THE WORLD WITH ORSON WELLES (1968)
(A series of CBS TV specials; Never aired)
ITALIAN TV PRODUCTIONS (1969)
(Welles directed numerous productions for Italian television)
SOLDIER, SOLDIER (1969)
(Comedy screenplay written)
UNTITLED FEMALE PIRATE FILM (1969)
(Developed for Pearl Bailey and Jane Fonda)
NO FLOWERS FOR A DUCHESS (1969)
(Screenplay written)
CON MAN (1969)
(Screenplay written)
BECAUSE OF THE CATS (1969)
(Screenplay written)
THE MAGIC SHOW (1969-85)
(Footage shot over the years with fellow magician Ab Dixon)
MIDNIGHT PLUS ONE (1970)
(Developed for Jack Nicholson and Robert Mitchum)
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (1970)
(40 minutes of footage shot; Rest of the film stolen and unfinished)
ORSON’S BAG (1970)
(80 minutes, three short films, part of TV Special) which included:
a) The Tailor’s Shop (with Charles Gray)
b) Swinging London (Welles in many roles)
c) Spying In Vienna
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND (1970-72)
(Filming and editing complete; Distribution held up by Iranian
government who own the rights)
MOBY DICK (1971)
(30 minutes of 16mm footage shot)
SURINAM (1971)
(Written for Ryan O’Neal to star in)
ALEXANDRE DUMAS (1971)
(Developed)
CRAZY WEATHER (1972)
(Screenplay written)
SAINT JACK (1972)
(Developed; Later filmed by Peter Bogdanovich)
SUNSET BOULEVARD (1974)
(Concept for a remake)
UNTITLED FILM ON THE LIFE OF PATTY HEARST (1970’s)
(Concept)
THE OTHER MAN (1977)
(Screenplay written)
DEAD GIVEAWAY (1977)
(Screenplay written)
THE ASSASIN (1977)
(Screenplay about Sirhan Sirhan)
FILMING OTHELLO (1978)
(Documentary shot by Gary Graver; 90 minutes, not released commercially)
THE OLD CHEVALIER (1978)
(To be shot on Betacam; Never happened)
DE CAPO (1978)
(Screenplay written; Later became The Dreamers)
THE DREAMERS (1978-85)
(Footage shot in Welles’ backyard; Unfinished)
THE BIG BRASS RING (1981)
(With financing available, 6 top actors turn it down;
Never reached production)
THE CRADLE WILL ROCK (1984)
(Fiancial backing fell through at the last minute)
TIP ON A DEAD JOCKEY (1980’s)
(Welles co-wrote; Hoped to direct)
KING LEAR (1985)
(Financial backing fell through at the last minute)
MERCEDES (1985)
(Welles last screenplay)
