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There's no denying that Orson Welles faced considerable challenges throughout his career. A versatile actor, writer, and director, he experienced a brief yet dazzling period of success during the 1930s and early 1940s. However, following that, his journey became a constant battle to maintain his bold, uncompromising approach to filmmaking. This struggle often overshadows the many accomplishments Welles achieved in his career. In fact, Welles probably had more artistic victories than any other American creator of the 20th century, and not solely within the world of cinema. Here are ten of those remarkable feats.
10. Citizen Kane
Though it’s become somewhat of a cliché, no list of Welles’ triumphs would be complete without his magnum opus. While the debate over whether Citizen Kane is the greatest film ever made will always be subjective, it is undeniable that it holds the title of the most influential film ever created. After a lengthy hiatus following the advent of sound, it marked Welles’ return to the cinematic forefront and left an indelible mark on directors from François Truffaut to Steven Spielberg, all of whom sought to craft films that communicated a personal, authorial vision.
Even today, watching Citizen Kane prompts you to appreciate, beyond the legacy and hype, just how exceptional it truly is. The film masterfully integrates all the cinematic techniques developed over the half-century since film’s inception, pushing the boundaries of storytelling through writing, directing, cinematography, and editing. By exploiting cinema’s unique ability to manipulate time, it unfolds a nonlinear narrative, hurtling toward its iconic twist ending with relentless momentum.
One aspect that often gets overlooked when discussing the film is Welles' extraordinary performance in the lead role. Transforming from a youthful, charming figure to a frail, aging man, Welles’ portrayal of Kane stands as one of the most complex characters ever captured on film – simultaneously pitiful and reprehensible. For a 25-year-old actor, who was also writing and directing at the same time, it was nothing short of a tour de force performance.
9. War of the Worlds
This adaptation is just as legendary as it is for good reason. Although Welles’ 1938 radio version of H.G. Wells' iconic tale of alien invasion didn’t quite incite the nationwide panic that some newspapers claimed, it remains a pioneering and remarkably original use of dramatic radio to stir up audience emotions and fears.
Much like in Citizen Kane, Welles fully tapped into the potential of his medium. By using the familiar framework of radio news reports, he effectively drew the audience in, only to leave them terrified, even employing the eerie technique of ‘dead air’ to convey the destruction of New York City to a terrified audience, who likely sat glued to their radios, listening intently.
Welles later joked that while others who attempted the same stunt found themselves behind bars, he was off to Hollywood. His playful humor hinted that he had gained more than a bit of satisfaction from it. However, the truth remains that War of the Worlds not only propelled Welles to Hollywood, but it also earned him the most generous filmmaking contract in history. Listening to the broadcast today, that seemingly inexplicable deal starts to make perfect sense.
8. Around the World in 80 Days
This lesser-known project from Welles, despite being a financial failure and costing him dearly for years, was an ambitious attempt to adapt Jules Verne’s timeless tale into a grand stage musical. Featuring songs by the legendary Cole Porter, the production received praise from many of his peers as a bold and quintessentially Wellesian artistic feat.
Though it was never filmed, contemporary accounts describe it as being quintessentially Wellesian, jumping through time and space with fluidity, with locations and characters appearing and vanishing as seamlessly as they would in a film. The legendary German playwright Bertolt Brecht famously declared it to be the greatest theatrical production he had ever witnessed.
7. Harry Lime in The Third Man
A heavily promoted triumph that truly lived up to its reputation. Struggling financially after the failure of Around the World in 80 Days, Welles took on the small role of a Viennese black marketeer in Carol Reed’s The Third Man primarily for financial reasons. However, he turned this seemingly minor part into one of the most iconic performances in film history.
Though he’s on screen for barely ten minutes, Welles' portrayal of Harry Lime stands as a testament to his remarkable charisma. His entrance is iconic: illuminated by a sudden beam of light in a Viennese doorway, Welles responds with a mischievous smile that conveys the essence of his character in an instant, without uttering a word. Also unforgettable is Lime’s 'cuckoo-clock' monologue, written by Welles himself, where his character lays out his morally indifferent worldview so persuasively that you almost find yourself believing it.
In later years, Welles humorously downplayed the significance of his performance, joking that any character who’s spoken about for an hour is bound to be celebrated once they finally appear, no matter the actor’s skill. However, anyone who watches the film cannot deny how Welles’ subtlety and manipulative genius bring Lime to life as an indelible character.
6. Donovan’s Brain
In an era where realism dominates, it's easy to overlook more theatrical acting styles, but Welles' unapologetic flair for melodrama is undeniable. In this radio play, produced for the popular series *Suspense*, Welles delivers a performance that is as gloriously extravagant as it is unforgettable.
Welles plays a ruthless scientist whose mind is overtaken by a disembodied brain he’s kept alive in a jar, and he devours the scenery in the process. His performance is manic and unpredictable, with his voice and mannerisms shifting dramatically from line to line and even from word to word, creating an electrifying experience for the listener.
It becomes even more remarkable when you consider that this was likely just another job in between what Welles considered his more significant projects. At one point, he clearly forgets his lines, fumbles for a moment to get back on track, and then proceeds with unwavering confidence. While Welles certainly delivered more nuanced and realistic performances, none were quite as entertaining as this one.
5. Othello
This is the first of several Shakespeare adaptations on this list, and it has sparked divided opinions from both critics and audiences. Some hail it as the greatest Shakespeare film ever made, while others deem it a chaotic mess teetering on the edge of incoherence.
However, the film remains a triumph simply for its existence. In 1949, Welles had the support to create a grand, costumed epic based on Shakespeare’s *Othello*, but just as he arrived in Venice to shoot, his financiers withdrew. Undaunted, he funded the project himself, working between other commitments over two years, capturing footage in Venice and Morocco whenever he could, and somehow managing to keep the cast and crew together.
When it was completed in 1952, *Othello* was often disjointed and uneven as a result of its troubled production. Nonetheless, it achieved notable success, winning the prestigious Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival and earning a place in history as one of Welles’ most daring Shakespeare adaptations. It was also one of the first true independent films of the sound era, further demonstrating Welles’ ability to be ahead of his time, not just in technique, but in his entirely unconventional and uncompromising approach to filmmaking.
4. The “Black” Macbeth
Welles himself regarded this as the greatest triumph of his career, and it came early. At just 20 years old, he was given the responsibility by the New Deal’s WPA to direct a production of Shakespeare’s *Macbeth*, featuring an African-American cast.
The WPA’s goal was simply to provide work for Black actors who were out of employment due to the Great Depression, but Welles had grander ambitions. As with many of his later adaptations, he brought an aggressive, modernist perspective to the classic play, relocating *Macbeth* to Haiti and transforming the witches into Voodoo priestesses.
Many legends surround the production, often focusing on Welles’ domineering and at times harsh directing style, as well as his extraordinary ability to draw out exceptional performances from a cast that included many non-professional actors.
Political controversy shadowed the production from start to finish. Welles’ anti-racist stance was well-known, and right-wing media denounced the play as subversive. Meanwhile, the left sought to use the issue for their own agenda, criticizing Welles for presenting a supposedly offensive 'minstrel show.' The tension became so intense that Welles was physically attacked after one rehearsal.
When the play premiered, it received universal acclaim, earning admiration from both Black and White audiences and propelling Welles to the forefront of New York theater. For the first time, the previously unknown Welles was hailed as a “boy genius.”
A few minutes of film footage from the production still exist, offering a glimpse into the visual flair and boundless energy Welles infused into the play, staying true to his desire to present Shakespeare with its “original speed and violence.”
3. AFI Lifetime Achievement Speech
In 1975, perhaps to make amends for past slights or due to lobbying from friends like Charlton Heston, Welles was honored with a lifetime achievement award from the American Film Institute. Seizing the opportunity to draw attention and financial backing for his unfinished film *The Other Side of the Wind*, a still energetic Welles approached the event with his characteristic showmanship, screening clips of *Wind* and subtly reminding the audience of their previous failures to support such projects. However, when the time came for his speech, it evolved into much more.
Most of these speeches are sentimental tributes to careers whose best days are behind them, but Welles used his moment to reaffirm his defiant, iconoclastic approach to both life and art. With eloquence, humor, seriousness, and a self-deprecating tone (“As a director, for instance, I pay myself out of my acting jobs. I use my own work to subsidize my work. In other words, I’m crazy”), he ultimately made the case for the artistic independence he had fought for, despite the personal and professional costs.
He said, “This honor, I can only accept in the name of all the mavericks. A maverick may chart his own course, but he doesn’t think it’s the only one, nor does he ever claim it’s the best – except maybe for himself… It’s a fact that many of the films you’ve seen tonight could never have been made otherwise; or if they had, perhaps they would have been better, but they certainly wouldn’t have been mine. The truth is, I don’t believe this wonderful evening would have brightened my life if it weren’t for one thing: my own particular contrariety.”
Welles lived for nearly another decade, continuing his stubborn, unconventional style. When he passed, the acclaim and admiration that often eluded him in life finally came his way, alongside the same ambivalent disappointment he had encountered throughout his career. But oddly, it was this speech that became the most famous and cherished encapsulation of his unique legacy. After it was all said and done, Welles had, in his trademark mischievous way, written his own epitaph.
2. Chimes at Midnight
This was Welles’ final full-length feature, and while it’s tempting to see it as the closing chapter to *Citizen Kane*, Welles didn’t share that view. While he often downplayed *Kane* in public, he was open about his love for *Chimes at Midnight*, which he referred to as his personal favorite.
Though Welles was 50 when he made it, *Chimes at Midnight* had been a dream project for him since his teenage years. A blend of five of Shakespeare’s history plays, with the boisterous, tragic knight Sir John Falstaff at its heart, Welles had long been trying to bring some version of this idea to life, even back in his school days.
All previous attempts had failed until this one. Filmed on a modest budget in Spain, Welles crafted a humorous, visually stunning, and profoundly emotional tribute to Falstaff – his favorite character in all of literature. Simply put, it’s a remarkable film, demonstrating intensity and creativity deserving of a far younger filmmaker.
Notably, it features one of the most influential scenes in the history of cinema. Filmed partially with handheld cameras and, unusually for the time, using slow motion, Welles transforms a medieval battle into a brutal, mud-splattered vision of modern warfare. The intensity is so gripping that you can hardly breathe while watching it, and it famously left a lasting impact on legendary directors such as Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola.
Equally captivating is Welles’ portrayal of Falstaff himself. His performance brings together his comedic, melodramatic, and tragic talents, and when Falstaff’s surrogate son, Prince Hal, finally turns his back on the aging knight with the words, “I know thee not, old man. Fall to thy prayers,” Welles’ silent tears capture one of the most powerful dramatic moments in all of cinema.
1. Julius Caesar
If anything, Welles’ next Shakespearean production had an even greater influence. Collaborating with his own Mercury Theater company, Welles took a play that was three centuries old and transformed it into a devastatingly relevant political commentary.
By setting Julius Caesar in the contemporary world, Welles reimagined the play as a powerful allegory for fascism, dressing his characters in military uniforms and using minimal scenery, mostly limited to spotlights from below, which mirrored the lighting techniques used in Nazi propaganda. At the same time, he approached Shakespeare with a bold irreverence, cutting and reworking the Bard’s famous dialogue in an attempt to free the play from its long history of being stifled by tradition.
The production sparked both admiration and criticism, but it became a cultural sensation and laid the foundation for all modern-dress Shakespeare productions in American theater. Although no film version of the play exists, and Welles' radio attempt was plagued by technical issues, the surviving photographs reveal the striking visual impact of the production.
