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Shakespeare & Beyond

Chimes at Midnight: Orson Welles is Falstaff

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Orson Welles as Falstaff in Chimes at Midnight
Orson Welles as Falstaff in Chimes at Midnight

Michael Anderegg

is professor emeritus of English at the University of North Dakota. His books include "Orson Welles, Shakespeare, and Popular Culture" (1999), "Cinematic Shakespeare" (2004), and "Lincoln and Shakespeare" (2015). He wrote an essay for the Criterion Blue-Ray release of "Chimes at Midnight" and was interviewed for the Olive Films Blue-Ray of "Macbeth." — View all posts by Michael Anderegg

Comments

What a wonderful, nuanced appreciation of Welles’ almost-limitless imagination and technical skills. We’re so fortunate to have had him take on the plays that he did and compress them into a marvelous amalgam called “Chimes at Midnight.” His directorial and acting and costume choices were indeed, brilliant, and among the most memorable of filmed Shakespeare plays. Thank you, professor. Hope your book on filmed Shakespeare is still available. We’re off to Ashland this month, and looking forward to enjoying the Rep Company’s performances.

RObb — September 14, 2019

I’ve wanted to see this film for a while; your wonderful assessment convinced me that I must. If my memory serves, I think Falstaff appeared in 4 plays, a very minor role in 2 Henry VI?

Richard Martin — May 9, 2021