Review of Chimes at Midnight (1965) by David B — 07 Apr 2011
Utterly magnificent. Orson Welles adaptation of both parts of Shakespeare's Henry IV, which combines scenes from Richard II, Henry V and The Merry Wives of Windsor, is a real achievement. There are some wonderful performances, not least from Welles himself as the titular tragi-comic protagonist.
It's not as showily directed as some of Welles' more famous efforts, but its simplicity is a virtue, and the staging of the battle of Shrewsbury is particularly exhilerating. Unseen by many for years as a result of various legal wranglings and rights issues, its recent release on DVD is very welcome, though a restored version at some stage in the future might be more welcome.
This review of Chimes at Midnight (1965) was written by David B on 07 Apr 2011.
Chimes at Midnight has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
