Orson Welles, Shakespeare, and a Very Confusing Wardrobe

Is it worth your time?

If you're the type who likes theater history, or if you just want to see Orson Welles doing his absolute best with zero budget, then yes. Watch it. If you need crisp digital transfers and actors who don't look like they just woke up from a nap, steer clear. This is for the patient nerds who enjoy seeing how the sausage is made.

There's this moment about halfway through where I swear the lighting shifts so drastically I thought my screen had died. It didn't. It was just the film being, well, clunky.

Welles is in this thing, obviously. He brings that specific energy where he’s clearly the smartest person in the room but also maybe the most bored. It’s a fun tension to watch. He’s not doing the big, booming stuff you see in The Spoilers. He's quieter here. A bit more tired.

The vibe is... dusty.

Everything feels like it was filmed in a basement that smelled like wet wool. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s definitely not a polished studio production. The whole thing has this home-made, let's put on a show in the garage feeling that you just don't get anymore.

• The costumes look like they were pulled from a trunk that hasn't been opened since 1920.
• The pacing? Forget about it. It moves at the speed of a sleepy Sunday afternoon.
• Viola’s disguise is so transparent it’s actually hilarious.

Honestly, you can tell they were just trying to get the lines right half the time. It doesn't have the high-gloss sheen of A Lost Lady. It’s much more human. It’s flawed. It’s messy. I kind of loved it for that.

There’s a scene involving a letter that goes on for about three minutes too long. You can literally watch the actors trying to figure out where to put their hands. It’s awkward, but it’s real. It feels like watching a rehearsal where someone left the cameras running by accident. 🎥

I wouldn't call this a definitive version of the play. It’s not trying to be. It feels more like a sketch of an idea that Orson had one morning and decided to capture before it slipped away. It’s not meant to be analyzed to death. Just watch it, notice the weird shadows, and accept that Shakespeare probably wouldn't have known what to make of any of this.

Maybe skip it if you want to feel 'refined.' But if you want to see a legend just messing around with his friends, you'll probably get a kick out of it. 🎭