Orson Welles' Don Quixote

Orson Welles’ Don Quixote is an ambitious, enigmatic and posthumously released project from one of American cinema's greatest auteurs. Released in 1992, over thirty years after initial filming began, this film offers a unique, fragmented vision of Miguel de Cervantes' classic novel ‘Don Quixote'. The movie was left unfinished by Orson Welles following his passing in 1985, leading producer and longtime associate, Jesús Franco, to complete the final editing.

The film follows the eponymous character Don Quixote (Francisco Reiguera) and his loyal squire Sancho Panza (Akim Tamiroff). Quixote, a middle-aged man from the La Mancha region of Spain, becomes delusional after reading too many romantic chivalry novels. In his madness, he rechristens himself as the knight-errant Don Quixote — clad in rusty armor — and sets out on a quixotic quest to revive chivalry and bring justice to the world, while remaining utterly oblivious to the realities and practicalities of life. Sancho Panza, a humble peasant charmed by Quixote's madness, accompanies him in his adventures, providing a grounded contrast to the protagonist's dreams of grandeur.

What sets Orson Welles' Don Quixote apart from other adaptations of Cervantes' masterwork is the distinctively modern spin that the auteur-centric filmmaker brings to the narrative, in true Welles' fashion. The filmmaker places the characters in 20th-century settings, alongside scenes set in their familiar 17th-century milieu. This radical departure from the novel's setting was Welles' attempt to showcase how Quixote's delusions and antiquated ideology collide with the modern world, displaying the clash between the Old World and the New.

Francisco Reiguera as Don Quixote brings a heartrending reality to the culmination of his delusions while preserving the comedic aspects of the character's mad cap antics. His distinctive performance presents the knight as both a figure of absurd humor and deep pathos. Akim Tamiroff as Sancho Panza, on the other hand, offers a brilliantly conceived performance as the practical squire, caught between loyalty for his master and the lurking wisdom of his peasant common sense. His puzzled responses to Quixote's illusions bring a comic element, promoting an ideal foil to Quixote's wild idealism.

Although Orson Welles has modernized the story, he did not alter the essence of Cervantes' original novel. He keeps the novel’s philosophical and comedic undertones intact. This adaptation highlights, in a particularly poignant manner, the enduring relevance of its central theme, the timeless human tendency to escape into fantasies when confronted with a reality that's at odds with our ideals. The interplay between illusion and reality creates a profound resonance that extends far beyond the film's narrative.

The film’s production history is as multi-layered and mythical as the tale it depicts. Initiating production in the late 1950s, Welles shot various excerpts of the film in Spain, Italy, and France over a span of several years. However, he was unable to find the funds to complete the project. In turn, the film remained one of Welles' several unfinished projects, which, among others, included the famously incomplete 'The Other Side of the Wind.' Following Welles' passing, the film was painstakingly restored and completed by Jesús Franco, using Welles' extensive notes and scripts.

Orson Welles' Don Quixote, while marked by an unavoidably disjointed narrative due to its tumultuous production, holds a particular charm for cinephiles as a kaleidoscope of Quixotic dreams, aspiring to capture the universal human quest for idealism. It serves both as Welles' homage to Cervantes' classic and a commentary on modern society, delivered through the lens of one of the cinema's most innovative directors.

Pepe Mediavilla brings a unique voice track to the movie which sends the viewers on a fascinatingly mirthful and at times melancholic experience. Despite the fragmented and hasty assembly, the film is a testament to Welles' imaginative and enduring genius. It stands as one of the most unusual interpretations of Cervantes' timeless work and exemplifies the restlessness of genius at work, making it a must-watch for any true lover of film and art.

In summary, Orson Welles' Don Quixote is a monument to the resilient spirit of cinema, bridging an old world charm with contemporary interpretation, forging a distinct identity of its own in the process. This irrecoverable gem of the silver screen continues to cast a spell of inspiration, intrigue, and artistic perseverance.