LM
...being played by the director, which to see him kind of...
OW
As a director? As he is a kind of director, yes. It's very tempting to show the very total uselessness of director's job.
LM
Do you actually think the director is overrated?
OW
Oh, yes. There are exception by exceptional directors of which there are very few up to now. But the actual job of a director in 99% of all movies is minimal. It's the only easy job. It really is.
(The Third Man's playing)
v.o.
In 1949 Welles had acted in a film for the British director, Carol Reed. He created one of the most memorable ant-hero of all time, the racketeer Harry Lime, the third man. He dominates the picture although he's actually on screen for less than 10 minutes. He doesn't even turn-up until the 4th reel. But when he does, it is one of the most magical appearances in cinema.
(The Third Man's playing)
OW
Yes. You were saying about it being rare for director to be very fond of actress and acting. I'd say about Carol Reed that nobody ever loved acting more than he did. He's passionately interested in his actors and process of acting without the remotest feeling that he was imagining himself in that position, or imposing himself. He was the real actor and director. His joy is in your work, not in seeing something of his come to life. He was exceptional in that case.
(The Third Man's playing)
LM
And did he invite your collaboration?
OW
Yes. He invited everybody collaboration, just like I do. That's why I like working, his style was so much like mine, and he wanted any suggestions that he could get. For me, I could tell you scenes in pictures of mine that was suggested by members of the crew. Anybody can make suggestions. It doesn't mean they get to have it in the pictures, but if it is good it goes. And he welcomed it. There was an earlier time when I was being interviewed in another language, I gave the impression that I somehow co-directed my scenes, and that's not true. I never meant to say that or give that impression. I was, however, to logic stand the author of the dialogue of Harry Lime, including the cuckoo clock and all that kind of stuff.
(The Third Man's playing)
OW
But that is what I do when I acted in other people's picture. I never argue about the direction. But I usually come up with re-written scene, that's the headache they have to put up with. If they don't like it, I'd go back at night and write for the next day scene hoping they will take it. But I never tell a director, how to do that, except they asked me.
LM
Do director's often tell you how to do things when you're acting?
OW
Sure. I had a director in England, he was wonderful. About half-way through every take he'd say, "Cut." I said, "How'd you like me to do it?" "Just..just, do it again." Then I'd do it again and he'd be, "Cut" and went through the pictures like that. I never knew what was giving him this pain. Directors get up to such a thing. Some directors are great actors of being directed. Rene Clement, for example, he's absolutely superb. When he tells you how to sit in chair, and so on, just wonderful to watch. Houston is the most fascinating of all actor-director because his performance of director is awe inspiring and unnerving. At once tremendously charming and attractive, and terrifying, you know. I made a lot of pictures with him, I made five pictures, and directed him in another. One of the last picture, he was had a pent-house above the stage. While I was practicing he'd go down and then slowly they'd get silence on the set. We'd realize that John has comeback, and there'd be voice that said, "Alright, roll them! Action!" Then, cut. He'd go way into the darkness again. But everybody was speechless, you know. He can get up to the damnest thing you could imagine, because he was a virtuoso...
(end of part14)
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