It belongs in a museum!
Adirector’s cutis not a new concept.
For decades, cinephiles have yearned for a miracle.
Orson Welles.
The print has long been assumed lost.
If they find the print, the aim is to premiere a restored version of it alongside the doc.
“It’s too important not to try.”
You’re looking for what?
This is the movie.
This is the one.
We should make a movie out of finding this print."
[I applied] for grant after grant, and [kept] being turned down.
GARY GREENBLATT:My wife is Brazilian.
But the big change is that in the ’90s, the internet was not what it is today.
There was no Kickstarter for me to just go and raise a budget.
I had elements of the story in place but lacked the funding.
It’s a dream that I’ve had for 25 years.
SCHROEDER:The documentary landscape has also changed tremendously.
How did you end up forming this partnership with TCM?
GREENBLATT:We reached out to them, and they were instantly excited.
And to do it in a way that galvanizes social media is exciting.
If you had to give yourself odds, what would they be?
GROSSBERG:There is a chance.
And yet, an Argentine museum had the original version, which was discovered in 2008.
You have to remember that Brazil is a film culture.
They’re passionate about movies; they were passionate about Orson Welles at the time that he visited.
GREENBLATT:They love Orson Welles; they love cinema.
But no one knows his story, which is really surprising.
So that’s another reason why it could possibly be there because no one knew to look.
There’s never been any serious search for this print in Brazil.
We’re going to be the first.
One thing that’s worth mentioning is this huge mythology that’s been built up around the prints.
GROSSBERG:I’m confident that option three is not going to happen.
Being so close and not being able to see it would be really tough.
There are so many lost films from that era.
Why do you think this one holds the most sway in people’s imaginations?
GROSSBERG:Welles' career has always been filled with controversy.
A lot of people have this idea of him as being an artist that had difficulties finishing his films.
He was actually a very sensitive soul.
SCHROEDER:Welles is the Icarus myth to so many people.
He started out this boy genius and flew too close to the sun and lost everything.
It was all taken away from him before he even got the chance to really show his vision.
GREENBLATT:Hollywood is art versus commerce.
If any story synthesizes that, it’s this story.
TCM and HBO Max have the same parent company in WarnerMedia.
GROSSBERG:I definitely think it’s been a net positive for us.
The importance of directorial vision certainly holds a lot more sway and respect than it did 80 years ago.
If anything, it just stokes interest in wanting to see the director’s original vision.
GREENBLATT:Release the Welles cut!
GROSSBERG:You found us out.
For us to be able to have some fun with it will be entertaining for the audience.
It’s not just educating them about this great director; it’s taking them on this adventure.
Lastly, if you do find it, what do you think it will mean for Welles' legacy?
I think that will give film scholars years of scholarship for them to work on.
If the hunt can lead to that, that would be a dream come true.
GROSSBERG:Because scholars will tell you that those that had seen the film considered it superior toKane.
GREENBLATT:There will definitely be a bunch of bar fights at least.
