The Immortal Story (TV 1968)
"Histoire immortelle" (original title)

The Portuguese colony of Macao in the 19th century. Mr. Clay is a very rich merchant and the subject of town gossip. He has spent many years in China and is now quite old. He likes his ... See full summary »

Director:

Orson Welles

Writers:

Karen Blixen (novel), Orson Welles,

Stars:

Jeanne Moreau, Orson Welles, Roger Coggio

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jeanne Moreau	...	Virginie Ducrot
Orson Welles	...	Mr. Charles Clay
Roger Coggio	...	Elishama Levinsky
Norman Eshley	...	Paul, the sailor

Storyline

The Portuguese colony of Macao in the 19th century. Mr. Clay is a very rich merchant and the subject of town gossip. He has spent many years in China and is now quite old. He likes his clerk Levinsky to read the company's accounts to him at night for relaxation. Tonight Mr. Clay recounts a true story he heard years before about a rich man who paid a poor sailor 5 guineas to father a child with his beautiful young wife. Levinsky says that's a popular old sailor's legend and not true. Mr. Clay has no heir for his fortune and no wife either. He resolves to make the story true... Levinsky approaches Virginie, another clerk's mistress, and strikes a bargain for 300 guineas. Now to find the sailor...

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Plot Keywords:

sailor | legend | power | death | mortality | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

18 September 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Immortal Story

Filming Locations:

Chinchón, Madrid, Spain

Company Credits

Production Co:

Albina Productions S.a.r.l., Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française (ORTF)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

58 min 62 min (TCM print) 47 min (alternate)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Welles originally planned for The Immortal Story to be made as part of an anthology of adaptations of stories by Dinesen. Originally made for French TV, later released in theatres. This movie is available in The Criterion Collection.

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Quotes

Elishama Levinsky: It is very hard on people who want things so badly that they can't do without them. If they can't get these things, it is very hard. And when they do get them, surely it is very hard.

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Connections

Referenced in One Hundred and One Nights (1995)

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Soundtracks

"Gnossienne No.1"
Written by Erik Satie
Performed by Jean-Jacques Barbier (piano) and Aldo Ciccolini (piano)

User Reviews

Orson does Bergman Well

hey this is pretty good. i was sort of afraid that i wouldnt like it. i was surprised. not because Orson Welles directed, and co-starred. he's my favorite director, and actor. it's just that, well, since it was made for French television i had my doubts. but it was a good movie and i enjoyed it and the shots were very cool and it had a sort of hypnotic power in its lazy simplicity. Orson Welles was truly the greatest director of all time. he was the first director to make the camera move like a ghost, and act like a ghost. the camera acts as a character in itself, but of course, it isnt there. some directors "over direct" by imitating Welle's style; one can over direct the same way one overacts. this movie reminded me of a Bergman piece. it moved slowly, thoughtfully, coolly. it's a cool movie to mellow out to.