Me and Orson Welles (2008)

A teenager is cast in the Mercury Theatre production of "Julius Caesar" directed by a young Orson Welles in 1937.

Director:

Richard Linklater

Writers:

Holly Gent Palmo (screenplay), Robert Kaplow (novel),

Stars:

Garrick Hagon, Zac Efron, Claire Danes

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 7 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Garrick Hagon	...	Dr. Mewling
Zac Efron	...	Richard Samuels
Zoe Kazan	...	Gretta Adler
Megan Maczko	...	Evelyn Allen
Simon Lee Phillips	...	Walter Ash
Patrick Kennedy	...	Grover Burgess
Shane James Bordas	...	Conspirator
Alessandro Giuggioli	...	Conspirator
Harry Macqueen	...	Conspirator
Rhodri Orders	...	Conspirator
James Tupper	...	Joseph Cotten
Thomas Arnold	...	George Duthie
Aidan McArdle	...	Martin Gabel
Simon Nehan	...	Joe Holland
Claire Danes	...	Sonja Jones

Storyline

In November 1937, high school student and aspiring thespian Richard Samuels takes a day trip into New York City. There, he meets and begins a casual friendship with Gretta Adler, their friendship based on a shared love and goal of a profession in the creative arts. But also on this trip, Richard stumbles across the Mercury Theatre and meets Orson Welles, who, based on an impromptu audition, offers Richard an acting job as Lucius in his modern retelling of Julius Caesar, which includes such stalwart Mercury Theatre players as Joseph Cotten and George Coulouris. Despite others with official roles as producer John Houseman, this production belongs to Welles, the unofficial/official dictator. In other words, whatever Welles wants, the cast and crew better deliver. These requests include everything, even those of a sexual nature. Welles does not believe in conventions and will do whatever he wants, which includes not having a fixed opening date, although the unofficial opening date is in ...

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Plot Keywords:

theatre | mercury theatre | orson welles | student | high school | 

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Taglines:

All's fair in love and theater

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual references and smoking

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

UK USA Isle Of Man

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 December 2009 (UK)

Also Known As:

Ego ki o Orson Welles

Filming Locations:

Crystal Palace Park, Penge, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£166,389 (UK) (4 December 2009)

Gross:

$1,186,957 (USA) (19 February 2010)

Company Credits

Production Co:

CinemaNX, Isle of Man Film, Framestore

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min 107 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Lindsay Lohan was the top choice to play Muriel Brassler. She screen tested for the role and was close to signing a deal shortly before filming began. However, the producers found her to be impossible to insure due to her ongoing legal troubles at the time of production. They decided to replace her with Kelly Reilly.

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Goofs

Richard accompanies Orson to 485 Madison Ave (CBS) for a "recording session" for a radio show ("The First Nighter" program). At this time (1937) and until the late 40s network programs were broadcast live, never recorded. Most programs were produced live twice, once for the East Coast and three hours later from the West Cost.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Dr. Mewling: By the year of 1592, Shakespeare was already an actor, and a playwright. Records of how his stage career began have not survived. We do know that in 1594 he joined a theater troupe. Called... anyone remember? Not everyone at once now. The Lord Chamberlain's Men.

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Crazy Credits

Gilson Lavis is listed as "Drumer" instead of "Drummer".

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Connections

Referenced in Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Episode #2.11 (2011)

User Reviews

Just when you thought Linklater's body of work couldn't get any more erratic...

Me and Orson Welles is a wonderful story of a young boy (Efron)whose only acting experience is in high school musicals (ha! See what they did there) who manages to get a small part in Orson Welles' (Adam McKay) 1937 production of Julius Caesar. The film follows the volatile relationship between Orson and his company. He is a madman, a selfish, arrogant user and an absolute genius. He knows how the politics of show-business and he knows people, and how to play them. However, for all his antics, he is powerfully charismatic and it seems generally accepted that he is a genius.

Christian McKay's performance here as Orson Welles is wonderfully broad as he goes through every one of Orson Welles persona's with equal relish. He is snappy and arrogant but at the same time warm enough to earn some affection so when he lets a character down, you feel just as played yourself. The rest of the cast were great too. Zac Efron does his best here to leap from Disney heartthrob to leading man, and I personally thought he was solid and likable, with just enough of a sparkle in his eye and just enough skill to keep it there.

Overall this film has a charming story, which ends on such a high note I didn't know whether to smile or cry. It also boasts a very strong cast and most importantly a sweet disposition that stayed with me for a good half hour after the credits rolled.