Humanism Ireland • No 159 • July-August 2016

Film Chimes at Midnight Brian McClinton

OR many decades, Citizen self-refutation; for example, what is Kane was regarded as Orson honour? I would suggest, though, FWelles’s masterpiece, and many that Falstaff is more a parody of critics placed it at the top of their Socrates and indeed a parody of list of the ten greatest movies. In Shakespeare. He is not the shaker of recent years, however, it has slipped the spear of wisdom but carries a down many lists, and arguably it is false staff, despite his wit, vitality not even Welles’s best film. That and imaginativeness. He is the accolade surely goes to Chimes at epitome of the morally reprehensible Midnight, originally released in but loveable rogue. 1966 but not widely distributed and for many years seen only on a rather Chimes at Midnight, like Welles’s blurry Spanish DVD. Now, however, Macbeth, is a Shakespearean film on its 50th anniversary, a restored noir, shot in black and white, which print has been issued by Mr Bongo, blends comedy with violence, a Brighton based company betrayal and loss. The title refers to specialising in world cinema and Falstaff’s reminiscence of the heady music. Merry Wives of Windsor, and bits days of his youth. Welles includes it from Holinshed’s Chronicles read by at the beginning, as he and his friend The film was originally panned by Ralph Richardson. The tragicomedy Justice Shallow trudge through the several reviewers. In March 1967, focuses on Falstaff and his snow in a scene that looks straight Bosley Crowther, the film critic for friendship with Prince ‘Hal’ (Keith out of a Bruegel painting. “Jesus, the the New York Times, described it as Baxter), later Henry V. Welles plays days that we have seen”, intones ‘a confusing patchwork of scenes Falstaff – a liar, braggard and Alan Webb as Shallow in a and characters’. It was, he wrote, ‘a coward whose main indulgences are high-pitched voice. “We have heard big, squashy, tatterdemalion show’. eating, drinking and fornication. the chimes at midnight, Master He thought that it had no business Shallow”, says Falstaff ruefully. ‘intruding so brashly in the serious At a deeper level, Henry IV Shakespearean affairs of the represents reason, order, discipline Despite its technical imperfections, Lancasters, the Percies and the and honour, while Falstaff the film is a triumph of acting, Mortimers’. But this is to miss the symbolises the free spirit, anarchy, atmosphere and contrast. The Boar’s whole point of the contrast which imagination, joy and pleasure. Head is presented as a funhouse of Shakespeare makes between the Prince Hal is initially attracted to constant activity, whereas Henry’s antithetical characters of Henry IV the latter but eventually realises throne room is like a dark dungeon. (John Gielgud) and Falstaff and that, as leader of the country, he Real power is a lonely, serious what each represents. Henry is the must abandon his youthful business. The Battle of Shrewsbury king of rule and Falstaff is the king hedonism and put the interests of in which the King’s army defeats the of misrule. One stands for law and the whole people before his own. In rebel forces led by Harry ‘Hotspur’ order throughout the land, the other the end he must betray Falstaff and is quite magnificent. Amid all the is a subversive leader of the what he represents: “I know thee mud, confusion and brutal horror common people. One is a petty not, old man, fall to thy prayers”, he show, the heavily armoured Falstaff thief, while the other stole the tells him when he turns up after the is seen lumbering from tree to tree, crown. coronation expecting that Hal will hiding from the fight. The stark ‘make him great’. contrast of farce and medieval Welles himself regarded Chimes at butchery lives in the memory as one Midnight as his favourite. “If I Harold Bloom has called Falstaff the of cinema’s greatest scenes. wanted to get into heaven on the Socrates of Eastcheap, and several basis of one movie, that’s the one I critics have noted the similarities Chimes at Midnight has a great cast would offer up. I think it’s because it between the ancient Greek to carry it off. Welles, Baxter and is, to me, the least flawed… I philosopher and ‘plump Jack’. Hal Gielgud are supported by Margaret succeeded more completely, in my calls him ‘that villainous abominable Rutherford as Mistress Quickly, view, with that than with anything misleader of youth’, which is exactly Jeanne Moreau as Doll Tearsheet, else”, he said. the same charge levelled against Michael Aldridge as Pistol and Socrates. Both drink a lot and both Norman Rodway as Hotspur. Buy Chimes at Midnight is largely based die with their going cold and numb the DVD and enjoy the cinematic on two Shakespeare plays, Henry IV from the feet upwards. Crucially, genius of Welles serving the literary, Parts 1 and 2, but also includes lines Falstaff adopts the Socratic method philosophical and psychological from Richard II, Henry V, The of elenchos, or question, answer and genius of Shakespeare. ! 21