The actor many consider to be one of the greatest ever was called a “hateful, hateful man” by Orson Welles
Some names in the film industry evoke a wince of hesitation. When stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame can be bought at the right price, the very fabric of what constitutes a valued member of that society feels forever tarnished. However, Orson Welles‘ iconic status is utterly undeniable.
Quite simply, Welles is considered one of the most influential artists of all time for his work in the mediums of film, radio and theatre. Cynical and critical in all the right places, Welles was able to scythe through the pomposity of media to provide sincere thoughts on a medium he felt deserved utter honesty. When it comes to the narrative arts, it’s hard to look beyond Welles as a serious contender for one of the all-time greats.
After significantly contributing to the theatres in the 1930s, Welles delivered a widely acclaimed radio adaptation of HG Wells’ The War of the Worlds. It was so powerful, in fact, that it has been reported that many people who did not know of the programme’s fictitious nature were fooled into thinking a real attack had begun. His most influential work, though, is arguably his first film Citizen Kane, which is often uttered in breaths of “the greatest movie ever made”.
Despite all the acclaim that came his way, though, Welles himself had less than kind things to say about his fellow actors and directors. Refusing to bend or conform to stardom, Welles was notable in his derision for anything he felt drifted below the highest of artistic watermarks. According to The Guardian, several long-lost tapes were eventually uncovered from Welles’ friend’s garage and revealed the director talking down on a number of high-profile figures in the film industry.
The tapes were not made by a journalist, after all, but instead saw Welles talking openly and freely to a close friend. In that light, it’s easier to understand why the cinema icon felt comfortable talking trash about so many of his peers, including Charlie Chaplin, James Stewart and Humphrey Bogart.
Some of Welles’ worst words were reserved for Spencer Tracy, whom many considered to be one of the greatest actors of his generation. A notoriously hard faced performer, Tracey’s stony visage was matched by his booming voice. Able to exude the very notion of presence as soon as he stepped on screen, Tracy, was able to make complexity and humanity feel as simple as robotics.
Many have noted Tracy’s difficulties offset. He seemingly struggled to be anything but impossible to ignore. According to Welles’, though, Tracy was actually just a “hateful” man whose appearances of any artistic worth were few and far between.
“I’m having a hard time trying to think of a great Tracy performance,” Welles said. “He was gigantic in Judgment at Nuremberg, although it is not a great picture. I couldn’t stand those romantic Katharine Hepburn things. He was just a hateful, hateful man.”
It wasn’t just actors that bore the brunt of Welles’ wrath, though, as he also called out his fellow director Alfred Hitchcock whilst managing to give James Stewart a dig along the way. “I’ve never understood the cult of Hitchcock,” the director said. “Particularly the late American movies … Egotism and laziness. And they’re all lit like television shows.”
He continued, “I saw one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen the other night [Rear Window]. Complete insensitivity to what a story about voyeurism could be. I’ll tell you what is astonishing. To discover that Jimmy Stewart can be a bad actor. Even Grace Kelly is better than Jimmy, who’s overacting.” Ouch. So actors and directors who managed to escape the wrath of Welles, even in private, might consider themselves lucky.
