With a slick, stylish filmography Mr. Arkadin seems very
reminiscent other film noir movies like the Maltese falcon.
Beginning with instantly engrossing and mysterious images of flying planes and naked women, the manner of narrative does a great job in making the plot more engrossing. The way the movie is edited and works is a large part of the mystery element in the movie. Strangely despite the importance of the editing for the movie, the initially scene where we are introduced to Guy Van Stratten the faces and voice don't sync very well.
Speaking of Guy he doesn't always come off as likable. I wonder if this is intentional, but given that this is made by Orson Wells and has a film noir feel about it, I doubt it. Either way it does make the movie a little more interesting; a bunch of suave confident characters who're just pretending to be so? That seems like a little more depth the you'd expect to find, given that most similar movies just have characters as basic archetypes.
Either way Guy does seem believable as a character and the fact that his facade of confidence breaks at times only reinforces that view. Cunning, intelligent and perhaps a little self serving he does seem like the man for the job Mr. Arkadin wants done. His decision to run off after mysterious words uttered by a dying man is a little questionable the arguments between Guy and Mr. Arkadin [and also his daughter] do reek of self interest. Perhaps that is also intentional.
However Guys 'girlfriend' of sorts Milly is the most intriguing character in my mind. I don't imagine that strippers were looked on nicely, so having her as a prominent character seems daring. Posing nude for the opening scene must have also been pretty bold. She doesn't seem very weak, arguing fiercely for her right to the promised wealth. She is also more easily likable than Guy himself with an easy going attitude that seems quite pleasant.
Mr Arkadins' daughter doesn't seem to be more than a pretty face. However she isn't necessary weak, she just doesn't do anything that screams strong or independent. She does have her own subtly way of dealing with men which can't be underestimate. After all the entire story is, in part, possible because of her.
Mr Arkadins old gang who aren't all doing so well, do seem like an interesting bunch. Yet I don't think anyone really matches up to Sophie. She seems to have become the exact opposite of Mr. Akadin. She forgives everyone from her past and is content to let everyone else live as they please. Her description of why she chooses not to ask Akadin for her money just seems so believable. She seems like a genuinely strong female character, who can match Arkadin. The rest of Akadins' gang doesn’t really seem to demand focus as she does.
Mr Akadin himself is a very strange character. You can only take a man with a rectangular head so seriously, but he commands an air of authority, fear and mystery throughout the movie. You see and expect the sort of malevolent behavior he regularly displaces after just one glimpse of him. His little speech about being ashamed of one's past [while not remembering it and still having a conscious] feels very convincing. You sympathize with him even though he soon begins killing off people.
You might be able to guess him true motivations behind his desire to find out about the people who know his past even before he begins to display it, but his little speech could very easily convince you otherwise. His determination to make sure his daughter does not learn of the actual nature of his past and his constant surveillance of her does convey an odd sort of affection. The intensity with which he peruses schemes to keep her ignorant conveys how important she is to him, which is not often verbally expressed.
You could see this man become the millionaire that he is, and through his characterization and actions you see how Guys' own skills and abilities. The whole movie seems to be about discovering who this man Mr. Arkadin really is and it, throughout its entity, attests to the incredible nature of this character.
Beginning with instantly engrossing and mysterious images of flying planes and naked women, the manner of narrative does a great job in making the plot more engrossing. The way the movie is edited and works is a large part of the mystery element in the movie. Strangely despite the importance of the editing for the movie, the initially scene where we are introduced to Guy Van Stratten the faces and voice don't sync very well.
Speaking of Guy he doesn't always come off as likable. I wonder if this is intentional, but given that this is made by Orson Wells and has a film noir feel about it, I doubt it. Either way it does make the movie a little more interesting; a bunch of suave confident characters who're just pretending to be so? That seems like a little more depth the you'd expect to find, given that most similar movies just have characters as basic archetypes.
Either way Guy does seem believable as a character and the fact that his facade of confidence breaks at times only reinforces that view. Cunning, intelligent and perhaps a little self serving he does seem like the man for the job Mr. Arkadin wants done. His decision to run off after mysterious words uttered by a dying man is a little questionable the arguments between Guy and Mr. Arkadin [and also his daughter] do reek of self interest. Perhaps that is also intentional.
However Guys 'girlfriend' of sorts Milly is the most intriguing character in my mind. I don't imagine that strippers were looked on nicely, so having her as a prominent character seems daring. Posing nude for the opening scene must have also been pretty bold. She doesn't seem very weak, arguing fiercely for her right to the promised wealth. She is also more easily likable than Guy himself with an easy going attitude that seems quite pleasant.
Mr Arkadins' daughter doesn't seem to be more than a pretty face. However she isn't necessary weak, she just doesn't do anything that screams strong or independent. She does have her own subtly way of dealing with men which can't be underestimate. After all the entire story is, in part, possible because of her.
Mr Arkadins old gang who aren't all doing so well, do seem like an interesting bunch. Yet I don't think anyone really matches up to Sophie. She seems to have become the exact opposite of Mr. Akadin. She forgives everyone from her past and is content to let everyone else live as they please. Her description of why she chooses not to ask Akadin for her money just seems so believable. She seems like a genuinely strong female character, who can match Arkadin. The rest of Akadins' gang doesn’t really seem to demand focus as she does.
Mr Akadin himself is a very strange character. You can only take a man with a rectangular head so seriously, but he commands an air of authority, fear and mystery throughout the movie. You see and expect the sort of malevolent behavior he regularly displaces after just one glimpse of him. His little speech about being ashamed of one's past [while not remembering it and still having a conscious] feels very convincing. You sympathize with him even though he soon begins killing off people.
You might be able to guess him true motivations behind his desire to find out about the people who know his past even before he begins to display it, but his little speech could very easily convince you otherwise. His determination to make sure his daughter does not learn of the actual nature of his past and his constant surveillance of her does convey an odd sort of affection. The intensity with which he peruses schemes to keep her ignorant conveys how important she is to him, which is not often verbally expressed.
You could see this man become the millionaire that he is, and through his characterization and actions you see how Guys' own skills and abilities. The whole movie seems to be about discovering who this man Mr. Arkadin really is and it, throughout its entity, attests to the incredible nature of this character.
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