Confidential Report

Original title: Mr. Arkadin

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An elusive billionaire hires an American smuggler to investigate his past, leading to a dizzying descent into a cold-war European landscape.An elusive billionaire hires an American smuggler to investigate his past, leading to a dizzying descent into a cold-war European landscape.An elusive billionaire hires an American smuggler to investigate his past, leading to a dizzying descent into a cold-war European landscape.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.1/10

9.4K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination

Photos104

+ 98

Top cast36

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Orson Welles

Gregory Arkadin

Peter van Eyck

Thaddeus

Michael Redgrave

Burgomil Trebitsch

Patricia Medina

Mily

Akim Tamiroff

Jakob Zouk

Mischa Auer

The Professor

Paola Mori

Raina Arkadin

Katina Paxinou

Sophie

Grégoire Aslan

Bracco

Suzanne Flon

Baroness Nagel

Robert Arden

Guy Van Stratten

Jack Watling

Marquis of Rutleigh

Frédéric O'Brady

Oscar
(as O'Brady)

Tamara Shayne

Woman in Apartment
(as Tamara Shane)

Terence Longdon

Secretary
(as Terence Langdon)

Annabel Buffet

Parisian Woman with Bread
(as Annabel)

Gert Fröbe

First Munich Policeman
(as Gert Frobe)

Eduard Linkers

Second Munich Policeman
(as Eduard Linker)

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Until recently, the version in possession of Corinth Films was generally regarded closest to Orson Welles' cut. In April of 2006, the Criterion Collection released a comprehensive three-DVD set of this movie, featuring three versions: the "Corinth" version, "Confidential Report" (the European cut), and the newly edited "Comprehensive" version. Each version contains a few shots or lines that are missing from the other two. Because this movie was taken out of Welles' control in post-production, it will never be known exactly what he had in mind for the complex flashback structure of which he spoke later in his life. "The Comprehensive Version", which airs on Turner Classic Movies, runs one hour 47 minutes.

Goofs
Orson Welles' prosthetic nose disappears when Arkadin meets with Jakob Zouk.

Quotes
Gregory Arkadin: And now I'm going to tell you about a scorpion. This scorpion wanted to cross a river, so he asked the frog to carry him. No, said the frog, no thank you. If I let you on my back you may sting me and the sting of the scorpion is death. Now, where, asked the scorpion, is the logic in that? For scorpions always try to be logical. If I sting you, you will die. I will drown. So, the frog was convinced and allowed the scorpion on his back. But, just in the middle of the river, he felt a terrible pain and realized that, after all, the scorpion had stung him. Logic! Cried the dying frog as he started under, bearing the scorpion down with him. There is no logic in this! I know, said the scorpion, but I can't help it - it's my character. Let's drink to character.

Connections
Edited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: Fatale beauté (1994)

Soundtracks
Saeta
Performed by Antoñita Moreno.

User reviews76

Review

Featured review

5/10

Grit your teeth - it gets better!

This is an insane movie. It's almost as if someone had taken Citizen Kane and the Mask of Demitrios shoved them in a blender then tried to make a coherent film out of the bits while under the influence of heavy medication.

And somehow it works - but only just.

If you haven't watched this film yet and are contemplating doing so I will warn you that Robert Arden's 100% subtlety free performance is incredibly bad and his character (Guy Van Stratten) has to carry the first part of the movie almost alone. Please just grit your teeth and put up with him (and the dodgy lip sync) for a bit, because what comes later is weird, deeply flawed, but bizarrely watchable semi-masterpiece. Dreamlike and occasionally very funny.

I would love to have seen Welles' version.

The music is perfect.