10 Greatest Swan Songs In Film History

2. Orson Welles in Filming Othello

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvqeQt8aLnU Orson Welles' final moment behind the camera is a little different than the other entries on this list because his career is the only one here to end with a documentary. Filming Othello is more than worthy of its spot here because it not only presents a very interesting and well told story but also a glimpse into the mind of one of cinema's most prolific figures. Welles is a memory in modern cinema who is as seen as a towering figure because of the larger than life characters he displayed on the screen. This is what always drove him back to acting and adapting Shakespeare and also what makes Filming Othello so enveloping. It is made obvious that Welles feels a kinship to these type of characters who were so grand and powerful because he feels that he is one and, in the years since his passing, he has become one. It is impossible to watch Citizen Kane without feeling more for Welles than the character of Kane himself because we believe that Welles is Kane and Filming Othello offers the audience the chance to interact with Welles the character as well as Welles the man. Orson Welles was notoriously private and rarely let too much information about his style and approach to filmmaking get out. This is, perhaps, why Filming Othello is such a great way for him to end his career. It offers an unbiased and candid side to his very nature and the audience's perception of him that was barely ever seen elsewhere and left the world with an intimate glimpse into his life and directing.