Chimes at Midnight

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Mickey B @Mickerdoo Aug 16, 2026 A comedy is pretty ineffective when delivered in Shakespeare’s inaccessible old voice. Chuckled once at a physical bit. See more

Johnathon W @Hoppynsc Apr 29, 2026 Superb Shakespeare adaptation that breaks mixing a number of the bard's plays together to tell the story of Falstaff. Orson Welles gives one of his best performances as Falstaff, but the comic but tragic knight who sees his friendship with Prince Hale disappear as he becomes king. He has a fantastic cast around him, especially John Gielgud as King Henry IV, who feels frightened for his son and kingdom. Behind the camera, Welles expertly weaves together the multiple plates, from "Henry IV: Part I" to the "Merry Wives of Windsor" to tell a cohesive story. The result is one of the best Shakespeare movies ever made and one of Welles's best. See more

Ed . @RT01276001 Aug 29, 2025 Fal and Hal A pas de deux of a not-so-tried-and-true friendship of convenience. Orson Welles' Falstaff falls far short of a knight in shining armour. His bestie, the original Shallow Hal, uses Falstaff for amusement until he ends his louche lifestyle for more serious matters. Welles' film has grown in esteem over the years. Welles embodies Falstaff not only in the onscreen role but also in some ways in his real life. I viewed his performance with a combination of awe and sadness, as he not only just refused to play nice with studios and financial backers but also lied in order to get funds to start projects such as this one. Contrast this with John Cassevetes who stayed true to his vision yet acted in films great and not-so-great in order to fund and complete his dreams. See more

Isa B @RT32418990 Oct 5, 2024 Falstaff (Chimes at Midnight) is on a shortlist of greatest films ever made. It is the greatest Shakespearean adaptation in existence. The poor dubbing even somehow adds to the film's greatness. It's as if someone back in the 1400s had a cinema camera and filmed it. Certain elements of the film which might be considered technical flaws in another film are assets to Chimes at Midnight. Orson Welles was born to play Falstaff. I highly recommend! 100/100 🏆 See more

Alec B @Alec97 Dec 14, 2023 Welles is obviously a great Falstaff but not in the ways you'd expect. His bold performance consistently defies conventional takes on the character. See more

Irene M @igawel Sep 4, 2023 I watched it when really tired and fell asleep :( Essentially its a lot of Shakespearean dialogue outside of a play. Good to see Orson Welles. the battle scene was gruesome. See more

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Chimes at Midnight

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