Mr. Arkadin

How many of this film exist is disputed. Jonathan Rosenbaum counted seven separate Arkadins in 1992; some counts now run to nine. The reason is simple: Welles never finished it. He withdrew in 1955 to work on Noah and Don Quixote, on condition that he would keep final cut on Arkadin. Mid-year he fell out badly with producer Louis Dolivet and was never allowed near the film again. The version released in Europe carries the title Confidential Report. Peter Bogdanovich found a different cut in 1961, which circulated through Corinth Films. In 2006 Criterion assembled a best-guess edit following Welles's notes and using as much footage as possible, releasing it as the Comprehensive Version alongside the other two. The story: a wealthy man who claims to have no memory of his own past hires an American to investigate it. Welles plays Arkadin, with Akim Tamiroff in an unforgettable supporting turn. Who it is for: viewers interested in Welles's unfinished work and in how many forms one film can take. Who it is not for: anyone looking for a single correct copy. Which version you watch changes both the story and the quality.