Mr. Arkadin

"Discovering the past can be murder..."

1955 1h 47m EN

👍

6.8

SOLID

🍅

72%

FRESH

⭐

7.1

IMDB

★6.8TMDB · 201🍅72%Rotten Tomatoes★7.1IMDB · 10,218

MysteryThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Claiming that he doesn't know his own past, a rich man enlists an ex-con with an odd bit of detective work. Gregory Arkadin says he can't remember anything before the late 1920s, and convict Guy Van Stratten is happy to take the job of exploring his new acquaintance's life story. Guy's research turns up stunning details about his employer's past, and as his work seems linked to untimely deaths, the mystery surrounding Mr. Arkadin deepens.

“Discovering the past can be murder...”

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Cast

Orson Welles
Gregory Arkadin
Akim Tamiroff
Jakob Zouk
Grégoire Aslan
Bracco
Patricia Medina
Mily
Jack Watling
Marquis of Rutleigh
Mischa Auer
The Professor
Peter van Eyck
Thaddeus
Michael Redgrave
Burgomil Trebitsch

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Orson Welles
Writers: Orson Welles, Orson Welles
Languages: English, French, German, Polish
Countries: France, Spain, Switzerland

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

71 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 4 languages: English, French, German, Polish.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 3 countries: France, Spain, Switzerland.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Orson Welles, shot by Jean Bourgoin. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Paul Misraki. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Renzo Lucidi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Orson Welles and Akim Tamiroff and Grégoire Aslan carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Discovering the past can be murder...".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Orson Welles directs. Jean Bourgoin behind the camera. Paul Misraki scores. Renzo Lucidi cuts. Produced in France, Spain, Switzerland. Dialogue in English, French, German, Polish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

171 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Dialogue crosses 4 languages: English, French, German, Polish.
3International production across 3 countries: France, Spain, Switzerland.
4Directed by Orson Welles, shot by Jean Bourgoin. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Paul Misraki. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Renzo Lucidi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Orson Welles and Akim Tamiroff and Grégoire Aslan carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "Discovering the past can be murder...".
9IMDB entry: tt0048393 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.