The Immortal Story (Criterion Collection)

"Orson Welles's first color film and final completed fictional feature, The Immortal Story is a moving and wistful adaptation of a tale by Isak Dinesen (Babette's Feast). Welles stars as a wealthy merchant in nineteenth-century Macao, who becomes obsessed with bringing to life an oft-related anecdote about a rich man who gives a poor sailor a small sum of money to impregnate his wife. Also starring an ethereal Jeanne Moreau (Jules and Jim), this jewel-like film, dreamily shot by Willy Kurant (Masculin féminin) and suffused with the music of Erik Satie, is a brooding, evocative distillation of Welles's artistic interests-a story about the nature of storytelling and the fine line between illusion and reality. Directed by Orson Welles. In French with English subtitles. Includes alternate French-language version, Interviews with the production team, 2005 audio commentary from Adrian Martin and Portrait: Orson Welles (1968), a documentary about the director and star on 2 DVDs or 1 Blu-ray Disc. 1968/color/58 min/NR/widescreen.