A bumpy and abrupt trailer to Welles It's All True

"A Linguagem de Orson Welles" ("Welles' Language") is a diminutive essay on Orson Welles adventures in Brazil, back in 1942, a goodwill mission offered by Nelson Rockfeller as a way to support the war efforts as part of the Good Neighbor Policy and establish a good partnership between Brazil and U.S., coming on a very good time since Vargas government was flirting with Nazism (besides those efforts, the final drop would be the sinking of ships in the Brazilian coast by German submarines).

Welles project fell apart due to many communication problems at the same time he was commanding "The Magnificent Ambersons", which was heavily cut by the studio, RKO, who edited the film behind his back while he was making the documentary, later released incomplete, the known "It's All True". Most of the clips of this short film appears in "The Story of Samba" segment. 

By the time this was shown (1990) very few things were seen by the public, and that's why there's a certain sense of curiosity in seeing what Orson filmed in Rio. Now, it's completely irrelevant, expendable and uninteresting since the documentary, although not completed, is out there (released in 1993). In the end, the images of Orson delighted with the carnival, some small dialogs and meetings with Vargas, Rockefeller and other famous celebrities, works as a long trailer for the upcoming attraction. It begins, it goes and it ends and...that's it. It doesn't cause anything and not even inform us much about anything because it's just too few, no coherence in its presentation except for the good narration by Grande Otelo which opens the film. What we get is a man who seemed to love Brazilian's culture, wanted to do more in here, make his film but he couldn't. The best he got is present in other film, not in this one. 5/10

Portuguese-language cinema, spanning Portugal, Brazil, and other Lusophone regions, focuses on history, cultural identity, and the struggles of ordinary people, often framed with poetic or allegorical storytelling. In Portugal, cinema has emphasized meditative pacing and philosophical depth, reflecting on memory and tradition. In Brazil, it has often been politically charged and socially vibrant, highlighting inequality and resilience while experimenting with popular and avant-garde forms.

Alexandre Rodrigues in City of God (2002)

The documentary is a form of non-fiction storytelling that aims to present factual information, insights, and perspectives on real-world subjects, events, issues, or people. Documentaries can cover a wide range of topics, including history, science, culture, social issues, nature, biographies, and more.

Dziga Vertov in Man with a Movie Camera (1929)

The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)

Orson Welles acted in Brazilian culture and music by deeply researching Brazil's historical geology, consciously completing a legendary cultural mission. Although being turned down by Hollywood producers, he developed a triumphantly accomplished mission in the language domain - three friends of Welles' testified his love for cinema, his passion for Brazilian music and people and his obstinate endurance against formidable pressures coming from inside and outside Hollywood regarding his unfinished "It's All True".

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A Linguagem de Orson Welles

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