Few film makers were blessed with good fortune like Orson Welles, whose feature debut Citizen Kane is hailed as masterpiece and was for the long time winning prestigious critics’ polls as the best film ever made. But this also proved to be a curse for Welles whose career never reached the same heights and many of his the intriguing projects weren’t produced at all. Some of Welles’ undproduced scripts, on the other hand, later ended in hands of other film makers resulting in successful films like Dead Calm. One of the Welles’ last scripts, published posthumously in 1987, was adapted in 1999 for Showtime cable network as The Big Brass Ring by George Hickenlooper.
The plot is set in Missouri shortly before the gubernatorial elections. The race is very tight and it brought huge media attention because both candidates – Blake Pellarin (played by William Hurt) and Homer Dix (played by Gregg Henry) – are independents. Additional reason is huge wealth of Pellarin’s wife Dinah (played by Miranda Richardson) which financed her husband’s campaign and it is believed that it would ultimately help him to reach White House. Even international media is interested so ETC network sends its reporter Cela Brandini (played by Irène Jacob) to cover the race. Just few days before Missourians go to the polls, she would realise that the race is more interesting than anyone have imagined. Kim Mennaker (played by Nigel Hawthorne), former senator who used to be Pellarin’s mentor, arrives in St. Louis after long self-imposed exile from Cuba after his career got wrecked due to unorthodox views and homosexual lifestyle. He begins to blackmail Pellarin with dark secrets from his past, which include pornographic films, homosexuality and brother who has disappeared during Vietnam War.
Director George Hickenlooper was best known for his documentaries, most notably Heart of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse, dedicated to production of Apocalypse Now. He adapted Welles’ script, originally developed as satire on Reagan era politics, together with F. X. Feeney, critic and film scholar specialised in lost or unfinished films. Their work at first glance doesn’t look too original, because motive of dirty laundry and skeletons from the closet that appear during election campaign and the overly melodramatic finale look too much like so many political dramas that could see at streaming channels these days. Hickenlooper, who is related to one of Missouri’s most respected and politically connected families, on the other hand, was familiar with the subject. He directed the film with great skill and mostly succeeded to guiding the audience through many outrageous subplots and unusual characters. Hickenlooper also uses every opportunity to remind audience that they are seeing film based on the work by Orson Welles. That includes many references to Citizen Kane which is even directly mentioned in the film. Hickenlooper is, on the other hand, somewhat less convincing in depicting election rivals as independent candidates, at least from today’s perspective when it is less likely that such persons would have a chance in increasingly polarised and tribalistic America.
Flaws of the script are compensated by great cast. William Hurt, one of the most dependable actors of his generations, is good as candidate who looks great on the outside while being tormented by past traumas within. Great British characters Nigel Hawthorne, on the other hand, has great time playing flamboyant gay character, modelled very much on the famous writer and Washington insider Gore Vidal. Miranda Richardson is good in portraying estranged alcoholic wife, role very much like the one she played in Kansas City three years earlier. Irène Jacob, on the other hand, isn’t the most fortunate choice for the role of reporter. Ewan Stewart is much more interesting in small role of Pellarin’s bodyguard.
The Big Brass Ring didn’t cause much enthusiasm among critics during its premiere. That might be attributed to the dislike of the plot about promising Southern politician being hit with sex scandal, which struck too close to comfort for America after exhausting Monica Lewinsky affair. But from today’s perspective, The Big Brass Ring looks like a proof that even the unfinished works of grand cinema masters can be, with some talent and luck, brought to life in satisfying manner.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
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