The Hearts of Age

The Hearts of Age is a short experimental silent film released in 1934 with a running time of eight minutes. This movie emerged as one of the earliest directorial endeavors of the multifaceted genius, Orson Welles. His collaboration with William Vance and Virginia Nicolson in this project projected a surreal ambiance fused with an existential portrayal of life and death. Welles himself characterized, together with Nicolson and Vance, the troupe of this avant-garde film that blended a unique mix of narrative and aesthetic elements in its presentation.

The movie commences with a certain degree of morbid whimsy. Orson Welles decked as an old man, complete with a flowing beard and walking stick, presents a visually engaging character, complemented by the quintessential silent era makeup that seamlessly scarves him in the movie's overall premise. Orson; yet not the dominant actor manifests an instinctive embodiment of understanding towards the concept of mortality, acing his role throughout the movie.

In the same vein, Virginia Nicholson gave a spirited performance, appearing as a veiled woman who seems to be standing in stark contradiction with the cadence of time. She's shown dancing around a bell tower, adding a fairytale or dreamy semblance to the overall mood of the film. She portrays herself as the epitome of vivaciously freewheeling life, contrasting with Welles's portrayal of an aged man.

Complementing the trio, William Vance is efficiently terrifying as the faceless, towering figure, draped in cloak and hood. His concurrent appearances further evoke a complex mood, and his unidentifiable visage keeps the viewer on edge, subtly complementing the overall grim and surreal atmosphere that the movie intends to project.

The music, owing to the era of silent films, plays an integral part in The Hearts of Age. It aids in creating an ominous and bizarrely theatrical atmosphere that suits the narrative's existentially morbid themes. Scenes morph into the next with some transition standards of classic silent era films, with title cards used sparingly throughout.

The overall allegory reflecting in The Hearts of Age strongly suggests that it's an abstraction on the inevitability of ageing and death. It's a labyrinth of interpretive possibilities, aimed at evoking the audiences' contemplation rather than presenting a linear, easily digestible story.

Welles uses imagery frequently associated with mortality, blending it with more enigmatic symbols. The recurring image of a bell may be seen as a symbol of the inevitable passage of time, while a woman's perplexed interaction with a mirror suggests introspection on the fleeting nature of youth and beauty. Meanwhile, the film's bold chiaroscuro lighting and extreme camera angles pave their shadows of German Expressionism, which was profoundly influential on early cinema.

The legitimacy of the film's experimental attributes and the amateur exuberance of a young Welles push the boundaries of traditional narrative cinema. It showcases his early attempts at bending the cinematic medium to his will while explicitly drawing on established avant-garde traditions.

While being an entirely experimental film, The Hearts of Age offers a fascinating insight into the early influences and direction of Orson Welles's illustrious career. This epoch of his directorial journey demonstrates Welles's liberty over the challenge of conventional cinematic language and heralds his later groundbreaking work in radio and film.

It's vital to approach The Hearts of Age not as a traditional narrative film, but rather as an 8-minute enigma, leaving it to the viewer's discretion to decrypt or interpret the stream of images. Orson Welles, known for pushing the cinematic envelope, offers the audiences an opportunity for interpretation rather than spoon-feeding them a concrete narrative.

In conclusion, The Hearts of Age is a pioneering piece of experimenting filmmaking and an essential viewing for aficionados of Orson Welles's oeuvre. Although it won't appeal to everyone, the film gives an exciting glimpse into the creative beginnings of one of cinema's most influential figures.