Orson Welles' study of corruption in the form of an obese, cigar-chomping police detective has been described as a Goya-like vision of an infected universe: it is certainly one of his greatest films, a virtuoso display of all his special gifts - brilliant elliptical dialogue, dazzling Expressionist cinematography, and detailed character acting. As the fat cop Hank Quinlan, Welles gives his most effectively indulgent performance. Yet there are glimpses of humanity beneath all that evil lard, as best seen in the unforgettable sequence with Tanya, an aging prostitute played by Marlene Dietrich. The cast also includes Charlton Heston, as the “good guy” narc who, with his new wife, Janet Leigh, finds himself at the mercy of Quinlan and his border-town neighbors.
The uncut version of Touch of Evil restores some 15 minutes of footage missing from other prints, bringing the film closer to Welles' original conception, and clarifying previously confusing lines of dialogue.