Orson Welles enjoyed his pipe and according to a new graphic novel, he was also fond of Cuban cigars, especially one brand. In The Cigar that Fell in Love with a Pipe by writers-illustrators David Camus and Nick Abadzis, Welles savors his smokes with a connoisseur’s sense for touch and scent. He finds more pleasure in their company than with his hard-to-please-if-gorgeous wife, Rita Hayworth.
At the heart of this strange story is a fantasy of love between Conchita Marquez, the Cuban woman who rolled those cigars to perfection, and the sailor who spurned her, Suffice it to say that Conchita, the sailor and the director who had just finished Lady from Shanghai are brought together in this colorfully illustrated tale. “There are days when it is demonstrated to me how little I truly know about this strange world we live in,” Welles exclaims in a speech bubble.
It sounds like something the great filmmaker might have said.
The Cigar that Fell in Love with a Pipe is published by SelfMade Hero.
