Taking a sleeping pill to try to get a few hours of sleep between Las Vegas and LA puts a different spin on it. Sure, he probably shouldn't drink with his sleeping pills, but I know a fair amount of nonalcoholics that have done similar.
Surely what really puts a different spin on it is that the purpose of these takes was apparently to demonstrate to the insurance company that Welles was unable to work. In that context, he put on a great (albeit method-enhanced) performance.
