The Third Man on TCM

Feraud · Jan 23, 2007

Just to continue a great thread...

Hemingway Jones said:
Holly Martins is constantly tested whether to work for or against the police and he waivers longer and in more ways than Prince Hamlet!

Martins is the typical Noir male protagonist. An "everyday" kind of guy who gets swept up in the events around him. He is a writer of cheap Western books but sets out to bring down a military captain for wrongs committed against his friend Lime. Holly is like the hitchhiker who picks up a killer or the small town accountant who is intentionally poisoned by an unknown assailant.

Regarding Anna -

Hemingway Jones said:
Anna makes entirely different choices and she is absolutely sure of them. She never waivers in her loyalty or affections for Harry, regardless of the dire consequences for her. "I'll do what I can for her... If she'll let me."

Anna is a very atypical Film Noir woman for a film that is considered classic Noir. She behaves much like what is considered a stereotypical film girlfriend/wife. She will stand by her man no matter what crime he commits. She will help him elude the police and put herself in danger even if her man knowingly discards her. According to this attitude, Harry is innocent or "less guilty" than his accomplices.

The opposite of Anna is a Brigid O'Shaughnessey (Maltese Falcon) or Kathy Moffat (Out of the Past). These typical femme fatales will scheme, murder, and bed hop to get what they want. The men are played as suckers. Although they have low morals, these are the liberated women of Film. They are women who stand toe-to toe with men and put a bullet in them if necessary.

Hemingway Jones · Jan 23, 2007

Feraud,

I agree about Anna, except that the usual stock character would stand by the hero, not the antagonist. Usually the character who stands by the villain either repents, as in the case of the Gaye Dawn standing by Johnny Rocco in "Key Largo" or gets her comeuppance. Anna achieves an ironic nobility and Holly takes all the lumps.

I've always gotten the impression that she had done some evil of her own in her time. After all, she is Lime's girl, and something made her so unaffected.

Steve · Jan 24, 2007

I saw The Third Man for the first time fairly recently compared to most of you, after it was recommended to me by Hemingway. I'm in his debt for it, wonderful film!

As an obsessive photographer, I loved the composition of the scenes. Each frame was a work of dramatic art, topped only by the cinematography in 2002's Hero.

Personally, I love the music. The movie had a very dreamlike feel to it as we viewed the events through Holly's whirlwind of confusion, and high-pitched zither music only augmented the surreality of it all.

As to Orson Welles, he was amazing. His famous entry is incredible. Citizen Kane is on my Netflix queue now after seeing him.

I looked up the music on iTunes, and I saw with pleasure that Andre Reiu, (my favorite conductor, bar none,) has covered the theme from the film. After recording songs such as "Vienna, City of My Dreams," I thought that was a nice tribute.

The Wingnut · Jan 24, 2007

Indeed, I'd only watched it for the first time about 4 months ago, from reading a thread here on the Lounge. I wasn't allowed to watch much TV as a kid and don't own one now, although I have a DVD drive an a behemoth of a monitor on my computer. Seeing these classic films now as an adult gives me far better perspective and appreciation of them, I think.

*spoiler follows, for the less fortunate*

Hell of a movie! I figured out before this scene from all the clues that Harry wasn't dead, but it didn't in any way lessen the impact of his appearance. As far as villans go, few are less scrupulous than Harry Lime, but few are more human...a bizarre dichotomy as only Orson Welles can deliver.

Feraud · Jan 24, 2007

The Wingnut said:
Hell of a movie! I figured out before this scene from all the clues that Harry wasn't dead, but it didn't in any way lessen the impact of his appearance.

Good point. The mark of a great film(or book) is knowing what will happen and stay interested until the end.

Hemingway Jones · May 8, 2007

For those interested, the original theme from the film by Anton Karas and several other pieces by him related to the film, are now on iTunes.

It's time to drive your friends crazy by putting this song into their heads... forever!

Steve · May 8, 2007

And while you're at it, watch the man himself play it:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gFz79SBnuk8

Daisy Buchanan · May 8, 2007

Hemingway Jones said:
For those interested, the original theme from the film by Anton Karas and several other pieces by him related to the film, are now on iTunes.

It's time to drive your friends crazy by putting this song into their heads... forever!

You would NEVER do such a cruel thing!!

*****Daisy walks away wondering what the heck that annoying tune is that's constantly in her head.....ladidadidadidaaaaa, ladidadidaadidaaa, ladidaadidaaadidaaaa, di daaa di daaa di dadidadidaaa, diii dadadaaadadaaaadada:rage: ************

Baron Kurtz · May 8, 2007

Hemingway Jones said:
For those interested, the original theme from the film by Anton Karas and several other pieces by him related to the film, are now on iTunes.

It's time to drive your friends crazy by putting this song into their heads... forever!

Have you seen the features on the criterion DVD? As you know, Karas was something of a chart-topper with the tune from The Third Man, and there's film of him just after the film came out playing in a London night club.

And unfortunately, from the faces of the audience, it looks like it's just long enough after the film for it to be getting annoying. A painful short film.

bk

Hemingway Jones · May 8, 2007

I haven't seen that, but I have the DVD, so I'll have to pop it in and have a look. It sounds very interesting.

jitterbugdoll · May 8, 2007

Daisy Buchanan said:
You would NEVER do such a cruel thing!!

*****Daisy walks away wondering what the heck that annoying tune is that's constantly in her head.....ladidadidadidaaaaa, ladidadidaadidaaa, ladidaadidaaadidaaaa, di daaa di daaa di dadidadidaaa, diii dadadaaadadaaaadada:rage: ************

No, of course not. lol Although, I have not even seen all of the movie yet, and I know the theme song by heart...

Hemingway Jones · May 8, 2007

jitterbugdoll said:
No, of course not. lol Although, I have not even seen all of the movie yet, and I know the theme song by heart...

Well, whenever I get tired of "Rhapsody in Blue" I have to play something!

jitterbugdoll · May 8, 2007

Hemingway Jones said:
Well, whenever I get tired of "Rhapsody in Blue" I have to play something!

And there are so many versions of the theme song to choose from...

Hemingway Jones · May 10, 2007

Here is an interesting website that studies the locations of the film.

Diamondback · May 10, 2007

Hemingway Jones said:
It's time to drive your friends crazy by putting this song into their heads... forever!

I wouldn't advise such a thing, unless you want me to retaliate with something even more cranially-invasive, like oh, I don't know, maybe It's A Small World...

lol

Yep, while I'm chaperoning my grandmother around Disneyland this summer I'm gonna have my pistol-range earplugs in a pocket and ready to go...lol

Nathan Dodge · May 10, 2007

I foolishly dismissed this movie out of hand until some years ago, when I finally decided to actually watch it! Welles is great, but Joseph Cotten is one of the great, forgotten actors, whose natural style is absolutely timeless, like Spencer Tracy's and William Holden's acting styles. So count me in as a fan of both the film and Cotten!

scotrace · Jul 6, 2007

Just got the Criterion 2 disc set. I'll watch it (first time) this weekend.

Hemingway Jones · Jul 6, 2007

scotrace said:
Just got the Criterion 2 disc set. I'll watch it (first time) this weekend.

I am anxious to hear what you think.
It's best to watch it, wait a day or two, and to watch it again.
The second viewing sets the film into your mind.

scotrace · Jul 9, 2007

Wonderful film!

So that's where BK's avatar comes from.

I need to see it again. The pacing is remarkable, and there are quotable bits lying around everywhere. Really glad I bought this one.

Baron Kurtz · Jul 10, 2007

I can help you with you advice, Holly - I may call you Holly, mayen't I? - . . . advice.

Glad you liked it, Scott. It's one of those to watch again and again.

Now read the book!

bk

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