MoeFOH's Movie of the Week... Week #24...

[MoeFOH]

MoeFOH's Movie of the Week 🎥

Each week we're going to spotlight a movie... be it a classic, new release, hidden gem, or outright turd... and open it for discussion: i.e. post up your favourite quotes, clips, memories... or dive deeper and give us a critique on why you think it's great, overrated, or a complete train wreck... And finally score it for us...  

All contributors go into a monthly prize draw for a 3-cigar sampler! 

PM me with suggestions if there's a movie you want to nominate for next week's discussion. 

 

Week #24: The Third Man

Wiki says: 

The Third Man is a 1949 film noir directed by Carol Reed, written by Graham Greene and starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles, and Trevor Howard. Set in postwar Vienna, the film centres on American Holly Martins (Cotten), who arrives in the city to accept a job with his friend Harry Lime (Welles), only to learn that Lime has died. Viewing his death as suspicious, Martins elects to stay in Vienna and investigate the matter.

The atmospheric use of black-and-white expressionist cinematography by Robert Krasker, with harsh lighting and distorted "Dutch angle" camera technique, is a major feature of The Third Man. Combined with the iconic theme music by zither player Anton Karas, seedy locations and acclaimed performances from the cast, the style evokes the atmosphere of an exhausted, cynical post-war Vienna at the start of the Cold War.

Greene wrote the novella of the same name as preparation for the screenplay. Karas's title composition "The Third Man Theme" topped the international music charts in 1950, bringing the previously unknown performer international fame; the theme would also inspire Nino Rota's principal melody in La Dolce Vita (1960). The Third Man is considered one of the greatest films of all time, celebrated for its acting, musical score and atmospheric cinematography.

In 1999, the British Film Institute voted The Third Man the greatest British film of all time. In 2011 a poll of 150 actors, directors, writers, producers and critics for Time Out magazine saw it ranked the second best British film ever.

Over to you...

How do you rate it? Favourite scenes?

Best moments?... etc, and so on... post 'em up!!

Give us your score out of 10!

[MoeFOH]

 

[JohnS]

The director, Carol Reed often takes second place in the memories of the fans of this film, principally because Orson Welles' dialogue steals the show, along with his character who drives the plot.

Welles himself had nothing to do with producing and directing the film, but it's easy to mistake because this film is so much in Welles' style, especially considering Citizen Kane.

At the time, I'm sure Orson just saw this movie as an acting job to get funds to make his dream project of Othello (eventually released in 1951 but it took three years to make). He had gone independent in Europe after falling out with the 'Hollywood system' by 1948.

Don't forget the infamous score by Anton Karas

[Doctorossi]

This is in my top 20, so of course I will give it 10/10. The Harry Lime Theme is also one of the reasons I can point to that I became a musician.

[Groucho.]

Always loved this movie. Am a fan of film noir, italian movies, Ingmar Bergman...

[Tdm_86]

Got to go with a 10/10, I’m a noir aficionado and this one is high in the top 5 of all of them. The setting, the immersive experience and the incredible musical score make it top notch.

[joeypots]

Can’t remember seeing this one. That doesn’t mean I haven’t seen it.😆