I wish I could have watched this movie in a different context. As you can tell by the title, I am doing an Orson Welles marathon. Orson Welles' appearance in this movie is supposed to be a surprise. Me, being on an Orson Welles marathon, was waiting for him to appear and it became fairly obvious what role he would be playing when the movie continued without his presence.
Now, it must be said that most people who watch this movie know Orson Welles is in it. But I think there's a difference between that and specifically watching a movie because of Orson Welles. Which is to say, you can forget he's even in the movie if you're just picking this movie because it's a great movie. And then when he appears, you're genuinely surprised.
Theoretically anyway. I bring this up because of what Roger Ebert wrote about the film in one of his Great Movies entries, because it was absolutely not true for me:
"As for Harry Lime: He allows Orson Welles to make the most famous entrance in the history of the movies, and one of the most famous speeches. By the time Lime finally appears we have almost forgotten Welles is even *in* the movie. "
It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Welles hasn't been in the movie yet and he probably isn't in a bit part, so Welles is Harry Lime, so Harry Lime is actually alive. Which does not ruin the movie - a movie ruined by knowing the twist is not a good movie - but I think it did take something away from the experience of watching The Third Man.
One thing is clear: it would absolutely suck to direct a movie with Orson Welles in it. No matter what his involvement, rumors persisted that he actually directed the movie. And that's to say nothing of his, shall we say, prima donna tendencies. I don't believe he had any issues with the latter on this movie, but there was rampant speculation that Carol Reed did not direct this movie.
Basically, Reed did such a good job directing this movie - and taking a significant amount of influence form Welles - that Welles just had to have actually direct this movie. Or so goes the theory. The fact that it could have been directed by Welles is used as proof that it was directed by him. I am not making this up, this is an actual theory.
Despite my suggestion that watching this blind about the casting would have been better, I think I'll enjoy this movie more on rewatches. It just feels like a movie where I can focus less on the plot, and just get lost in the movie.
One thing that I'm not really sure I liked is the score. Which I think is sacrilege to say and maybe I'll appreciate it more on subsequent viewings, but I was thrown for a loop at the famous score. I'll reference Ebert again who said there has never been a more perfect score for a movie, but I don't think I agree.
Maybe I'll change my opinion of course, but the music doesn't really fit the tone of a film noir. Part of me respects that the score is very original and different and hell, I actually don't like most music scores from 1940 movies. Too over the top, too loud. That's not a problem here at all. But I don't know, it just felt out of place at times.
There's not much new I can add to what has to be a wealth of film criticism on The Third Man. The cinematography is great and adds to the atmosphere of the movie. The atmosphere and sense of place is maybe the greatest thing about this movie. It feels like a very specific place and time and the movie could not be set anytime else. You can't say that about many movies.
It's a little surprising the writer of the movie wanted a different ending (and he wrote a different ending in the book). This is not a movie that should have a happy ending. Absolutely the right choice from Reed, and even writer Graham Greene has said Reed has been proven "triumphantly right."
And even though Welles did not direct it, it wouldn't be a Welles movie without some studio fuckery. Apparently eleven minutes were replaced in the American version, although I'm pretty sured I watched the version with those eleven minutes.
I'm excited to watch this again soon and I genuinely think I'll gain an even greater appreciation for it. I have two more Welles movies to cover and both are I believe considered classics.
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