Origins of The Third Man + other articles

[Glenn Anders]

The above cited article and references are most useful, but the subject of THE THIRD MAN has often been discussed at Wellesnet in a lively, thorough (exhaustive?) and sometimes contentious manner (as have most of the subjects we re-hash here, these days). I would suggest to anyone interested, also look at the following thread:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1060&hilit=the+third+man

I would only add that none of the above materials point to a number of odd touches in THE THIRD MAN, which seem to refer back and forward to Welles' projects.

For instance, I'm sure that I'm not the only one who has noted that Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) is cast by British Intelligence for cover purposes as a critic (albeit not a dramatic critic, which Cotten had been early in his career), and that he finds himself covering his boredom in attending an 18th Century Viennese farce in a language he doesn't understand (similar to Jed Leland's experience in CITIZEN KANE). The scenes in the play (written for the film) reveal that Anna Schmidt (Alida Valli, a Croatian actress well known in Italian films ), Harry Lime's friend whom Martins has come to see (at the suggestion of "Baron Kurtz"), is not a very good or important actress, more stage decorative strudel than anything else. Then, after Harry Lime's famous cuckoo speech, Holly Martins is bitten on the finger by a white cockatoo, similar to the one who announces the climax of CITIZEN KANE. Whether these are inside jokes or the influence of Welles (now denied all around) is hard to say.

The cuckoo clock reference, btw, is quoted pictorially by Welles after a fashion in the dramatic climax of MR. ARKADIN, made seven years later.

It's always interesting and nostalgic for me to look at these things again.

Glenn

[tonyw]

The monograph, like the majority of items in the BFI Films Classics, and anything by Rob White (former editor of SIGHT AND SOUND now destroying FILM QUARTERLY in a similar manner!) is not worth reading.

Glenn is correct here about the film having better and fuller discussion on this site.

[tonyw]

Some monographs were good. But Rob White made a conscious decision to go after writers who were not academic on the grounds that their writing would be free of jargon and accessible to the general public. The late Alexander Walker refused to write anything on Kubrick although he was asked and examples such as THE THING and RED RIVER were really shallow. The information culled could have been traced from other sources and recent examples such as the NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD monograph deliberately ignore the work of proven authorities claiming their discoveries as their own. On the other hand, Robin Wood on WINGS OF THE DOVE and RIO BRAVO, Laura Mulvey on CITIZEN KANE, Colin McCabe on PERFORMANCE are really good. But is Salman Rushdie really qualified to write on THE WIZARD OF OZ as well as Camille Paglia on THE BIRDS?

Basically, the whole monograph series was aimed at the general public, not a bad thing in itself but the choice of several writers left much to be desired. These monographs are very much on the level of introductory primers to be discarded when one gets on the track of much better information and research

[Glenn Anders]

I, too, would be interested in tonyw's indictment of Rob White.

Also put me down as one who enjoyed Callow's study of NIGHT OF THE HUNTER, which Alfred Willimore sent me. [I regret that my review of that pamphlet has not been forthcoming.]

To come back to our subject, did anyone else notice the references, conscious or not, to CITIZEN KANE in THE THIRD MAN?

I am thinking particularly of that lonesome white cockatoo which bites Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) on the finger!

Glenn

[nextren]

The trouble with film writing is that sometimes flicks get loaded with more freight than they can decently carry. Many films are worth coffee table books and no more, IMO.

I don't care for Paglia but her monograph on "The Birds" was well-written and exactly what one expects from her; it was a competent performance. Some light was even shed on the movie. It's also a beautfully made little paper book, with a nice little cover. I'd call it "high middlebrow."

The point being that it's a question whether "The Birds" was more than high middlebrow itself. It was an okay movie aside from 'Tippi' but no "Citizen Kane."

You can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear but that doesn't prevent some film writers from trying. Yet if everything is full of meaning(s), then nothing is.

[the scotsman]

Origins and consequences making the Third Man - Although not an article - there was a very thorough 90 minute documentary co-produced in 2004 by the BBC(Arena),French, German, Austrian TV, and also TCM, Written and directed by Frederick Baker and narrated by John Hurt. It was called "Shadowing the Third Man". I suppose the best desciption of it would be that it does for the "Third Man" what the "Complete Citizen Kane" did for Kane.
It delves into every aspect of the film from it´s origins, to the Battle Royal between Korda and Selznick over the release print; cuts, narrations (plural) and many other problems, including the final shot(film) with Valli in the cemetery being destroyed and having to go back and try and do it again. It sounds just like the merry go rounds that always seem to happen on a Welles film - although this was not one of his own. Also it remembers the difficulties in shooting as Vienna was totally controlled by the four powers, as in the movie. Which meant dealing with the military goverment and the four very different national agencies therein. With great use of soundbytes of Carol Reed / Graham Greene ect., and interviews with Welles and Daniel Selznick, the film is shot mostly in Vienna around some of the still existing locations.
It is a fascinating Documentary that was shown in most countries at 60 minutes - but it has an extended cut of 90m.
It was issued in Germany as a DVD extra on the second disc of the ARTHAUS Release of the THIRD MAN.(90m cut)
It is still available on Amazon.de and plays in english and german. Highly recommended.
Although not strictly "An Orson Welles Film" - it is in many ways exactly that.
No one can convince me otherwise that Carol Reed was not very influenced by Kane/Ambersons/Stranger and the Lady from Shanghai. Many of the camera set ups / Close ups and the fabulous lighting are straight out of Welles´s book.
He may not have had any other part of making the film than his own role, but his influence is all over it.
So I personally always include it among the Films of Orson Welles and without an asterisk. (pace Roger Maris, on the day that the other of the steroid twins owns up)

[Roger Ryan]

Yes, the (now-sadly-discontinued) Criterion Collection release of THE THIRD MAN contained the full documentary on the second disc. Quite good, although the overly arty idea of showing the film clips projected on fountains or on walls in Vienna tended to distract from the subject being discussed.

[the scotsman]

Did´nt know that Roger, I bought my Criterion edition when it was a single disc edition in 1999. The German ARTHAUS edition licenced Criterion´s restoration and added the documentary. it came out in 2006 - maybe they made a trade off for the Movie against the documentaries.

[Roger Ryan]

This was quite a shock over at the Criterion Forum site. After retaining the film for over ten years, and releasing a Blu-Ray edition about a year ago, Criterion lost their license and had to discontinue it from their catalogue. I must assume this had something to do with Studio Canal pulling the plug, but don't know for sure...

It's hard to believe now that this classic film languished in extremely poor public domain copies for so many years. Even the film prints I saw in the 80s looked awful. Interestingly, a "restored" 35mm print has been playing in New York the last couple of weeks (see related thread in this forum); this seems to suggest that someone is getting ready to do another home video release of it.

[Magentarose67]

It makes me so sad...the first Orson Welles film to be available on Blu Ray and it is taken off the shelves ...

Memo to Warner Bros: Ambersons on Blu Ray for 2011/2012!

[Glenn Anders]

Studio Canal lost some its support from the French Government not too long ago, which may help explain Criterion's loss of control over THE THIRD MAN.

Glenn