When I was in Vienna two years ago I went on a THIRD MAN walking tour, that takes you around to locations used in the film. Some are essentially unchanged all these years later, a jewellery shop you see on a corner in the film is still there! There was a separate storm drain tour but I didn't go on that one, i heard there's really not much to see. Rode on the Prater wheel too of course.
There's also a theatre in the city that shows a matinee of THIRD MAN twice a week, I of course went to that as well after the walking tour so I could go (internally) "I was there! I was there!".
Love this film to bits. I’m glad I have the Criterion DVD with the commentary by Steven Soderbergh and Tony Gilroy. Wish I had upgraded to Blu-ray before it went out of print, though.
I also feel fortunate that I got to see this when it was re-released, I believe for its 50th anniversary. That closing shot hits that much harder when you see it on the big screen.
I've misplaced my disc so I had to watch this on Tubi. I don't even hate the ad breaks the way some do, but dropping one immediately before the final scene was kind of awful.
Guys, there was a 4K release earlier this year and it’s wonderful. The box opens with a pop-up and plays the theme song, a little Third Man music box. The movie looks amazing, especially the sewer chase scene. Getting hard to find but you can still get it here, it looks like:
Apologies for consistently being the physical media guy, I’m a passionate collector.
On another note, as mentioned in the review, I love how the movie refuses to make Holly a hero. Anna walking away at the end is perfect; she’s not interested in this mediocre dope! Especially not after being with the illustrious Harry Lime.
Graham Greene is the best; on my most recent rewatch I actually thought of The Quiet American. Dopey, overconfident American thinks he’s qualified to solve the world’s problems, succeeds in stirring up a hornet’s nest, to no good end.
When I was younger, I was always intrigued by the rumors that Welles more or less ghost directed this and I was all the way bought in - the dutch angles! The sharper than hell pacing! The obvious love the camera has for Welles!
But after seeing Odd Man Out, I knew the truth - Reed was a hell of a director with his own thing going. He may have been influenced by Citizen Kane but he brought a ton to this and it is absolutely his picture. IIRC, Welles, never one to exactly shrink away from credit, was always adamant that Reed directed this and he didn't help.
Side note that I think Third Man is a big influence on Touch of Evil - influence is a hell of a thing.
I love Odd Man Out and wonder why it doesn’t get more attention. Beautifully directed movie, really innovative for the time and still holds up, in my opinion. Reed deserves to be held in high esteem. Agree that Third Man influenced Touch of Evil; would be interesting to read more about how Reed and Welles interacted.
maybe this is just a variation on the Boss Baby tweet, but re "I struggle to come up with immediate comparisons".... Michael Clayton? It's not a one-to-one, but to me they connect as genre flicks in stylistic elevation that include intervening in a moral quandary when not doing so would be a lot easier on your relationship to your self, your friends and your social world.
Love, love, love this film, thanks for a great article, got very excited when I saw this on the home page. The final shot is incredible, up there with any as my favourite ending to a film. For me, the two things that really hit home about the ending is firstly Holly still doesn't understand that the world isn't the story of good guys Vs bad guys where the hero gets the girl in the end (ie. the stories he writes, reflecting his simplistic/ romantic worldview); despite everything he's seen, he's still clinging to that nativity at the end, which is what makes her walking away so crushing. I think this is then emphasised in the disconnect between his experience of the world, and specifically the war, as an American, Vs what Anna has seen in the war, and potentially done to have to get through it. "Quietly devastating" is a pretty apt description.
I think a bigger shout-out should go to Graham Greene here (as in, than he gets in the write-up); an absolutely wonderful writer and the deftness with which this film handles a very fun, smooth thriller / pulp elements with subtle and sophisticated ideas and characterisation is very much on a par with his novels.
Also, a shout out to beloved British national treasure Bernard Cribbins for what he makes a very fun role.
When I was in Vienna two years ago I went on a THIRD MAN walking tour, that takes you around to locations used in the film. Some are essentially unchanged all these years later, a jewellery shop you see on a corner in the film is still there! There was a separate storm drain tour but I didn't go on that one, i heard there's really not much to see. Rode on the Prater wheel too of course.
There's also a theatre in the city that shows a matinee of THIRD MAN twice a week, I of course went to that as well after the walking tour so I could go (internally) "I was there! I was there!".
Fun fact: this year is officially the 75th anniversary of critics lying to themselves that the zither music in The Third Man was a good choice.
Love this film to bits. I’m glad I have the Criterion DVD with the commentary by Steven Soderbergh and Tony Gilroy. Wish I had upgraded to Blu-ray before it went out of print, though.
I also feel fortunate that I got to see this when it was re-released, I believe for its 50th anniversary. That closing shot hits that much harder when you see it on the big screen.
I've misplaced my disc so I had to watch this on Tubi. I don't even hate the ad breaks the way some do, but dropping one immediately before the final scene was kind of awful.
Guys, there was a 4K release earlier this year and it’s wonderful. The box opens with a pop-up and plays the theme song, a little Third Man music box. The movie looks amazing, especially the sewer chase scene. Getting hard to find but you can still get it here, it looks like:
https://www.orbitdvd.com/products/the-third-man-4k-uhd-uk-limited-75th-anniversary-collectors-edition-region-free-b-one-per-cusomter?_pos=1&_sid=72590ad9d&_ss=r
Apologies for consistently being the physical media guy, I’m a passionate collector.
On another note, as mentioned in the review, I love how the movie refuses to make Holly a hero. Anna walking away at the end is perfect; she’s not interested in this mediocre dope! Especially not after being with the illustrious Harry Lime.
Graham Greene is the best; on my most recent rewatch I actually thought of The Quiet American. Dopey, overconfident American thinks he’s qualified to solve the world’s problems, succeeds in stirring up a hornet’s nest, to no good end.
When I was younger, I was always intrigued by the rumors that Welles more or less ghost directed this and I was all the way bought in - the dutch angles! The sharper than hell pacing! The obvious love the camera has for Welles!
But after seeing Odd Man Out, I knew the truth - Reed was a hell of a director with his own thing going. He may have been influenced by Citizen Kane but he brought a ton to this and it is absolutely his picture. IIRC, Welles, never one to exactly shrink away from credit, was always adamant that Reed directed this and he didn't help.
Side note that I think Third Man is a big influence on Touch of Evil - influence is a hell of a thing.
I love Odd Man Out and wonder why it doesn’t get more attention. Beautifully directed movie, really innovative for the time and still holds up, in my opinion. Reed deserves to be held in high esteem. Agree that Third Man influenced Touch of Evil; would be interesting to read more about how Reed and Welles interacted.
The cuckoo cock bit was a Welles addition, though.
Errr… “clock.”
If THE REVEAL is looking for overlooked films to talk about, I'd love to do see them do ODD MAN OUT.
No immediate plans but I wrote about it for The Dissolve when the Criterion came out: https://thedissolve.com/reviews/1510-odd-man-out/
Thanks!
maybe this is just a variation on the Boss Baby tweet, but re "I struggle to come up with immediate comparisons".... Michael Clayton? It's not a one-to-one, but to me they connect as genre flicks in stylistic elevation that include intervening in a moral quandary when not doing so would be a lot easier on your relationship to your self, your friends and your social world.
I have a minor obsession with foreign-language versions of American films, and this one has long hung on my wall:
https://www.filmposter.net/en/the-third-man-original-release-german-movie-poster.html
Talk about Lime looming large.
On another subject, is that kid one of the most unnerving children in cinema, or is that just me? "Papa!"
Love, love, love this film, thanks for a great article, got very excited when I saw this on the home page. The final shot is incredible, up there with any as my favourite ending to a film. For me, the two things that really hit home about the ending is firstly Holly still doesn't understand that the world isn't the story of good guys Vs bad guys where the hero gets the girl in the end (ie. the stories he writes, reflecting his simplistic/ romantic worldview); despite everything he's seen, he's still clinging to that nativity at the end, which is what makes her walking away so crushing. I think this is then emphasised in the disconnect between his experience of the world, and specifically the war, as an American, Vs what Anna has seen in the war, and potentially done to have to get through it. "Quietly devastating" is a pretty apt description.
I think a bigger shout-out should go to Graham Greene here (as in, than he gets in the write-up); an absolutely wonderful writer and the deftness with which this film handles a very fun, smooth thriller / pulp elements with subtle and sophisticated ideas and characterisation is very much on a par with his novels.
Also, a shout out to beloved British national treasure Bernard Cribbins for what he makes a very fun role.