I never knew the old Vienna before the war, with its Strauss music, its glamour and easy charm - Constantinople suited me better. I really got to know it in the classic period of the Black Market. [Boots, stockings, cigarettes, and watches exchange hands.] We’d run anything, if people wanted it enough and had the money to pay. Of course, a situation like that does tempt amateurs, but you know they can’t stay the course like a professional. [A view of a body floating in an icy river.] Now the city - [A sign announces: ‘ENTERING THE AMERICAN ZONE.’] it’s divided into four zones, you know, each occupied by a power - [Views of signs of the British, Russian, and French zones.] the American, the British, the Russian, and the French. But the center of the city - that’s international, policed by an International Patrol, [A view of guard’s duty being changed.] one member of each of the four powers. Wonderful. What a hope they had, all strangers to the place and none of them could speak the same language, except for a sort of smattering of German. [Four guards in a jeep each represent their nationalities.] Good fellows on the whole, did their best, you know. [Views of bombed-out sites around Vienna.] Vienna doesn’t really look any worse than a lot of other European cities, bombed about a bit. [Views of soldiers on guard, and then standing on parade and marching in a square.] Oh I was going to tell you, wait, I was going to tell you about Holly Martins, an American. Came all the way here to visit a friend of his. The name is Lime, Harry Lime. Now Martins was broke and Lime had offered him some sort - I don’t know - some sort of a job. Anyway, there he was, poor chap, happy as a lark and without a cent.


Okay, I just finished watching The Third Man for the first time, and all I can say is “that was a great little film.” When was the last time a movie started strong and finished even stronger? This movie reminds me a little bit of an early Hitchcock like Notorius, the spy thriller with the hard to discern loyalties. Thematically, it’s like A Touch of Evil takes post-war Europe on a date with Casablanca as the chaperone. The film is worth owning because of the memorable performances by Orson Welles and Joseph Cotton, among others. The most important thing about this film is the soundtrack, which makes the entire 104 utterly pain free. Anton Karas? Zither? Awesome!









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