Wednesday 11 December 2019
10.00 am, 2.30 pm, 5.00 pm and 7.15 pm
Directed by Carol Reed
Mystery/Thriller
UK 104 mins M
Veganism Has Gone Too Far (4 mins 31 seconds)
Unravelled (6 mins 58 seconds)
An out of work pulp fiction novelist, Holly Martins (Joseph Cotton), arrives in a post war Vienna divided into sectors by the victorious allies, and where a shortage of supplies has led to a flourishing black market. He arrives at the invitation of an ex-school friend, Harry Lime, (Orson Wells) who has offered him a job, only to discover that Lime has recently died in a peculiar traffic accident. From talking to Lime’s friends and associates Martins soon notices that some of the stories are inconsistent, and determines to discover what really happened to Harry Lime.
To celebrate The Third Man’s 70th anniversary, the movie has been re-digitalised and re-released. Graham Greene wrote the novella of the same name as preparation for the screenplay. The atmospheric use of black-and-white cinematography by Robert Krasker with harsh lighting and distorted camera technique, is a major feature of The Third Man. Combined with the iconic theme music, 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. It won multiple awards.
Preceding the screening, NFS will show two short films made by Noosa District High School Film, Television and New Media students using film equipment donated by NFS.
Seventy years on such sombreness seems timely, as does Harry Lime, Welles’s deliciously elusive antihero – Ed Potton, Times (UK)
Top credit must go to Mr. Reed for moulding all possible elements into a movie with super consequence – Bosley Crowther, New York Times.
Everything you ever wanted to know about the dark side of human nature can be found in Orson Welles’ smirking face – Christopher Null, Film critic