This classic film is playing sunday night at Regent sq theater in squirrel hill. If I could only find someone to go with me....this takes place in Vienna, after WWII. The city is occupied by allies, including soviet union. Holly Martins (Joseph Cotton) arrives in Vienna to visit his old friend Harry lime, but harry turns out dead. Holly investigates - is Harry really dead? Why would he want to stage his own death? The music is amazing (zither music). The city is depressing, the populace weary of war, weary of refugees, weary of the occuping armies. Holly falls for Harry's old girlfriend, Anna (Alida Valli) - will she fall for him? Holly is a western novelist, a nice, harmless person - will he get the girl? Orson welles plays Harry and his appearance in the film is amazing - what an entry! Dont forget, Orson and Joseph starred in Citizen Kane, so they know each other well. The part at the end, on the ferris wheel, is classic: see the people from up here? They look like ants. You can step on ants and feel nothing - thats how Harry feels about humans. Harry is evil. Even though goodness triumphs in this movie, it is bittersweet: the film ends on a sad note, the people of Vienna are no happier, Anna is morose, the commies are still in Vienna. Great film!
Here is trivia: Josephy Cotton finally does get the girl, in Walk Softly, Stranger, he appears again with Alida Valli and this time she falls in love with him. Alida Valli is still alive, had a film appear in 2002 with Miro Sorvino (Angel of Death).
1 comment:
Too bad the studio's would never trust Orson Welles again after making citizen cane (one of the greatest American movies ever) since in the studios some rich people, who controlled everything, were upset that the guy in Citizen Kane was kind of like one of their real life friends...hmm America hasn’t changed much thinking about the rich guys who run our country now who give break to there rich friends..Cough tobacco.
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