Saturday Night Cinema

When I was a kid back in the days before AMC (which used to be back and white movies all the time) our local (local as in 4 hours away in Spokane) PBS station had a show called Saturday Night Cinema where "Steve" (which is what we alled all the guys on PBS) came out and introduced the old movie and then we watched the old movie. I realize this isn't very impressive now but in the old days it was great. This is where I first saw "Some Like it Hot," "Bringing Up Baby," "The Quiet Man" and "It Happened One Night."

As an homage to my youth I present a new recurring topic on Samurai Mom "Saturday Night Cinema" wherein I tell you about a movie (usually an oldie) I think is good and you can then locate said movie and watch it for yourself.

This Week: The Third Man
Starring: Joseph Cotten,"Valli," Trevor Howard and the ever riveting Orson Wells.
Directed by: Carol Reed
Screenplay by: Graham Greene

Thanks to The Jolly Porter for this recommendation. This film noir screenplay was written by Graham Greene. He wrote the narrative specifically to take the screenplay from. Later he published it as a novella.

Set in post-war Vienna a man arrives to find that the friend who summoned him "Harry Lime " is dead. The friend is concerned as the the circumstances of the death and investigates for himself. There are Russian Communist bad guys as well as international no goodniks.
This is my favorite Orson Wells performance, maybe because you don't feel bad about not liking him even though he is much handsomer than usually potrayed. There is a girl but no sappy ending.I found the music horribly annoying and out of character for the film. I am sure they meant it that way but I would have enjoyed a more traditional score.
Take the time to watch this film and you will find yourself asking "Who killed Harry Lime?"

6 out of 7 thimbles