FILMCLUB RECOMMENDS
An American novelist travels to Vienna just after World War II for a funeral and slowly discovers that his recently deceased friend was not the nice chap he remembered him as. For that matter, is he even really dead? A stunning thriller written by Graham Greene that makes great use of shadows and shabby glamour of post-war Vienna.
The Lady From Shanghai
North By Northwest
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This film was very confusing. I didn't really get the plot, which seemed to be all over the place, and it seemed a bit long for the actual storyline. In some places it seemed forced rather than having a nice flow, and in others I just couldn't understand what was going on. Overall, whilst it may be something to say you've seen, I wouldn't bother watching it again.
This film may be rated as dead cert, but to be frankly honest it wasn't for me. The film's soundtrack is quirky and catchy with a probable attempt at a throwback to the main character's past and his happy moments with his pal Harry Lime who has now become a trickster and illegal drug dealer. The main character Halley Martins, no not a girl, arrives only to find Harry supposedly dead with his girl Anna Schmidt forlorn. Halley, charmer natural, attempts to console her and begins his investigation of the not so intersting "third man" who helped drag the body across the road. He finds holes in the various accounts and finds that Calloway, the police head doesn't really care.
This movie may sound like garbage currently but hold it right there. The story has much symbolism and the story line is good with a fairly good plot. The movie allows you to make your own judgements on Harry until the overblown ending, that is. The story allows the film to make you see Harry as not as good as they think he is.
The ending is left unknown, with the plot left open and the ending resembling the beginning. This film was not for me, but for those who love mystery and symbols a definite see.
This film, i believe, was a film of great taste. This is one of the films that has had a story line rather then action with a story snuck in. The film was full of susspense and had great use of symbolism, one being the coat that Hally Martins always wore, he offered Anne Schmit and when she left the restaurant she took off his coat and threw it to the floor as a symbol of she wants Hally out of her life. Although the plot line was good it is not intreging for 21- and so the film was not one of my favourites it is a dead cert for adults but lacks imagination for me as the major twist is not that great.
This film was beautifully shot in black and white, emphasising shadows and spookiness. The soundtrack, although famous, didn't really seem to fit in with the rest of the film and stays annoyingly in your head long after the film has finished.
The wonky shots were very clever as you felt you were looking at characters in the way that other characters were doing, and linked to the whole wonkiness of the situation that the main character finds himself in.
It's amazing how Orson Welles just appears on screen for the first time, raises and eyebrow and steals the show!
Anyone for a trip to Vienna?...
There are some good scenes like the sewer chase but i found most of it very boring and hard to follow.
By Tiarnan Hever
This Film was a bit strange, because of the camera angles and the fact that at the end in the scene in the sewers no one trys to be quiet