The story and screenplay by Graham Greene form the foundation for this post WWII thriller set in Vienna about the missing friend (Orson Welles) of an American western novelist (Joseph Cotten). Alida Valli portrays beautifully Welles' illegal actress-girlfriend, and Trevor Howard is the Rock of Gibraltar as the British sergeant responsible for solving the mystery of Welles' disappearance. Old Vienna is wrapped in mystery and fog, full of suspicious people and suspenseful moments. The final chase through the sewers is among the most classic scenes in all of cinema.

Even though Reed did not receive the Oscar for Best Director for his masterpiece, he did win the Cannes Film Grand Prix, and proved his genius as a director. (Welles was not above taking some credit for the success on the basis of association.) Before this, Reed had directed Odd Man Out (1947) starring James Mason, and The Fallen Idol (1948) - another Graham Greene story and script - with Ralph Richardson. After this, he directed Trapeze (1956) with Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis, and Our Man In Havana (1959) with Alec Guinness and Maureen O'Hara - again, a Graham Greene story and script. Even though The Agony And The Ecstasy (1965) with Charlton Heston and Rex Harrison was a well done film based on a Philip Dunne script, it was a box office flop. Only Reed's final film, Oliver! (1968), would again attract Oscar - this time with eleven nominations, taking home five including Best Picture and Best Director.

Besides The Third Man, the other of Reed's films that I find most interesting is Our Man In Havana: partly because of the music, which, like The Third Man, is unique and memorable; partly because anything Alec Guinness is in is going to be memorable; but also because it is almost a comedic version of The Third Man. Instead of post-war Vienna, the story is set in pre-Castro Cuba - only, it was filmed in Cuba after Castro had taken office; so it is a final glimpse of what Cuba was like before it was closed to the free world. For that reason alone, it is fascinating.

It is a spoof on spy thrillers. Guinness, who is an ex-patriot that owns a vacuum cleaner shop, is recruited by the British secret service to spy on everyone and everything that looks suspicious. He only does it for the money, to keep his daughter in horses and tack; so he makes up a lot of imaginary contacts and sub-agents. But when HQ requires results, he gets the idea of doing some drawings of secret facilities and weapons that are based on his vacuum cleaners. This creates a sensation with the home office, who send Maureen O'Hara down to assist him with "the important work" he's doing. Things get out of hand when Burl Ives, a friend of Guinness', acts like the ruse he's pulling off is real; when Ernie Kovacs, the local police captain, wants Guinness to be his counter-spy; and when Noel Coward, Guinness' British contact, tells him someone is trying to kill him. It is really a lot of tongue-in-cheek fun.

I don't know why this film has not received more attention, unless it is because it is not out on DVD yet, except in non-US format. If you ever get a chance to watch it on Turner Classic Movies, do so - it is a little gem shaped by the hand of a real master.



Waitsel Smith, June 22, 2008

Text © 2008 Waitsel Smith. Images © 1949 and 1959. All Rights Reserved.