Reed. A second viewing of Odd Man Out could change Reed’s placement here and push him closer to the top 100 (or even in it). The visual evidence here below with the images below is pretty compelling—these are gorgeous photographes and look like The Third Man. For now though, Reed’s strength here for the purposes of this list is The Third Man. The film ranks as the #42 of all-time and #4 of the 1940’s. Get this- all 41 films ranked ahead of The Third Man have their director already mentioned as directors 1 thru 117 on this list of the best directors of all-time. So clearly, I think the rest of Reed’s credentials are the weaknesses here. I don’t know the full story of what happened after The Third Man. He didn’t stop working.– but it seems impossible that the director of that film would never make a top 100 film of its respective decade from that point forward.
Best film: The Third Man. The cuckoo-clock speech by Welles and the zither score by Anton Karas may be happy accidents (at where Reed was simply standing in the right spot at the right time). But there’s no denying the greatest here in the use of shadow, the tunnel chases, and the final scene composition. These are due to Reed and Reed deserves authorship credit for this colossal masterpiece.
total archiveable films: 8
top 100 films: 1 (The Third Man)
top 500 films: 1 (The Third Man)
top 100 films of the decade: 3 (The Third Man, Odd Man Out, The Fallen Idol)
most overrated: Nothing here. Reed has two films on the TSPDT top 1000. The consensus has The Third Man at #49 (I’m at #42) and Odd Man Out at #931 and that would be about right for me.
most underrated: Nothing officially- see the note above on “overrated” but I do think Oliver is now underrated in some circles. It is an abomination that this film won the Best Picture Academy Award in 1968 over 2001—but it’s not a bad film. It isn’t in the TSPDT top 1000 and it wouldn’t make my top 1000 either though so I have a hard time calling it underrated.
gem I want to spotlight: The Third Man is where everybody should start but how can you argue with these images here for Odd Man Out and the great James Mason.
stylistic innovations/traits: Reed has an impeccable talent for frame composition and mise-en-scene. Some of the symmetry and use of surrounding objects (most notably the tunnels in Third Man) to create a frame is the best in cinema this side of Kubrick. There’s a German expressionism as well in his use of shadows and light. Odd Man Out has too much in common with The Third Man for The Third Man to be an accident. The use of miniatures in Night Train to Munich is impressiveand even in Oliver, the composition and Reed’s dedication to what happens in the background, as well as the foreground, is impressive.
top 10
- The Third Man
- Odd Man Out
- The Fallen Idol
- Night Train to Munich
- Oliver
- Our Man in Havana
- The Agony and the Ecstasy
- Outcast of the Islands
By year and grades
| 1940- Night Train to Munich | R/HR |
| 1947- Odd Man Out | HR |
| 1948- The Fallen Idol | HR |
| 1949- The Third Man | MP |
| 1951- Outcast of the Islands | R |
| 1959- Our Man In Havana | R |
| 1965- The Agony and the Ecstasy | R |
| 1968- Oliver | R |
*MP is Masterpiece- top 1-3 quality of the year film
MS is Must-see- top 5-6 quality of the year film
HR is Highly Recommend- top 10 quality of the year film
R is Recommend- outside the top 10 of the year quality film but still in the archives
I just got done finishing Odd Man Out and wow. That was something else cause I didn’t expect it to be this good, not only is it a beautiful movie and wonderfully directed, but that cast (especially James Mason) are outstanding. Can’t wait to watch The Third Man soon.
Study Summary:
Between my prior Fritz Lang Study and a recent 4K release for The Third Man (1949) my interest in Noir, in particular the classic Noir period, was reignited; not that it ever went away but these things come in cycles
I had previously seen all of the films covered in the Study except Night Train to Munich and The Running Man
Carol Reed’s top 3 films were released in consecutive years consisting of:
Odd Man Out (1947)
The Fallen Idol (1948)
The Third Man (1949)
I have not seen any specific name for the Trilogy so I will just refer to it as his “Noir Trilogy” for the purpose of this Study
The Third Man (1949) is a colossal Masterwork that is about as great as any film. It is the best film of the 1940’s aside from Citizen Kane. It has magnificent performances, a thrilling story with mystery and suspense, but most importantly impeccable direction and stunning visuals; the Dutch/Canted angle shots, high contrast lighting, and deep focus compositions. Then there is the unique zither score. The pacing is crucial as well, it is incredibly efficient storytelling, and this really helps its rewatchability
It is the two films preceding it in consecutive years that also really help Reed’s case. The Odd Man Out in 1947 and The Fallen Idol in 1948 creates an unofficial trilogy when including the Third Man. The Odd Man Out and The Fallen Idol are really impressive even if obviously not on the same level. All thee of these films use canted angles and a visual style that is rooted in German Expressionism.
Reed excels in shooting urban environments. It is far less prevalent in The Fallen Idol aside from a standout sequence where the child Philippe runs off to the police station. In Odd Man Out, it is most prevalent, even more than The Third Man, as so much of the film has the injured Johnny hiding out on the outskirts of The Irish town following the failed robbery with the city becoming a sort of labyrinthine for the injured Johnny. Reed uses classic noir visuals related to high contrast lighting with shadow, silhouette, and chiaroscuro lighting in depicting Johnny’s increasingly troubled mental state. The Third Man is set in war torn Vienna following WW2; the city has become an amoral wasteland run by various racketeers. Reed takes the same noir/expressionism visuals to an even higher level in The Third Man. The tunnel/sewer scene is one of the most thrilling and visually striking chase sequences in any film. It is impossible to talk about Reed without bringing up his signature shot. I think it is fair to say Carol Reed is the King of Canted/Dutch Angles. He uses them in his Noir Trilogy to great effect. Aside from the obvious aesthetic value, they often serve narrative and character purposes as they help to capture the murky and often amoral world the films are set in and the confusion they often cause
Our Man in Havana (1959) is set up as a classic Cold War Spy Film but contains subtle satire using Alec Guinness as a sort of antithesis James Bond as he is about as unspectacular as you can get. The on site shooting adds to the authenticity of the film as it captures its vibrancy and makes use of the switch to 2.35 aspect ratio
National identity and foreign politics are a theme of several of the films covered in the Study. The best example would be Joseph Cotten as Holly Martins, the American trying to make sense of the unexpected information he learns while in a country he has never been to. Night Train to Munich is set in the world of national politics in Europe during WW2. The Fallen Idol is set in an embassy and Our Man in Havana focuses on a British citizen living in Cuba while reluctantly agreeing to work for the British Government for a price
The Running Man is clearly the weakest film of the Study but still worthy of a viewing with a masterful set up which maximizes the suspense and intrigue of the narrative. However, despite the skillful set up, the film does lag in the middle section and overcompensate with a rapid series of events in the final 15 or so minutes. The acting was fine, but the characters were not particularly well written or very interesting
Final Ranking and Grades:
# 1 The Third Man (1949) – MP
# 2 The Fallen Idol (1948) – MS
# 3 Odd Man Out (1947) – MS
# 4 Our Man in Havana (1959) – HR
# 5 Night Train to Munich (1940) – HR
# 6 Oliver! (1968) – HR/R
# 7 The Running Man (1963) – R
@James Trapp-Have you done a Rainer Werner Fassbinder study?
@Malith – not yet, it is on the short list. I am doing Henri-Georges Clouzot next, it will be another short study, probably 6 or 7 films max. But I will definitely get to him in the next few months
@James – Awesome study. Reed has a few other interesting looking films I might watch one day. I’ve only caught the top three so far (The Third Man is borderline top 10 of all time for me) and I will try and watch Havana and Munich this year.
@Harry – thank you, agreed on The Third Man, it is a flawless Masterpiece and could reasonably argued as a top 10 film
Oliver! (1968)
Notes:
I watched without doing the line notes
Thoughts:
I actually saw this once before a few years ago for a Movie Club I do with my family. Even though I approached this as a Carol Reed Study, I was especially interested in his Noirs and Mystery Films. This is obviously quite a different type of film, but I enjoyed the first time and was intrigued for another viewing, I just decided to skip the usual line notes
In all my Director Studies I have only viewed a small handful of musicals, and while they still not amongst my favorite types of films generally speaking, I have warmed up to them. The incredible energy they can create is quite special; it is what Paul McCartney refers to as “the power of music”
As I stated for The Running Man, I love when auteurs treat the opening credits as more than just perfunctory. The film opens with magnificent sepia drawings of the hectic London Streets. The drawings are courtesy of artist Graham Barkley. I love the way the sepia drawings of the opening credits transition to a shot of real life boys working inside Orphanage
The iconic “please sir, I want some more” is well done with a low angle shot of Bumble. The film uses high and low angle shots frequently when Oliver is on screen showing the dynamics of his relationship with adults
Verdict: HR/R
@James Trapp-Oliver Reed is Carol Reed’s brother’s son. I think this was his breakthrough after acting in films for almost a decade by this point.
The Running Man (1963)
Notes:
Opens with graphics similar to Sergio Leone’s in Fistful of Dollars (1964). Here blue and green and red silhouette images of people running over a black screen as well as over solid green, solid blue, and solid red
Following the opening credits is a ceremony following the funeral of Rex with his wife Stella (played by Lee Remick)
5:45 Rex (played by Laurence Harvey) is revealed to be alive
17:54 Rex learns his insurance lapsed by 2 days so his claim for his crashed plane is rejected by the insurance company
23:57 telescope POV shot following staged plane crash
32:13 dolly in
43 Alan Bates as Stephen Maddox, the man who interviewed her after about her insurance policy
48:18 high angle shot with semi-circle frame
50:45 rising tension between Rex and Stella
51:49 Maddox notices Rex and appears to be on to him and engages in verbal sparring
57:08 Stella, wearing a pink dress dancing with Maddox
1:02:41 camera tilting back and forth as they are in the water at the beach
1:15:45 Stella and Maddox start to become intimate followed by a dissolve to Rex trying to insurance expensive earrings; these two scenes are emblematic of the love triangle going on as Maddox actually wants to spend time with and be emotionally intimate with Stella while Rex has become increasingly emotionally distant and more concerned with money
1:20:50 Maddox accidentally calls Rex by his actual name instead of his assumed name Jim; this greatly concerns
1:28:36 car chase along mountain road overlooking a cliff
The final 15 minutes are hectic as events move rapidly including a mountain side chase scene, a stolen plane, a plane crash, and revelation regarding the fate of one of the main characters
Thoughts:
A clear step down from his other work but still an enjoyable film. It is a thriller that is not exactly a mystery or film noir but has Hitchcockian levels of suspense. The foundation of the suspense comes in the form of the insurance agent, Maddox discovering the truth about Rex and Stella who perpetrated insurance fraud. There is even the question of whether Maddox is aware of this the entire time and is simply playing cat and mouse
Similar to other Reed films covered in the Study, you have characters outside of their homeland. Here you have a British couple living in Spain after committing insurance fraud
I love when auteurs treat the opening credits as more than just perfunctory, here you have some opening credits reminding me of Iginio Lardani’s iconic opening credits for Sergio Leones Dollars Trilogy
This is the first film of the Study that is in color although there are not many breathtaking images. Reed does not use his patented canted angle shots
There is an excellent car chase sequence near the end, which involves two vehicles driving recklessly along a dangerous road which overlooks a cliff, and this is not even the wildest event in the last 15 minutes as that would be a stolen plane and plane crash
Verdict: R
Our Man in Havana (1959)
Notes:
Alec Guinness as Jim Wormold
Jo Morrow as his daughter, Milly Wormold
Burl Ives as Dr Hasselbacher
Opens with shot of woman in rooftop swimming pool overlooking downtown Havana near the ocean with traditional Cuban music playing
5:05 Dr Hasselbacher in a street in Havana full of stores and markets
9:00 Hasselbacher and Jim talking in bar on busy street
10:33 frame in frames via doorways and windows
11:17 Jim’s daughter Jo greets him
11:36 dissolve to horse that Jo has purchased
13:07 frame in frame with depth of field
15:17 “we need our man in Havana” Hawthorne (played by Noël Coward) approaches Jim, the vacuum cleaner salesman, to ask if he will serve the British Government’s Intelligence Agency
17:44 low angle two shot of the father and his daughter
20:02 frame in frame via window/door
23:30 Hawthorne and his superior talk about likelihood of their plan working
25:20 Jim walks around expensive Country Club of which he is now a member, it includes horse riding for his daughter
26:53 crisp black and white photography
30:27 split frame with Jim on far right typing and his character is actually in a different location than the men shown on the left side of the frame
31:28 another split screen only with Jim on left side
31:58 initially appears to be another split screen but is not, and is instead frame in frames
32:12 shadows creating composition
32:50 actual vacuum cleaning in foreground with Jim and his daughter talking
33:30 great use of canted/Dutch angle in shot of street, followed by cut to a shot of Jim arriving at Doctor’s apartment which has been damaged and in disarray
34:55 Jim framed within a frame created by object
38:12 great composition in packed night club semi-circle shaped ceiling and characters in several depths of field as Jim takes daughter out of birthday. The doctor is out with them
40:30 nice foreground/background work in this composition at nightclub
40:36 Maureen O’Hara as Beatrice Severn pours drink on Captain Segura (played by Ernie Kovacs)
44:40 Jim hires Beatrice to work for him and looks over the information on his “agents”
51:28 Jim making up information on the fly
56:43 canted angle shot of Milly waking up in the middle of the night and a series of shots with canted angles and shadows in mise en scene
57:24 Milly upset upon learning of another death, Beatrice standing off in the shadows
1:05:48 Doctor questions Jim about his fake contacts
1:11:48 Jim learns his fiction is becoming reality
1:17:54 tracking shot of plate handed down the table
1:19:52 Jim gives speech at convention trying to gain information
1:23:35 close up on gun on waist
1:25:01 Jim confesses to Beatrice that it is all a fake
1:26:11 cut to canted angle POV from Jim’s perspective
1:28:42 chess with mini bar bottles
1:35:05 slightly canted angle at club
1:38:21 camera tilting back and forth as a still drunk Captain Segura stumbles away
1:39:39 funeral near the end of the film
The film ends with Jim continuing the story when speaking to British Government Officials
Thoughts:
Another film based on a Graham Greene novel. Apparently, Hitchcock wanted to direct this film but did not think the cost for the rights to the film was reasonable. And just like with Night Train to Munich (1940) the film is very Hitchcockian with an average man getting into a crazy situation
This is a highly enjoyable film paced similar to Reed’s other films of this Study. The film has humor although it is more the absurdity of the situation than something that you will be laughing intensely at. Part of this comes through Alex Guinness as the inept and reluctant spy; James Bond he is not. The film also works as satire, though more subtle satire than say Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove (1964)
The 2.35 to 1 aspect ratio stands out as all of his prior films covered in Study have 1.37 to 1 and Night Train to Munich with 1.33 to 1 or 1.37 to 1. There are a number of split screen shots during a one montage although it is not a 50/50 split like a De Palma but more like a 66/33 split with Jim on the smaller section of the frame typing up his fictional story
Reed shot the exterior scenes in the film in Cuba, capturing the vibrancy of the streets with shops, hotels, bars, packed streets, and nightclubs dance clubs. I like the opening shot of a rooftop swimming pool with an attractive woman in it. The crisp black and white photography of Havana is gorgeous at times
Reed uses canted angles to capture the unstable world of espionage. They are also used when characters have been drinking heavily or are otherwise out of control
Alec Guinness does solid work as the lead Jim Wormold. Jo Morrow, as his daughter, Milly Wormold, not so much. Graham Greene stated that Jo Morrow’s performance ruined the film. It is not a great performance but certainly does not ruin the film.
Verdict: HR
The Third Man (1949)
Notes:
Joseph Cotten as Holly Martins
Orson Welles as Harry Lime
Alida Valli as Anna Schmidt
Trevor Howard as Major Calloway
Opens with Anton Karas zither score and voice over narrator (Carol Reed himself) talking about Post WW2 Vienna and the split into 4 sections: French, Russian, British, and American, all with various criminal rackets overshadow the City’s Golden Age of art and culture
3:44 grandeur of the city noticeable as Holly Martins, played by Joseph Cotten, arrives by train
4:08 first use of Dutch Angle/Canted Angle shot creating a noticeable distorted POV from the perspective of Holly Martins
5:10 Trevor Howard as Major Calloway appears and shortly after Alida Valli as Anna Schmidt, they both are at the funeral for Harry Lime (Orson Welles)
7:19 Anna walking down narrow road leading from funeral location
8:25 Calloway tells a disbelieving Holly Martins that Lime was a racketeer and all around bad guy
9:09 “he’s only a scribbler with too much drink in him”
17:47 canted angle of play including Anna as an actress on the stage
21:38 zither crescendo at the mention of Harry Lime’s death not being an accident
22:10 canted angle shot of Martins, Anna, and another man who Martin attempts to abstract information from
24:33 cityscape jagged shapes
25:37 low canted angle shot from kid’s POV
28:15 slow camera push in on police confiscating items in Anna’s room looking for evidence
31:57 window creating frame in frame
38:38 police officers in canted low angle shot walking through doorway
42:11 high angle long shot of the 4 meeting on the bridge
42:50 zither crescendo signifying danger
47:38 character blocking creates claustrophobic atmosphere as group is suspicious of Holly, leading to a sort of chase sequence as Holly and Anna end up in theatre
48:18 jagged concrete steps with Anna and Martins running away
48:24 group following Anna and Martins in background of the frame dressed in black
52:37 canted angle shot with Holly in the background taking questions in Q&A with audience
53:44 extreme low angle shot of narrow and winding staircase as chase continues
54:32 silhouette imagery and deep focus as Holly runs through tunnel
55:44 Calloway orders the Harry Lime file to show Holly Martins
57:01 evidence show begins, convincing Martins
58:05 dissolve of a defeated looking Martins
59:07 disorienting image from Martin’s POV after getting drunk at bar with canted angle shots
59:55 Martin’s shows up to Anna’s apartment with flowers
1:01:27 camera moves to high angle shot with a man in moving from the courtyard to shadows
1:04:20 close up shots on faces of Martins then Anna in highly emotional situation
1:05:15 canted angle shot of man in shadow
1:05:38 Harry Lime’s 1st appearance as light from apartment makes him visible followed by camera push in on Lime followed by iconic eyebrow raise from Orson Welles
1:07:49 Calloway realizes Lime escaped using tunnel system
1:10:30 Anna’s face in profile as she lies on bed
1:15:23 low angle shot of Martin in midground and Ferris Wheel in background
1:16:10 Harry Lime showing up in black clothes
1:16:27 frame in frame of Ferris Wheel
1:17:07 Lime in profile deep in thought inside Ferris Wheel
1:18:27 Lime dismisses his victims as insignificant “dots” as POV shot from top of Ferris Wheel
1:19:21 medium close up shot of Limes as he is told that his “grave” as dug up
1:21:11 “Cuckoo clock” reference
1:28:40 creative use of framing as Calloway takes Martin to a hospital to see some of the horrors caused by Harry Lime’s actions, which convinces Martin to work with him
1:29:57 montage of police team in various positions for sting on Harry Lime
1:30:42 large shadow as suspense builds
1:32:50 Lime emerges from the deep background of the frame
1:33:24 Harry shows up only to be tipped off by Anna that the police have set up a trap leading to a chase sequence
1:34:10 the police and Martin move through a narrow claustrophobic tunnel entrance
1:34:15 shadow of Lime on walls of sewer as police begin chasing Lime through the tunnels
1:36:07 shot from Harry POV inside tunnel followed with series of quick cuts
1:37:07 deep focus and silhouette used in tunnel
1:38:02 split frame with Lime in foreground and out of sight from characters on other side
1:38:43 fast cuts from Harry POV of several dark passages, Harry realizes the walls are closing in on him so to speak and for the first time in the film he looks trapped and helpless
1:39:40 overhead shot of Welles struggling toward the exit after being shot
1:41:29 silhouette image of Martins in deep focus following Harry Limes shot to death off screen
The film ends with Anna walking down the road and past Holly Martins
Thoughts:
This is one of the greatest films ever made. For me it is the best film of the 1940s aside from Citizen Kane (1941). It works on every level as a great mystery/thriller with stunning visuals, a unique score, and impeccable performances. I watched it in incredible 4K quality, and it was glorious. This is a perfect film, there is literally not a single thing I would change
The brilliant visuals are rooted in German Expressionism as Reed uses high contrast lighting, shadows, distorted angles, silhouette imagery, and chiaroscuro lighting
Rarely is the label of “location as character” more apt than it is with Vienna in this film. The film opens with narration (by Carol Reed himself) on the current state of the war torn city which has been split into 4 factions. The crumbling architecture shown throughout the city speaks to the extent of its ruin. The use of wide-angle lens contributes to the visual distortion of the city. Odd Man Out (1947) used the City the film was set in and turned it into a sort of maze the protagonist had to weave through. Postwar Vienna is full of bombed out buildings, disjointed concrete steps, and complex sewer systems. It is hard not to think about The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) regarding the jagged cityscape. The majority of the film was shot in Vienna, creating an added level of authenticity to the visuals
This film might possess the best use of Dutch/Canted angle shots. Aside from possessing aesthetic intrigue, they serve narrative and character purpose as well. The first canted angle is used about 4 minutes into the film when Holly Martins enters the hotel where he expects to see Harry only to learn Harry is not around. From that point on Holly Martins is constantly trying to figure out what is going on around him, who to trust, what to believe, and he is always travelling to locations he has never been. The canted angles accentuate his constant state of disorientation and the aforementioned maze like atmosphere of the location
The first appearance of Harry Lime could not be more symbolically appropriate as he is briefly shown standing in a dark alley with no one else in the street. His next appearance is the iconic Ferris wheel scene, where he and Holly Martin are in an overwise abandoned looking ghost town
The frantic camera movements in the chase sequences are extremely effective in placing the viewer into the film. Chase scenes have become cliché over the years, but the one near the end is one of the very best. Who would have thought shots of sewers could be this gorgeous?
Considering the visual strength of Odd Man Out (1947) and The Fallen Idol (1948) I am more convinced than ever that Orson Welles did not secretly direct the film, not that I ever really believed that theory but still
Orson Welles with an all-time great minute for minute performance. He only has approximately 10 minutes of actual screen time and he makes every second count. It is at the same level as Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now (1979). And similar to that film, there is so much built up to the character’s first appearance that anything other than an immaculate performance would feel like a letdown. I do think highly of Orson Welles as an actor. I am not sure he has a ton of range, but he is exceptional at playing powerful, charismatic characters. He is so charming here despite playing such an amoral criminal
This film contains several iconically great moments; Orson Welles entrance, the Ferris Wheel set piece, the tunnel chase, and the final shot of Anna walking down the street and essentially shunning Holly Martins. The Ferris Wheel scene with Harry Lime referring to human beings as “dots” and giving the Cuckoo Clock speech. The final sewer chase is incredible with every expressionism stylistic element; high contrast lighting with shadows and silhouette, canted angles, fast cuts and changes of POV
The pacing of the film is crucial as it never lags for even a short stretch. This despite the fact that Orson Welles does not make his first appearance as Harry Lime until almost 2/3 into the film. The basic narrative is set up effectively in the first 9 minutes. After a rapid fire combination of a voice over narrator and montage on the current day Vienna, Holly Martins discovers his friend Harry Lime has “died in an accident” Martins goes to the first funeral of the film then goes for a drink with Major Calloway who tells Martins that Lime was actually a terrible human being leading an angry and disbelieving Martins to vow to prove Calloway wrong. All this before the 10 minute mark. And from here the tension and intrigue builds. It is approximately halfway through the film when Martins is shown evidence and convinced that his old friends actually is the amoral criminal that Martins initially refused to believe
There are great formal touches in the story such as bookending the film with both of Harry Lime’s funerals; the fake on in the opening and the real one at the end. There is a great chase sequence that occurs almost exactly halfway through the film and of course the one at the end
Verdict: MP (all timer somewhere in my top 20)
Fallen Idol (1948)
Notes:
Opens with a shot of a young boy named Philippe framed within balustrades of a staircase and cuts to a POV shot from young boy’s perspective showing a high angle shot of the checkered floor. The young boy is the son of an ambassador of a French-speaking European country
2:38 Ralph Richardson as Baines, a butler working at the embassy who Philippe adores
3:03 Baines playful behavior around Philippe set to whimsical score
3:50 a high angle shot from Philippe’s POV as his father leaves for the weekend
4:34 McGregor is Philippe’s pet snake
5:22 Mrs. Baines, first appearance is as a shadow and is heard off screen, an unhappy marriage
6:08 Baines wife Mrs. Baines is strict, and Philippe does not like her
10:30 Baines and his wife in a two-shot positioned perpendicular to each other
11:29 Philippe is sent to his room for disrespecting Mrs. Baines, his room is large with toys, but he is a lonely child
12:40 Philippe POV shot identical to opening but without any people
13:01 low angle shot of exterior apartment building as Philippe sneaks off
14:10 Philippe sees Baines with another woman named Julie
19:12 Julie walks out as she is upset that she thinks it won’t work out with the married Baines
22:54 Philippe returns his pet snake
22:58 frame in frame with doorway
24:29 low canted angle shot; Mrs. Baines sees Philippe in potentially dangerous situation on stairs
27:23 high angle shot of Baines and his wife arguing
29:26 Mrs. Baines discovers secret after Philippe accidentally slips information
30:17 high angle shot from Philippe POV
31:08 frame in frames via doorway
32:27 moving POV from Philippe with frame in frames via doorway
33:00 cut to shot of Lion through Philippe’s POV as camera pushes out revealing they are at the zoo
41:26 Philippe speaks with Julie at the ambassy
43:50 canted angle shot of Philippe, Bains, and Julie
44:06 hide and seek scene begins
44:12 split frame with characters in different depths of field
45:20 Baines and Julie embrace in the dark room
44:37 light switch flickers on and off during high angle shot of Philippe running during hide and seek
45:42 over the shoulder shot from Philippe POV of Mrs. Baines in background, startling Philippe. This shot uses frames in frames and canted angle
46:17 close up shot of Mrs. Baines face as she stands over Philippe in a nightmare like sequence
47:15 patterned shadow
47:43 balustrades in foreground creates frame in frame of Baines looking trapped in a cage
48:24 high angle POV of Baines and wife fighting after Philippe reveals her presence
49:52 frame in frame with window showing Mrs. Baines after accidently falling downstairs but to Philippe it looks like Baines pushed his wife down the stairs and killed her
51:07 a scared Philippe running through streets with semi-circle framing from underpass
51:51 low angle shot of police officer who looks intimidating to Philippe initially
52:54 Philippe taken into police station
58:33 low angle shot from Philippe POV of Baines
1:01:54 Baines and Philippe
1:07:00 high angle shot of the Embassy lobby with Baines positioned in midground and London Yard officers scattered throughout frame
1:07:05 low angle shot of 5 London Yard Officers and a cut to Baines standing off to the side
1:17:04 low angle shot of Inspector from Philippe’s POV
1:22:10 Inspector picks apart Baines story
1:28:21 character blocking with Inspectors that frames Baines in the background with dark colored clothing, the inspectors are wearing lighting shade of clothing which adds to the contrast
1:29:23 low angle shot of Philippe and Baines in doorway frame
1:30:30 Baines positioned near wall creating claustrophobic atmosphere as Baines seems on the verge of being detained
The film ends with police clearing Baines
Thoughts:
This film stood out to me when I first watched it years ago because of the way it tells the story through the perspective of a child. The child who is named Philippe is a seven year old boy who is quite lonely which is why he develops a father/son type of relationship with the Butler who is named Baines
The film is set primarily in the French embassy on Belgrave Square in London. The set piece is effective as the embassy is shot through the perspective of a child. The use of long shots and high angle shots inside the interiors magnifies the vastness of the embassy interiors including negative space which emphasizes the loneliness of the child. Several of the long shots are scenes where Philippe is watching Baines from a distance. There are frequent canted angle shots, especially from Philippe’s POV signifying his distorted view of the world due to his age. Like most children, he simply believes what he is told by adults, but this becomes increasingly complicated as the story progresses
High and low angle shots are used consistently throughout the film and in many cases are used to contrast the relationship between two characters. The mean and intimidating Mrs. Baines is often shown in low angle shots including a particularly sinister low angle close up shot of her face as she stands over Philippe’s bed in one of the scenes
Baines and his wife are in a loveless marriage. This is evident by they are positioned when they share the screen. They are often shot in overhead or high angle shots with them facing away from each other or having considerable distance between them
The hide and seek scene with Philippe, Julie, and Baines around the 42 min mark uses canted angles in a playful manner as the three of them have a fun time which is a clear contrast to the sequences with Philippe, Baines, and Mrs. Baines earlier in the film
The sequence featuring Philippe running through the cobblestone streets at night to the police station uses some classic noir/expressionism with shadows and silhouette. There is also a Welles style low angle shot when a frightened Philippe sees a police officer who he initially views as intimidating until the officer shows a friendly nature
During the final 30 minutes there are a few great uses of blocking where Baines is framed via the surrounding Scotland Yard officers, adding to tension as they point out inconsistencies in his story
Ralph Richardson as Baines is tremendous and is a nuanced character. He has a charming and amiable nature toward Philippe. He is also a weak and easily dominated by his wife (played by Sonia Dresdel in a solid performance). He tells Philippe stories that are later revealed to be false which surprises Philippe. The relationship between these two is the heart of the film
The first hour was stronger than the final 30 minutes. Despite being around 95 minutes the film paces itself effectively as it builds the characters and relationship between Philippe and Baines. The last 15 minutes feel a bit anti-climactic but certainly does not do too much damage as this is a brilliant film
Verdict: MS
I meant to include:
The high contrast lighting is used magnificently during the hide and seek sequences. One of the best shots occurs a couple of minutes after this when Philippe is terrified that he saw a ghost which is revealed to be Mrs. Baines. This shot at 45:42 is an over the shoulder shot from Philippe POV from an elevated position with Mrs. Baines in the deep background in a frame in frame. The film uses windows and doorways to create frame in frames. There is deep focus used in some of the standout shots of the embassy’s interiors. The compositions are layered with details I did not notice initially
Odd Man Out (1947)
Notes:
James Mason as Johnny McQueen
Kathleen Ryan as Kathleen Sullivan
The film opens with an aerial shot over Belfast and River Lagan
2:50 low angle shot of huge clock tower
5 min a group of Irish Nationalist men and one woman sitting in an apartment unit
7:30 low angle shot of Johnny who is leader of crew and the woman is his girlfriend, Kathleen
11:03 shaky camera tilting back and forth from Johnny’s POV as he rides in the passenger seat of the car, he is disoriented
11:32 extreme low angle shot of building from Johnny POV as they prepare to enter the building which has intimidating presence
14:09 over the shoulder shot of disoriented Johnny standing on bank steps following robbery, leading to Johnny killing the armed guard
15:07 Johnny falls out of the getaway vehicle onto street
19:29 beautiful shot of light seeping into the prison like room Johnny is lying in
19:39 great use of shadow patterns as imagined police officer enters imagined prison cell
21:07 Superimposed image fades away as Johnny returns to reality
24:25 shot of narrow alley with police moving through
26:56 shot of Johnny covered by shadow with light over small part of his face
33:07 shadow on left side of frame followed by shots fired off camera as police kill two of the robbers from earlier
34:24 beautiful use of silhouette imagery and elongated shadow
39:13 low canted angle shot during police chase
39:24 standout use of shadow during chase sequence
39:33 high angles with police in deep background of the frame
50:00 low angle shot of Johnny listening to argument in the other room
53:44 horse carriage moving through the streets during rainy night
57:28 gun briefly visible during tense police search
58:44 police in low angle shot speaking to Kathleen
59:44 Kathleen staring in mirror as her grandmother lectures her following police leaving
1:08:28 bird cage discussion a bit too on the nose
1:18:04 snow falling at night
1:28:32 extreme close up on Johnny’s face after spilling his beer at the bar
1:28:38 camera push in on spilled beer followed by superimposed image of man in middle of frame, this is followed by several other similar images in this strange dream like scenario
1:29:07 Johnny yells loudly causing a scene and leading to a wild bar fight
1:37:49 paintings in mise en scene as eccentric artist prepares to paint a near death Johnny
1:38:30 shot of clock tower in background of frame
1:43:35 camera push in on a shaking Johnny
1:43:43 disorienting POV of Johnny as superimposed images of the paintings appears on the screen
1:49:47 another shot of clock tower in background
The film ends the only way it can, with Johnny and Kathleen getting killed trying to escape
Thoughts:
This is a terrific film noir that functions as an existential thriller set over a single night in Belfast, Northern Ireland
The film opens with a wide angle aerial shot of the River Lagan in Northern Ireland. The cityscape of Belfast serves as a crucial element of the story, certainly a prime example of location as character. The opening shot also gives the city a maze like atmosphere that becomes especially relevant once Johnny is hiding out following the robbery
The storyline is set up early on in this nearly 2 hour film. James Mason plays Johnny, a 20 something year old leader of a small group connected to a larger organization that is clearly intended to be the Irish Republican Army (IRA) although the organization is never actually mentioned by name. Johnny escaped from prison a few months prior and had been hiding out with a small group of IRA members and his girlfriend Kathleen. After a robbery in which a disoriented Johnny kills a police officer Johnny falls out of the getaway car and hides out in the outskirts of the city as he becomes the subject of a manhunt. This is all set up within the first 20 minutes
One of the film’s strengths is the marriage of style and narrative as you have an injured Johnny hiding out on the outskirts of town following the failed robbery. The city becomes a labyrinthine to the injured Johnny who suffers injuries including a gun wound that impact his mental state. This is where Reed makes great use of the classic noir visuals related to high contrast lighting with shadow, silhouette, chiaroscuro lighting, etc. A large percentage of the film is set in a dark cityscape including various street alleys during a rainy night. There is a chase sequence through narrow alleys where all you see are a line of shadows representing the officers
The film is disorienting especially when shown from Johnny’s POV even before he is shot. On the car ride to the robbery the camera tilts back and forth. The consistent use of low angle shots and canted angles enhances the disoriented atmosphere from the perspective of Johnny. There is a sequence where Johnny hallucinates after spilling his beer as the bubbles from the drink form images of people in Johnny’s life that he has wronged or failed in some way
There is a sense of impending doom present throughout the film. The odyssey of a dying man element reminded me of Johnny Depp’s character in Dead Man (1995) although they have overall very different films
There is a masterful chase sequence around 38 min featuring elongated shadows, silhouette figures, extreme angles, and deep focus
There are a number of shots of a clock tower throughout the film making it a motif related to the limited time that Johnny has left
Two minor complaints, one is with the score, it is upbeat in a number of sequences that do not seem to line up with the mood and atmosphere and other times something out of an action or adventure film. It is not a huge problem and only pertains to a few moments, but it stood out to me. The second involves a scene where the Father talks to Kathleen about a caged bird as a metaphor for Johnny’s nature, it is way too on the nose, a massive violation of the show don’t tell rule
This could go up to MP with further viewings
Verdict: MS
Night Train to Munich (1940)
Notes:
Film set in Czechoslovakia in March 1939, opens with aerial shot of factory building with mountains in the background of the frame and a slow push in
1:13 montage with Nazi’s including Hitler and swastikas
2:11 slow zoom out from factory to inside building
1:55 dissolve from map of Prague to location
3:11 POV from men inside building looking out at group of planes
7:15 Margaret Lockwood as Anna Bomasch
7:43 Paul Henreid as Capt. Karl Marsen
9:26 Anna and Marsen; they talk with barbed wire separating them inside concentration camp
11:14 Rex Harrison as Dickie Randall / Gus Bennett / Ulrich Herzog
12:50 great tracking shot following spotlight revealing prison escape via hole in barbed wire fence
19:01 nice use of shadow in profile shot of mysterious man in phone booth speaking to Anna
19:27 shadow in background while Anna speaks on phone
27:35 cut to small group traveling on boat through foggy night
32:44 venetian blind shadow pattern
36:13 venetian blind shadow pattern
43:27 Anna and her father speak about their predicament in hotel room
43:52 overhead shot from Anna’s POV looking out window
49:53 double profile shot of Anna and her father
50:25 slow zoom out from German newspaper stand
53:37 shot inside train with camera close to group of characters creating claustrophobic atmosphere
55:07 shot of exterior of the train as it stands to go through a tunnel
1:08:28 train car packed to brim with soldiers
1:19:44 amusing exchange between Anna and Rex Harrison character
1:25:35 low angle shot of car on dangerous country roads
1:27:43 Marden and other Nazi’s arrive
1:28:34 ski lift moving across while Nazi shoot at them
1:29:12 peep hole framing only with door handle shape
The last several minutes consist of an excellent ski lodge set piece including a shootout ski lift
Thoughts
The first Carol Reed film of the study is a highly enjoyable spy thriller. Charade (1963) has been jokingly called “the best Hitchcock movie Hitchcock never made”. This film feels like that, only to a lesser extent, in particular The Lady Vanishes (1938) from just two years prior, both films have a storyline revolving around wartime politics, involve a train set piece, and have Margaret Lockwood as the lead actress. Both films have Charters and Caldicott, cricket fanatics who first appeared in The Lady Vanishes. The film also ends with a great set piece that is very Hitchcockian
The film opens with an impressive aerial shot of a factory building with mountains in the background. I love how Reed uses miniatures
The film segues from a shot of a map to the location in a way similar to Casablanca (1942). And speaking of Casablanca we have Paul Henreid, only playing a Nazi rather than a resistance fighter
There is some great use of shadow in a couple of scenes including a mysterious man shot in profile inside a phone booth
There is a tremendous use of framing during the shoot out at the ski lodge including a shot Polanski peep hole shot only with a
When I watched films from this time period with this subject matter, that is related to WWII, it is sometimes lost on me that these films were made during the War as opposed to years later. Swastikas are present in mise en scene throughout the film. Seeing Swastikas even today is disturbing, so I cannot imagine how disturbing it would be when the Nazi’s were in power
An efficient 93 minutes with Reed getting straight to the story which follows with several twists and turns although not too difficult to follow
The tone and mood are not as dark as the subject matter and storyline would have you believe. It is not quite as humorous or charming as The Lady Vanishes (1938) but does have its moments
Verdict: HR
* There is a tremendous use of framing during the shoot out at the ski lodge including a Polanski peep hole shot only with a missing door handle
Outcast of the Islands , which ends Reed’s great period that includes 3rd Man, Fallen Idol and Odd Man Out, is easily better than any subsequent film by Reed, except perhaps Oliver.
My ranking of Reed`s films that I`ve seen:
1. The Third Man MP
2. Odd Man Out MS
3. The Fallen Idol HR
4. Night Train to Munich R/HR
5. Oliver! R
5 Best Performances
1. Mason- Odd Man Out
2. Valli. The Third Man
3. Cotten- The Third Man
4. Welles- The Third Man
5. Richardson- The Fallen Idol
I caught The Fallen Idol the other day and that’s another great indicator of Reed’s auteurship. It has the canted angles of The Third Man, and there is even a bit of von Sternberg in some of the POV frame obstructions which tie back to how Phile is never getting the whole truth of the situation. And then there is his run through the London streets at night at the midpoint – Reed casting another major European city in dark, noir-ish light. Very much enjoyed this one.
@Declan- great add here!
If Welles himself were the director of The Third Man, where do you think you’d place him? Anywhere in the top 5?
@Zane- that would feel about right- that would give him give four films in the top fifty of all-time.
This is an interesting question but it is false, Reed and Welles are very different.
I don’t remember Welles using the Dutch angle.
It’s just a rumor, which started as a joke.
Also if you have seen Odd man out you know that the genius behind the third man is Reed.
There is a very good article denying this, let me see if i find it.
The really worrying thing is how Reed did the third man and then fell off the cliff.
Failure to make an above-average movie is the mystery
@Aldo– I was just saying “what if” of course as a hypothetical. You’re right. The Third Man is clearly the work of Reed.
Welles used the Dutch angle more than a few times in Touch of Evil. I cannot recall if he used it in Citizen Kane, but something – probably Touch of Evil to be completely honest – makes me think he used it once or twice in that film.
He did use it in Citizen Kane, as you can see here: http://www.hollywoodlexicon.com/one/dutchangle.jpg
There are probably other examples you could find in the film as well.
The main problem there would be option paralysis. If The Third Man was a part of Welles’ directorial filmography, he would have not one, not two, not three, but FOUR superb choices for his second best film, the others being Touch of Evil, The Trial, and The Magnificent Ambersons, as I believe all four are on a similar level of quality.