Harry Lime (Orson Welles) to Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) “Don’t be so gloomy. After all, it’s not that awful. Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love – they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock. So long Holly.”
I absolutely LOVE this film and have ever since I saw it during that Welles revival when A Touch of Evil was making the rounds with a few other films Welles either directed or starred in. I actually almost bought a used zither at a flea market in NYC just because of that score (but I’m glad I didn’t as I sure someone would have EL Kabonged me over the head with it for playing it until the wee hours, lol!)
I need to see it again! It’s been such a long while. There are so many incredible frames in The Third Man… You should have bought the zither! I have a concertina, but I can’t even squeeze out a few tones without the cats running for the hills! It’s never too late to take up an instrument! Teehee…
Love how Welles says cuckoo clock! Can’t think of another film that has such a lenghty buildup to the appearance of the main character.And Carol Reed was a superb versatile director.
Agreed. I love how the film builds up to Welles’ first appearance, and when it happens, it’s almost a shock. Time to see this again!