Tag: Orson Welles

Episode 55: The Third Man

The Third ManFor this week’s episode, we visit one of the great British noir films, The Third Man!

We highly recommend you watch the film before listening to the episode, because we spoil the heck out if it. The film is readily available on streaming on Netflix, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play, YouTube, and Amazon.

Please also join us again on February 21st, when we watch another WWII aftermath noir, Berlin Express!

The Third Man (1949)
The Third Man poster Rating: 8.1/10 (181,425 votes)
Director: Carol Reed
Writer: Graham Greene, Orson Welles, Alexander Korda
Stars: Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli
Runtime: 93 min
Rated: Approved
Genre: Film-Noir, Mystery, Thriller
Released: 01 Feb 1950
Plot: Pulp novelist Holly Martins travels to shadowy, postwar Vienna, only to find himself investigating the mysterious death of an old friend, Harry Lime.

Episode 1: Touch of Evil

Touch of EvilWelcome to the inaugural episode of Reel Education: Noir!

Like our parent podcast, A Reel Education, we strive to discuss individual movies in depth, usually with someone who has never seen the film before. But unlike our fellow podcast, we will focus exclusively on films noir. (Really, it’s all just a clever excuse for us to watch a lot of films noir.)

Since A Reel Education has already covered several of the basics like Sunset Boulevard and Double Indemnity, we have begun our dark odyssey with Orson Welles’ Touch of Evil.

If you are unfamiliar with the Reel Education structure, here’s the deal: we will first briefly discuss the film, then stop the podcast and watch it. (At this point, feel free to pause the podcast and watch the film yourself!) Then we return and discuss our reactions and some of the history behind the film.

We hope you enjoy our stroll down the dark alleys of film history! A Reel Education: Noir will post on the 7th and 21st of every month, so we will next see you on June 7th!

Touch of Evil (1958)
Touch of Evil poster Rating: 8.0/10 (109,827 votes)
Director: Orson Welles
Writer: Orson Welles, Whit Masterson, Franklin Coen
Stars: Charlton Heston, Orson Welles, Janet Leigh
Runtime: 95 min
Rated: PG-13
Genre: Crime, Drama, Film-Noir
Released: 23 Apr 1958
Plot: A stark, perverse story of murder, kidnapping and police corruption in a Mexican border town.