Wed 27 Sep 2017
A TV Series Review: THE THIRD MAN “One Kind Word” (1959).
Posted by Steve under Reviews , TV Drama[9] Comments
THE THIRD MAN “One Kind Word.” BBC, UK, 02 October 1959 (episode 1, season 1). Syndicated, US, 03 September 59 (?). Michael Rennie, (Harry Lime), Rupert Davies (Inspector Shillings). Guest cast: Mai Zetterling, George Pastell, Eric Pohlmann. Based on characters in the novel The Third Man by Graham Greene and on the 1949 film of the same title starring Orson Welles. Director: Cliff Owen.
Before this TV series, there was also a spinoff on British radio called The Adventures of Harry Lime (broadcast in the US as The Lives of Harry Lime), also starring Orson Welles. Produced by Harry Alan Towers, it lasted for one season, 1951-52, and 52 episodes, most readily available to listen to today. Although well remembered by OTR fans, the television series lasted longer, from 1959 to 1965, for a total of 77 30 minute episodes.
The radio series took place before the film, but the TV series covered Harry Lime’s post-war activities, after (if I understand it correctly) he had become a legitimate import-export dealer in both London and New York. Most of this first episode, however, consists of a flashback to a time in Vienna just after the war, when Harry was still deeply involved in the underground and a huge assortment of black market activities there in the British zone.
Beginning in London several years after the war, this episode finds Harry being called to a hospital where a woman (Mai Zetterling) is near death after being rescued from the Thames River. It turns out that he had met her twice before, once during the war in Cairo, and the second time in Vienna immediately afterward, when she was involved in a smuggling operation she tried to lead Harry to and have him join up with them.
She obviously did not lead a happy life, and as the title of the episode suggests, one kind word at the right time, ibe hat she never received, may have made all the difference. This is a very moody piece, with lots of dark shadows, tight closeups and mysterious men hidden in doorways, some with guns.
Not to mention the trenchcoat Harry seems always to be wearing, and the inevitable zither music, always at the appropriate moment. Many of the 77 episodes are available on the collectors’ market, and if this one’s a good example, I’m going to see about obtaining them.
September 27th, 2017 at 1:11 pm
I watched several episodes on YouTube not long ago and did a blog post about them. Good stuff.
September 27th, 2017 at 2:56 pm
An entertaining series with Jonathan Harris (Dr. Smith of LOST IN SPACE) as Lime’s much harassed secretary, the series concentrated on the reformed hero’s inability to stay out of trouble, varying from espionage, to financial frauds, and more traditional crimes.
A note on the radio series, whose version of Harry was less than fully reformed, it also introduced in one episode Everett Sloane as the mysterious financier Gregor Arkadin, the title character of Orson Welles novel and film MR. ARKADIN, who also appeared with Harry, Modesty Blaise, and Arsene Lupin in my TALES OF THE SHADOWMEN story “The Children’s Crusade.”
September 27th, 2017 at 5:06 pm
It took a few episodes before Jonathan Harris showed up. I haven’t seen any of the ones he was in, but I can only imagine what a great pair he and Michael Rennie must have made.
September 28th, 2017 at 11:34 am
Here you go Steve…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dvVsJ_e12g
As for the radio series HARRY LIME, it featured Wells as Harry and remains one of radio’s best. Here is a random sample, Ticket To Tangier
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NgvBU2M4S0
September 28th, 2017 at 8:40 pm
Thanks, Michael. I’ve watched the first five minutes or so of the TV episode, and so far I have to say that I’m disappointed. They seem to have lost the sense of noir that was so prominent in the first episode, even to the extent of playing some scenes for laughs.
That doesn’t make it bad, just different, and maybe it improves as it goes along.
September 29th, 2017 at 12:01 pm
I liked the TV series but it was afraid of Harry being an anti-hero. The radio series was much better because Welles narrated it. Listening to a likable bad guy tell his story gave the series a more unique sense of entertainment – a light noir of a conman. The movie is a classic but I enjoy the radio series more due to its humor and fun in dark times featuring a dark lead character.
September 29th, 2017 at 1:55 pm
Perfectly stated, Michael, as usual.
January 2nd, 2020 at 3:38 pm
Around 25 or more episodes of The Third Man TV series were revived on BBC1 during 1988 in an 11pm slot and also on BBC2 during the Christmas and New Year period of 1989/90, then, sadly the series disappeared for good. How I wish the series could be shown again on the BBC, along with BBC’s other co-productions, such as RCMP and Zero One.
January 2nd, 2020 at 4:45 pm
There is a 2-DVD set of ten episodes offered for sale by Amazon in this country. I don’t know if more exist on the collectors’ market or not. Of 77 episodes spread over five seasons, only 10 is not very many.