Texts are timeless even when referring to particular historical contexts as they offer reflections of the human nature and societies as they transcend time and place, by capturing the essence of the world we live in. The universal values that texts present regardless of their context are clearly portrayed in Carol Reed’s 1949 film ‘The Third Man’. Key notions explored through the film are; the transactional nature of human interactions, the complexity of friendship and loyalty and the ambiguous nature of morality. Reed portrays these through his stylistic use of the film noir techniques, chiaroscuro lighting and the musical instrument the zither to explore the human condition in Post- war Vienna.
If all human interactions are transactional, then any …show more content…
The film explores nihilistic ideas through the character of Harry Lime who it seems does not appreciate the value of human life. This is showcased in the Prater Ferris wheel speech, as he explain his actions to Holly Martins, Through an aerial shot looking down on the people in the amusement park Lime is given a sense of superiority and power. Lime’s views on human life are further amplified through the dialogue “would you feel pity if one of those dots stopped moving forever? . . . If I offered you 20,000 for every dot that stopped”. This shows how the post-war environment has influenced his character’s perspective, which can be viewed as moral elitism, as he rejects conventional morality. In the dialogue Lime justifies his actions as important because he believes it is only through strife and conflict that human greatness can be achieved. The audience is then presented with a character that is neither morally right nor wrong and this is symbolic of the human condition itself and showcases one’s moral compass alters in different
If all human interactions are transactional, then any …show more content…
The film explores nihilistic ideas through the character of Harry Lime who it seems does not appreciate the value of human life. This is showcased in the Prater Ferris wheel speech, as he explain his actions to Holly Martins, Through an aerial shot looking down on the people in the amusement park Lime is given a sense of superiority and power. Lime’s views on human life are further amplified through the dialogue “would you feel pity if one of those dots stopped moving forever? . . . If I offered you 20,000 for every dot that stopped”. This shows how the post-war environment has influenced his character’s perspective, which can be viewed as moral elitism, as he rejects conventional morality. In the dialogue Lime justifies his actions as important because he believes it is only through strife and conflict that human greatness can be achieved. The audience is then presented with a character that is neither morally right nor wrong and this is symbolic of the human condition itself and showcases one’s moral compass alters in different