Subject: _The Third Man_ : possible tie-in
From: wilson@iowasp.physics.uiowa.edu (Peter D. Wilson)
Date: 1990-10-04, 11:42
Newsgroups: alt.tv.twin-peaks

   It has been a few days since someone asked about the reference to the
   movie _The Third Man_.  I haven't seen anyone else post a description
   of the movie, so I thought I try.
   
(Spoilers for those who haven't seen the movie)

   At first, I thought the only tie was in the title.  However, after
   thinking about it, it seems that the similarities go much deeper.
   First of all, the movie is about the mysterious death of Harry Lime,
   played by Orson Welles.  Harry is dead at the start of the movie - he
   has been hit by a car.  The movie follows a friend of his who shows up
   the day of Harry's funeral after being summoned to Venice by Harry a
   few days earlier.
   
   This friend (I forgot his name) quickly learns from the police that
   Harry had been dealing on the black market (stealing penicilin,
   diluting it, and reselling it) but he is sure they are wrong - Harry
   was a very nice guy.  Even Harry's girlfriend doesn't believe the
   accusation (Harry had seeecrets).
   
   Through his own investigation, the friend finds someone who saw three
   men with the body after the car accident.  The problem is that the
   people who were with Harry at the time of the accident said there was
   only the two of them, ie the search for the THIRD man.
   
   Later, after leaving Harry's girlfriend's place, he sees a man standing
   in a dark doorway.  The friend realizes he's been followed and assumes
   it is a cop.  He then strikes up a one sided conversation with this
   man, trying to goad him into coming out of the darkness.  After a few
   minutes of shouting, a light is turned on in one of the apartments
   overlooking the street and the man in the doorway is revealed: Harry.
   [zither music jumps about 20 decibels]  Harry faked his own death.
   The light is turned off and Harry runs away.  The movie then goes on
   to chronicle a meeting with Harry and his eventual death.  (Great
   movie!)
   
   Personally, I think the tie in to Twin Peaks is solely in the title.
   However, if it does turn out that Laura is alive, this could be the
   source of David Lynch's inspiration.
   
-- Peter. wilson@iowasp.physics.uiowa.edu ********************************************************************* * "You don't need no crystal ball, Don't fall for a magic wand * * We humans got it all, we perform the miracles " * * - "Them Heavy People", Kate Bush * *********************************************************************