- Hardcover: 188 pages
- Publisher: William Heinemann Ltd; First edition (1950)
- Language English
- ASIN: B0019X04YY
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,134,531 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Third Man and the Fallen Idol
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Third Man, written originally as the outline for the screenplay of Carol Reed's famous 1949 film of the same name, is set in occupied Vienna just after World War II. The sectors established by the conquering British, Americans, French, and Russians contribute to an atmosphere of tension and mystery, and an almost palpable aura of menace as residents and visitors alike must deal with four different governments, four sets of officials, and four collections of laws as they move throughout the city.
Rollo Martins, an author of cowboy novels, arrives in Vienna to visit an old school friend, Harry Lime, only to find that he has arrived on the day of Lime's funeral. Investigating Lime's death, Martins learns that a neighbor saw the traffic accident that killed Lime and observed three men carrying Lime's body from the scene. Only two of those men have been identified--the third man has vanished.
As Martins investigates Lime's death, the novel is by turns exciting and darkly humorous, intensely visual in its descriptions and action, but lacking the characterization and thematic focus which one associates with most of Greene's work. The novella is full of wit and dark theatrics, and includes everything from a chase through the sewers to a love story.
The Fallen Idol, sometimes known as "The Basement Room," is, by contrast, a psychological, rather than plot-based story. Nine-year-old Philip, who idolizes the family's butler Baines, since his parents pay little attention to him, is left with Baines and his wife while the parents go on vacation. Baines is having an affair, and Philip innocently discloses this to his wife.
The resulting confrontation results in an accident in which the wife ends up dead, and Philip, panicked, runs out, only to be picked up by a policeman, to whom another naive remark conveys the idea that Baines has murdered her. Irony and a delightfully drawn child's point of view (unusual for Greene) make The Fallen Idol one of Greene's more interesting and twisted stories.
Both The Third Man and The Fallen Idol led to film collaborations between Greene and director Carol Reed--The Fallen Idol in 1948, and Reed's more famous film of The Third Man in 1949. Dark humor, elaborate ironies, and surprising twists characterize both stories and show Greene to be a master manipulator of perceptions. Mary Whipple
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
As Mr Greene said this was 'never written to be read but only to be seen' so for once no one has to apologise about having seen the classic film first!
Inevitably, the book is virtually a screenplay and other reviewers have covered the story excellently.
For interest, Martins and Lime are English in the book, Martins pretty much 'executes' Lime in the sewer and he also get's the girl. I also assume that Lime was the 'Third Man' at the scene of his own mock accidental death - unless someone knows differently.
When younger I always thought the sewer scene and the music were most memorable but on reading the novel the significance of Lime's prescient speech on the Ferris Wheel comes to the fore.
Only 98 pages, and hence sold with 'The Fallen Idol', the Third Man is a stunning, short, sharp, smack in the face of a read.
Inevitably, the book is virtually a screenplay and other reviewers have covered the story excellently.
For interest, Martins and Lime are English in the book, Martins pretty much 'executes' Lime in the sewer and he also get's the girl. I also assume that Lime was the 'Third Man' at the scene of his own mock accidental death - unless someone knows differently.
When younger I always thought the sewer scene and the music were most memorable but on reading the novel the significance of Lime's prescient speech on the Ferris Wheel comes to the fore.
Only 98 pages, and hence sold with 'The Fallen Idol', the Third Man is a stunning, short, sharp, smack in the face of a read.
Format:Paperback
I just bought this book while in a short stay in Vienna. It was very funny to buy it in a bookshop in Kartner Strasse and later, following the book visit the close by Sacher (plenty of sweet turist, though), the Prater and other locations cited or described in the book. The atmostphere now is quite different from the described in the book, but one only must get away from the city center, or visit some post-war memorials to see more resemblances with the ambient described in the book.
This is a book I enjoy a lot, thought it's very dificult to read it with an imagination as free as with other books, because the images and sounds from the film came continuosly over me.
The only little flaw it has, for my taste, anyway, are some details of the style, as when the narrator writes directly to the reader commenting one situation of the story. For all the rest a wonderful short story (well, two really, including The Fallen Idol)
This is a book I enjoy a lot, thought it's very dificult to read it with an imagination as free as with other books, because the images and sounds from the film came continuosly over me.
The only little flaw it has, for my taste, anyway, are some details of the style, as when the narrator writes directly to the reader commenting one situation of the story. For all the rest a wonderful short story (well, two really, including The Fallen Idol)
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Not As Good As the Film?!
According to Graham Greene himself in the preface to the Third Man he needed to write a story before he was able to produce a screenplay. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Harry the book monkey
Not quite a novel
Unusually I guess, I have not seen the film but having read, and enjoyed a fair bit of Greene I thought I would give this a go. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Alexis Paladin
Quite gripping short story, but lacks impact of the film
A gripping story which was actually written purely so that the author could then write the film screenplay from it, so this is in effect a first draft of the film script. Read more
Published on 19 Mar 2010 by John Hopper
Perfection in a story
I don't like Graham Greene. All that Catholic guilt makes me depressed when I read most of his books. Read more
Published on 6 Dec 2008 by Martin Turner
Classic espionage
Mr Graham Greene’s short novel is set in Vienna just before the end of the Second World War. The city is described as “smashed and dreary” and when the action... Read more
Published on 24 Mar 2004 by HORAK
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