The Third Man (1949) - If one of those dots stopped moving forever

The Ferris wheel scene in the Orson Welles film noir classic set in postwar Vienna, "The Third Man." Wells is a cynical dealer of counterfeit drugs tells his pursuer to look down at the people below and says: "Victims? Don't be melodramatic.... Would you really feel any pity if one of those dots stopped moving forever?"

"No one thinks in terms of human beings".

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Nonprofits & Activism

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• The Third Man
• Vaccines
• Orson wells
• autism

[WSenator1]

Harry Lime's speech is one chilling speech. I think he'd be right at home in the 21st Century.

[McGrenzer]

@WSenator1 I'm afraid Harry Lime could make himself rich and comfortable in just about any century, Senator. He knows all the angles and feels no guilt for his actions.

[BM309K58SMERCH]

2:10 for the famous line.

[patiomkin2001]

@StapleTaper I also heard that, and it seems that you're right.

[StapleTaper]

Okay...important question. I keep hearing, "What can I do about it; I'm dead, honey. Holly..." He does say 'honey', right? I'm not just hoping he does?

[JustinThoj]

Something about Orson Welles' attitude in this scene that's so damn eye catching. Ever little movement, the way he talks, along with the camera work just makes his character so damn believable.

[DrCruel]

@tim60s321 Actually, for centuries the most lucrative export of Switzerland was mercenaries. Some of the most expert butchery amongst the Italian city states was done at the hands of these professional Swiss pikemen. They were the terror of the Condottieri, and Cesare Borgia was one of their most enthusiastic employers. The Valois kings of France rather fancied them too.

There were reasons why the other Europeans left Switzerland alone. Swiss pacifism wasn't one of them.

[CRFilmProduction]

I saw this in a revival theater showing and I remember him saying "you call then victims....I call them saps...suckers...." don't you just love eye witness testimony. :P

[tim60s321]

@Malaka57( I sent you a longer message.) As with most things, the history of the cuckoo clock is long and complex-it seems they were originally made in eastern Germany and only became a speciality of The Black Forest region in the 17th C And of course Switzerland is a great place for people and businesses to store money, avoid paying tax or to avoid the attention of people investigating criminality etc They do make excellent upmarket watches of the mechanical variety.

[Malaka57]

@tim60s321 Except for the fact that Switzerland did not produce cuckoo clocks :-) Those are from the Black Forest.... Switzerland made watches and still does... And the country is now home to most of the feudal corporations that run the planet.

[morgantown1]

Good fellows on the whole. Did their best, you know.