Record Details

Pragmatism, Love, and Morality: Triangular Reflections in Carol Reed's The Third Man

Labyrinth

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Title Pragmatism, Love, and Morality: Triangular Reflections in Carol Reed's The Third Man
 
Creator Calhoun, Laurie
 
Subject Philosophy, Cultural Studies, Film Theory
Carol Reed, pragmatism, love, morality, duty, justice, aesthetics
 
Description Carol Reed’s 1949 film The Third Man offers a richly metaphorical expression of the view that pragmatism, love, and morality are incommensurable perspectives from which to interpret the world. Harry Lime is a black market trader whose actions are constrained only by practical considerations. Anna Schmidt, Lime's former lover, understands what is morally wrong with what Lime does, but refuses to assist the police. In contrast, Holly Martins, an old friend from childhood, ultimately agrees to help trap Lime. These three protagonists occupy distinct conceptual worlds that color their interpretation of the others with whom they interact. In addition to illustrating the paradoxes of love and morality, The Third Man self-referentially expresses the idea that reality is far more complex than language could ever convey.
 
Publisher Axia Academic Publishers
 
Contributor
 
Date 2014-12-30
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

critical approach
 
Format application/pdf
 
Identifier http://www.axiapublishers.com/ojs/index.php/labyrinth/article/view/7
10.25180/lj.v16i2.7
 
Source Labyrinth; Vol 16, No 2 (2014): Ethik, Freiheit und Liebe; 117-128
1561-8927
2410-4817
10.25180/lj.v16i2
 
Language eng
 
Relation http://www.axiapublishers.com/ojs/index.php/labyrinth/article/view/7/7
 
Coverage
Contemporary Philosophy, Philosophy of the 20. and 21. Century
Continental Philosophy
 
Rights Copyright (c) 2014 Laurie Calhoun
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0