The settings and photography of this film are absolutely outstanding, Johnny's hiding place, Shell's odd room full of canaries, the elaborate Victorian tavern,the snow covering Johnny as he lies unconscious. I love the Third Man but this is by far my favorite Carol Reed production. It is slow and contemplative and transforms essential theological and philosophical concepts into visual media. It is strange and almost at times hallucinatory, but after all Johnny is often hallucinating in his pain and fever and this dreamlike quality is quite appropriate -- the slow thoughts of a man before he dies, as he tries to figure out what it was about and where he may be going. Reed does so much with film without dialog -- his close-ups of faces, his soft, dark streets and odd angles turn very difficult concepts and feelings into a visual masterpiece. I am always surprised to see how little commentary, what short shrift this excellent film is given
Review of Odd Man Out
