In 2012’s summer movie series, EPPC Resident Scholar James Bowman presented five films on the subject of loyalty and betrayal. Spanning nearly 60 years and made in a variety of styles with diverse purposes, all five movies may nevertheless be seen as engaging with E.M. Forster’s famous dictum: “If I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country” — words that have haunted the post-war Western world, both in and out of the movies.
The series took place on successive Wednesday evenings between June 20 and July 25, 2012 (except for the July 4 holiday) at Hudson Institute’s Washington headquarters. Each session began with a brief introduction, and each film was followed by a discussion with the audience and distinguished panelists.
The June 20, 2012 screening was The Third Man (1949), directed by Carol Reed, starring Orson Welles, Joseph Cotton, Trevor Howard, and Alida Valli.
