# Film version of "Our Man in Havana", Alec Guinness / Carol Reed **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 9, 2010, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-version-of-our-man-in-havana-alec-guinness-carol-reed/559979 "2010-11-09T00:34:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-version-of-our-man-in-havana-alec-guinness-carol-reed/559979/1 "2010-11-09T00:34:30Z")
When I first found out this film existed, it was unavailable- seemingly forgotten. About fifteen years ago I found a then newly released VHS boxed set of some of Alec Guinness’ work from the 50’s: _Kind Hearts and Coronets_ (1949), _The Lavender Hill Mob_, _The Man in the White Suit_, and _The Ladykillers_. The set was really low priced, and I was intrigued by the pairing of Guinness and Peter Sellers in _The Ladykillers_, so I bought it even though I had never seen any of the films. I loved all four of these right away. So, when I then found out that during the same era Alec Guinness starred in a film adaptation of _Our Man in Havana_, one of my all-time favorite novels, I was so excited to see it! And yet, unable to. I don’t know when it finally became available, but the release was _completely_ under the radar for me. Then, I saw it (without looking for it) in the DVD section at Fry’s\* last week! I wanted to reread the book before watching, so I’m just now sitting down to watch it for the very first time!!! Screenplay by Graham Greene, himself. Directed by Carol Reed, who so masterfully directed Greene’s _The Third Man_ Starring: Alec Guinness Burl Ives Maureen O’Hara Noel Coward Ernie Kovacs I am SO EXCITED TO WATCH THIS!!! \*thinking of starting another Thread giving credit to Fry’s for having what is actually a pretty damn good DVD section- and good prices. ---
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-version-of-our-man-in-havana-alec-guinness-carol-reed/559979/2 "2010-11-09T00:44:09Z")
One of my favorite movies… Report back after you’ve seen it!!! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-version-of-our-man-in-havana-alec-guinness-carol-reed/559979/3 "2010-11-10T03:10:50Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > When I first found out this film existed, it was unavailable- seemingly forgotten. > > About fifteen years ago I found a then newly released VHS boxed set of some of Alec Guinness’ work from the 50’s: _Kind Hearts and Coronets_ (1949), _The Lavender Hill Mob_, _The Man in the White Suit_, and _The Ladykillers_. The set was really low priced, and I was intrigued by the pairing of Guinness and Peter Sellers in _The Ladykillers_, so I bought it even though I had never seen any of the films. > > I loved all four of these right away. So, when I then found out that during the same era Alec Guinness starred in a film adaptation of _Our Man in Havana_, one of my all-time favorite novels, I was so excited to see it! > > And yet, unable to. > I don’t know when it finally became available, but the release was _completely_ under the radar for me. Then, I saw it (without looking for it) in the DVD section at Fry’s\* last week! > > I wanted to reread the book before watching, so I’m just now sitting down to watch it for the very first time!!! > Screenplay by Graham Greene, himself. > Directed by Carol Reed, who so masterfully directed Greene’s _The Third Man_ > Starring: > Alec Guinness > Burl Ives > Maureen O’Hara > Noel Coward > Ernie Kovacs > > I am SO EXCITED TO WATCH THIS!!! > > \*thinking of starting another Thread giving credit to Fry’s for having what is actually a pretty damn good DVD section- and good prices. Strange, I’ve seen this film on television at least three times. Last time was on TCM when Boorman’s"Tailor of Panama" was released in theatres. It is far from being an obscure film.