Isn’t that sickening when that happens to a chap?

Having twigged MOJO 326’s Theories, Rants, Etc... film link as The Third Man – thankfully no inclusion of the “cuckoo clock” line, too obvious – I was sent back to a dusty old C90 bootleg I picked up at a Cambridge record fair back in the ’80s, upon which The Beatles are covering Anton Karas’s earworm theme to said film [AKA ‘The Harry Lime Theme’]. One thing led to another, and the rest of the evening was spent down a bootleg rabbit hole, unearthing all manner of nonsense. It brought back the subversive thrill of acquiring bootlegs, samizdat the record companies felt couldn’t be let loose on the public. Now that any note a band set to tape can be found on YouTube or deluxe reissues, how about an article on bootlegs? It would bring back that exhilaration of simultaneously unearthing a rare archaeological find and taking part in something a bit dodgy. Chris Rodden, Norwich …The last time I got this correct and you published my e-mail, the answer was Citizen Kane, starring Joseph Cotten. Blow me, I’ve only gone and got it again. The answer is probably one of the best British movies of all time, namely, The Third Man. Not only does it star Orson Welles, the main character is Holly Martins, played by, you’ve guessed it, Joseph Cotten. Nick, via e-mail