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The Third Man (1949)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
3 September 1949 (UK) moreTagline:
Carol Reed's Classic Thriller morePlot:
Arriving in Vienna, Holly Martins learns that his friend Harry Lime, who has invited him, recently died in a car accident. full summary | full synopsisAwards:
Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations moreNewsDesk:
(5 articles)
From 1922-1979: Get Your Film School Starter Pack Now (From Rope Of Silicon. 23 November 2008, 10:07 PM, PST)
Criterion Collection's First Blu-ray Release Dates Announced
(From Rope Of Silicon. 18 August 2008, 1:19 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
Astounding Visuals Make It A Treasure moreUS TV Schedule:
| Wed. Dec. 17 | 12:00 AM | TCM |
Cast
(Complete credited cast) | Joseph Cotten | ... | Holly Martins |
| Alida Valli | ... | Anna Schmidt (as Valli) |
 | Orson Welles | ... | Harry Lime |
| Trevor Howard | ... | Major Calloway |
| Bernard Lee | ... | Sergeant Paine |
| Paul Hörbiger | ... | Harry's Porter (as Paul Hoerbiger) |
| Ernst Deutsch | ... | 'Baron' Kurtz |
| Siegfried Breuer | ... | Popescu |
| Erich Ponto | ... | Dr. Winkel |
| Wilfrid Hyde-White | ... | Crabbin |
| Hedwig Bleibtreu | ... | Anna's Old Landlady |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
104 min | USA:93 minCountry:
UKColor:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 moreSound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)Certification:
Iceland:12 | Netherlands:6 (DVD rating) | South Korea:15 (2003) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:11 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #14125) | West Germany:12 | New Zealand:GMOVIEmeter: 
5% since last week
why?
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Orson Welles starred in a radio series ("The Lives of Harry Lime," 1951-52) based on the early adventures of his character in this film. moreGoofs:
Revealing mistakes: When Martins arrives at the funeral and ask Major Calloway whose funeral this is, a black tombstone is seen behind Martins. When he walks toward the grave and stands by Anna, the same tombstone is seen behind her. This occurred because those scenes were both filmed, not on location, but later in Shepperton studio where only a handful fake tombstones were available. moreSoundtrack:
The Third Man Theme moreFAQ
A NOTE REGARDING SPOILERSIs "The Third Man" based on a novel?
Who was the third man?
more
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Story - pretty good.
Cinematographry - amazing!
If you want to enjoy the camera-work, please see this on the Criterion DVD. That's not a plug for the company. It's just that no one else has ever offered a cleaner version of this film. After suffering for years with lousy VHS transfers of this gem, it was nice to see it given justice.
To me, the visuals here make this DVD worth owning because the story is okay, but nothing super. To an average first-time viewer, the first hour of this film can drag. I found that to be the case on my first viewing, but the more I watch this, the better the story seems to have gotten for some reason. Despite his billing, Orson Welles has a small role in here. He doesn't even appear until after 65 of the film's 104 minutes have elapsed. Meanwhile, Joseph Cotten dominates the story, along with Alida Valli, sort of a poor man's Ingrid Bergman. Those two are okay but the story picks up dramatically after Wells finally appears.
In addition to the fabulous cinematography, an unique feature of this movie is the music, which is very strange for a film noir. It's lighthearted music from a zither, almost circus-like in its sound and melody....but I liked it. It helps make this movie different.
The visuals involve a lot of nighttime photography, lots of shadows and cobblestone streets. The tilted camera angles and the closeups - all traits of Wells the director, are here to enjoy