The Third Man (1949) - film review

An unemployed American writer, Holly Martins, arrives in Vienna after World War II at the invitation of a college friend, Harry Lime.  He immediately discovers that his friend was knocked down in a road accident.  When he questions the people who witnessed the accident, Holly becomes suspicious of a cover up.  A British major informs him that Lime was in truth a notorious racketeer and advises Holly to return home.  The American refuses and determines to find out the truth about his friend’s death...

The best and most famous example of British film noir, The Third Man is a remarkable work of cinema which easily merits its almost universal recognition as a masterpiece and a classic.   It is very difficult to pin down why this is such a great film – the whole thing feels almost as if it came together as the result of a happy accident.  From Anton Karas’ evocative zither music (now instantly recognisable as "The Third Man theme") to Robert Krasker’s disorientating cinematography, to say nothing of the script, direction and the acting, this is a tour de force for British cinema.

What perhaps most defines The Third Man is its setting.  The film was shot entirely on location in the war devastated remains of Vienna, a city which was literally torn apart as a result of the war – physically and politically.  Everyone in the city is at some level an outsider of questionable morality, making this a perfect setting for a film noir.  The naïve optimism of the American Holly Martins merely emphasises the cynicism and world-weary fatalism of the Europeans he meets, echoing the mood on both sides of the Atlantic at the time the film was made.

The Vienna of The Third Man has a disturbing schizoid character.  The city which looks so alluring and romantic during the day becomes a shady menacing world of crime and curfew at night.  Rarely in cinema is a location so skilfully woven into the fabric of the film.  The ingenious use of light and shade, with frequent use of tilted camera shots, creates the illusion of a seedy underworld, perhaps recalled in a hazy nightmare.

The Third Man has so many great moments that any fan of the film would be hard-pressed to recall them all.  However, the iconic entrance of Orson Welles as Harry Lime, which happens well into the film, the famous scene on the Ferris wheel (where Welles gives his most famous speech about the Swiss and cuckoo-clocks), and of course the stunning chase in the sewers, stand out as being particular moments of sheer genius.

© James Travers 2001

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