The Third Man. Still The Nation’s Best
If anyone does start reading this, I encourage you to firstly read Simon Dillon’s superb write up on this film.
My intention is not to even attempt to top it, but I am just passionate to pay even more homage to this quite brilliant film and encourage anyone who has not seen it to see it. Voted the number one British Film by the BFI (British Film Institute), there has in fact been so much written about it because it is just so good.
I don’t know how many times I have seen it, but I recently watched it again on television. You know how brilliant a film is when you own the DVD but still take the time to watch it when it comes available on television. I won’t dwell too much on the plot and try not to copy much of Simon’s article but there are spoilers below! There is no doubt that it is the best British film ever made and below are some of the reasons.
The Third Man is a 1949 mystery thriller set in post war Vienna directed by Carol Reed and based on a book by Graham Greene. It stars Joseph Cotton, Trevor Howard and one of the biggest names of that era, Orson Wells. The fact that Wells doesn’t make an appearance until about an hour into the film is a masterstroke in itself. The storyline concerns Holly Martins (Cotten) who comes to Vienna after being offered a job by his old friend Harry Lime (Wells). However as soon as he gets there, he discovers that his friend has been killed in an accident. We then follow his investigation as he meets suspicious characters linked to Lime and slowly discover that all is not what it seems.
As a plot the story line is inventive on its own. The film covers murder, betrayal and blind love, and the suspense grows as the audience is in the same boat as Holly having no idea as to what really happened. What is the truth or fiction about Lime and the accident and who is this suspicious third man supposedly at the scene of the accident? Did he really exist?
However, there is so much more than the storyline as we are treated to such brilliant cinematography and lighting of the cobbled streets of Vienna and the war torn buildings with unique angle shots that enhance the suspense of the film. The film is accompanied throughout by the magnificent zither music by Anton Karas, capped by the famous Harry Lime theme which everyone has heard although a few may not have attributed to the movie.
The iconic shot of the film is the first appearance of Harry Lime hiding in a dark doorway only to be revealed to Holly and the audience with the help of a cat and someone switching a light on from a room above. So much has been talked about this celebrated scene and all I can say is that even though I now know it is coming, I still get goosebumps each time
We are continually cherished with wonderful shots throughout and the climax of the film is a wonderful gripping chase down the sewers of Vienna. However, the scenes below are a standout along with Harry Lime’s initial appearance.
Firstly there is the man with balloons. What can we say about this other than what a gripping and fantastic shot. Holly and the police are waiting for Harry to show up and suddenly a huge looming shadow of a man looking like a monster appears. This effect is done by superb lighting and goes so much to increase the intensity of the stakeout. Fantastic!
Then we have the scene where we see Harry’s hands gripping the steel grating of the sewer. This is a desperate man who was trying to break free, but he is hanging onto his last breath of life knowing he is trapped and nowhere to go.
Finally we have the closing scene. At the beginning of the film, we see Harry Lime’s love interest Anna (Alida Valli) walking alone in the cemetery shortly after his funeral. This scene is all but repeated in the finale albeit much more emphasised as Anna is seen walking towards the camera with the bare winter trees on either side shedding their final leaves. Holly is in a jeep with Major Galloway (Howard) and it stops for him get out and wait for her. However, she ignores him completely and walks straight past him. It is beautiful and shows a woman on her own, still believing that Harry was a good man ignorant of his selfish indifference to her.
I believe that Alan Parker had paid tribute to this scene in the finale of Midnight Express (1978) where Billy walks away from the prison only for a prison car to stop briefly and then let him walk on past. That was always my favourite scene from Midnight Express even before I read about the reference to the classic Third Man.
The Third Man deservedly won the 1951 Oscar for Best Cinematography (Black & White), but it is a travesty it did not win best film. It wasn’t even nominated! Although it was up against All About Eve (the winner) and Sunset Boulevard, it did receive two other nominations (Best Director and Film Editing). You have to wonder, however, why if it was nominated for Best Director, it wasn’t on the list of best motion picture. There have been a number of remakes of great films, even classics like Dr Zhivago (TV version) and Rebecca. Some better than others but this film should never be updated or remade. No matter how good the script or direction is, it will never remotely reach the standard of this classic. Therefore, like other brilliant classic films such as Casablanca and Gone with the Wind, leave well alone!
I am often dismayed by some people’s reluctance to watch Black and White (B & W) films on account they are boring. This may be more affiliated to a younger age and the constant release of blockbuster entertainment. My wife is in her late forties and she turns her nose up at B&W films, so the young tag may be a bit harsh! Some of the best films ever made have been in B & W and it sometimes adds an even greater realism to the piece. Take a great movie like Schindler’s List (1993). Apart from one tiny coloured image, the whole film is made in B &W.
Whatever your age, if you are a lover of movies, please watch this film!
