The Third Man
The Third Man is a 1949 film noir directed by Carol Reed, written by Graham Greene, and starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles and Trevor Howard, set in post-war Vienna. The film centres on American Holly Martins (Cotten) who arrives in the city to accept a job with his friend Harry Lime (Welles), only to learn that Lime has died. Martins decides to stay in Vienna and investigate the suspicious death.
| The Third Man | |
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| Directed by | Carol Reed |
| Screenplay by | Graham Greene |
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| Cinematography | Robert Krasker |
| Edited by | Oswald Hafenrichter |
| Music by | Anton Karas |
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| Distributed by | British Lion Film Corporation |
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Running time | 104 minutes |
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| Box office | £277,549 (UK) (equivalent to £10,432,000 in 2021) |
The atmospheric use of black-and-white expressionist cinematography by Robert Krasker, harsh lighting, and subtle "Dutch angle" camera technique are major features of The Third Man, combined with the iconic theme music by Anton Karas, bombed-out locations, and acclaimed performances from the cast. The style evokes the atmosphere of an exhausted, cynical, post-war Vienna at the start of the Cold War.
Greene wrote the novella as preparation for the screenplay. Karas's title composition "The Third Man Theme" topped the international music charts in 1950, bringing international fame to the previously unknown performer. The Third Man is considered one of the greatest films of all time, celebrated for its acting, musical score, and atmospheric cinematography.
In 1999, the British Film Institute voted The Third Man the greatest British film of all time. In 2011, a poll for Time Out ranked it the second-best British film ever.