A gripping, beautifully structured picture and a tour de force from British director Carol Reed. American pulp novelist Holly Martins (Cotten) arrives in bleak postwar Vienna, having been promised a job by old friend Harry Lime (Welles). Holly soon is informed that his dear friend Harry is
dead, killed in an accident and, in fact, his body is about to be lowered into a grave. He attends the funeral, where he meets the beautiful Anna (Valli), Lime's one-time love. Inquiring of British officer Calloway (Howard) about Lime, Holly learns that his friend was a racketeer. Holly vows to
carry out his own investigation into Lime's background and clear him of the crimes Calloway insists he committed. What results makes for a powerful examination of friendship and loyalty in the face of social obligations.
There's so much to recommend THE THIRD MAN that one can only scratch the surface in mentioning its strengths. It gives the incredibly intoxicating feel of being a happy accident, and yet the ingredients are all there. Anton Karas's amazing zither music will haunt you for the rest of your life, and
yet you will never mind. The camerawork of genius Krasker (Britain's greatest at that time) makes marvelous use of realistic city locales, darkly menacing alleys and inventively canted framings. The dozens of references to Harry Lime really prime us for his delayed appearance, and Orson Welles's
enigmatic performance is so electric that one is not disappointed. (That entrance, in fact, remains one of cinema's greatest.) Cotten, meanwhile, gives a tangy yet subtle spin to the concept of the Ugly American abroad, and Howard lends both sympathy and edge to the determined police inspector.
Valli, an intense and gifted Italian star, gives a poignant performance as well. Reed's direction has perhaps never been better, from the thrilling chase through the sewers to the accusations of the little boy to the quieter romantic moments, and Graham Greene's script is both adult and
suspenseful. It's hard to choose just one scene to sum up this poetic thriller, but the legendary scene on the ferris wheel may best represent its perfect blend of great writing, acting, and directing. The fadeout, too, is unforgettable. leave a comment
