Review of The Third Man (1949) DVD

[George Kincaid]

http://www.examiner.com/x-13732-Huntsvi ... d-Man-1949

Jennifer Garlen

Huntsville Classic Movies Examiner

Jennifer Garlen is an independent scholar, writer and speaker in Huntsville, Alabama. She teaches courses on literature, popular culture and film for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UAH and LearningQuest. Email Jennifer at [email protected].

Classic films in focus: The Third Man (1949)
August 2, 11:09 PM

The Criterion Collection DVD

From the moment The Third Man opens with that strangely cheerful zither score you know that this is a different kind of picture. The music lilts along, yet the tone of the film is anything but festive, and the camera's first images reveal a broken, mutilated city even as the zither player plucks gaily away. It is a beginning that smacks of the irony that will dominate the entire film. Nobody expects a cheerful picture with a star like Orson Welles in the mix, anyway, and as long as you are prepared to be hoodwinked, tricked, and bamboozled at every turn The Third Man is an unparalleled cinematic experience. Just don't be suckered by the theme music or Welles' Cheshire cat grin.

The plot, adapted from the novel by Graham Greene, follows Joseph Cotten as Holly Martins, a down and out novelist who comes to post-war Vienna on the promise of a job from his old friend Harry Lime (Welles). Holly has the worst luck imaginable, or, in other words, exactly the kind of luck typical of noir heroes, and it seems like fate as much as coincidence that he arrives in Vienna only to learn that Harry Lime is dead. Or is he? Holly smells a rat, but it takes him a long time to figure out that the sewers of Vienna are actually full of rats, and there's a lot more to the mysterious disappearance of Harry Lime than Holly imagined. Assisting Holly in his baffled search is Alida Valli as Harry's former flame, Anna; of course the two develop an attraction to one another built on their mutual obsession with Harry, and the whole affair is made more complicated by the interference of the mixed set of government types who are trying to get a handle on the devastated city's crime and corruption. Trevor Howard is especially noteworthy as Major Calloway, who insists that Holly face up to the realization that Harry Lime is not such a great guy, after all.

Noir films typically take place against the seedy backdrops of American cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco or Chicago, but The Third Man provides an excellent example of noir style adapted to a European setting. Bombed out and divided up between reluctantly partnered armies, post-war Vienna is as downtrodden and dangerous a city as one could want in this kind of picture. The sewers in particular are a perfect backdrop for noir's themes, and the final scenes of the film are some of noir's finest moments, with incredible cinematography and use of light and shadow. The tattered fairgrounds where Holly and Harry meet also provide a wonderful setting for the revelation of Harry's true nature; here is a man whose amusements are truly twisted, and the audience can see just how tempted he is to push his oldest, dearest friend right out of the car as the ferris wheel sways and spins. Carol Reed's brilliant direction drives all of these scenes; he knows exactly how to make these characters and places work to their fullest effect on the viewer's imagination.

Joseph Cotten is terrific as the confused accidental detective, and Valli gives a fine performance, too, but the movie belongs to Orson Welles. Welles himself referred to the role of Harry Lime as a "star part" because the entire first part of the film is spent building up his character, so that when he finally appears in person it's a climactic moment for the audience. Welles, being Welles, does not disappoint, and we begin to understand why Holly and Anna seem to exist in Harry's shadow, even when everyone believes him to be dead. He is an electric presence, baby-faced, smooth-talking, and utterly amoral; Welles might as well be playing the devil himself. For all the stories about Welles being absent from the set and a questionable choice from the studio's perspective, it was worth every bit of it for the audience to discover him standing in that darkened doorway, suddenly lit from a window above, and smiling cryptically before vanishing into the night.

The Third Man has long been a favorite with film critics, myself included, but its appeal should be apparent to anyone who enjoys a good movie and appreciates an unpredictable plot. I am intentionally avoiding giving too much away; you ought to be surprised when you see it. The hospital scene, however, deserves particular attention for what it does not show, and the ending is priceless. If you weren't an Orson Welles fan before The Third Man, you will be afterward. Round out a tour of Wellesian noir with The Lady from Shanghai (1947) and Touch of Evil (1958).

[35MM]

And it's on sale at Amazon: $15.99. A bargain for a Criterion disc. Same price for the blu-ray. Many other Criterions also on sale.

http://www.amazon.com/Third-Man-Criteri ... 646&sr=1-2

[Mike Gebert]

For all the stories about Welles being absent from the set

How can you be an actor in a movie and be absent from the set?

[FrankFay]

For all the stories about Welles being absent from the set

How can you be an actor in a movie and be absent from the set?

I've heard Larry Semon was very good at that. They'd film around his part, use doubles, then he'd show up for his scenes.