FILM CHALLENGE: 19) The Third Man

19) The Third Man

Director: Carol Reed

Year: 1949

Plot Summary: In a war torn Vienna in which poverty lies at every corner, many people have turned to crime as their only means of supporting themselves. Among these people, supposedly, was Harry Lime, an American living in the city whom the police believe was a racketeer before his death. However, his best friend, Holly Martins, refuses to admit that this is the case and begins a private investigation to clear Lime's name. Only he finds more than he was looking for.

How could anyone not love The Third Man? Not only is it a brilliant and entrancing mystery story, but it's also one of the most incredible studies of post-WW2 Europe that has ever been produced by any medium.

When you look behind the enigmas, the crimes and the conspiracies, The Third Man is a film about moral ambiguity. This was a very common feeling in cities like Vienna during this period because many people were forced to, as one character quotes, "do things that would have been unimaginable before the war" as a result of the economy. This moral ambiguity isn't just represented by Lime's racketeering though. It's also shown by Martins who, as the film progresses, is unsure whether to defend his best friend or expose him for the terrible things he did and even supporting characters like the porter and Anna who are conflicted with speaking out about the atrocities or simply staying out of the situation entirely.

Stylistically, the famous contrapuntal zither score by Anton Karas also helps to portray this feeling of moral ambiguity by using happy, joyous music to accompany scenes involving death or sadness. Moreover, the use of high contrast lighting and canted angles in the stunning cinematography helps represent this theme too. Even the narratives tone, as it frequently switches from sinister to comic, enforces the idea of moral ambiguity.

Furthermore, you must also applaud The Third Man for being such a rebellious movie. Even in a genre that tackled many taboo issues during this era of cinema, The Third Man was still able to shock its producers by refusing to end on a happy note; instead leaving the viewers with the haunting long shot of Anna as she walks alone ignoring Holly Martins.

The Third Man even features one of the most iconic performances of all time: Orson Welles as the antagonist Harry Lime. Despite his small role, Welles makes a hell of an impact and his improvised 'cuckoo clock' speech remains one of my favourite moments in motion picture history.

While the term is thrown around a lot in film reviews nowadays, The Third Man couldn't be described as anything other than a masterpiece.

5/5

By Daniel Sarath with 5 comments