The Third Man (1949)
Arriving in Vienna, Holly Martins learns that his friend Harry Lime, who has invited him, recently died in a car accident.(imdb)
Cast and Information
Directed By: Carol Reed
Written By: Graham Greene
Starring: Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Trevor Howard, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Bernard Lee, Alida Valli, Paul Hörbiger, Erich Ponto, Ernst Deutsch, Hedwig Bleibtreu, Siegfried Breuer, Nelly Arno
Genres: Suspense/Thriller, Mystery
AKA: The 3rd Man
Country: UK
Where to Stream
Loading...
The Third Man belongs to 168 collections
1. 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (collaborative: moderated by kozan26 - 234 stars)
2. Criterion Collection (collaborative: moderated by caffe - 167 stars)
3. IMDB Top 250 (collaborative: moderated by ppinocchio - 123 stars)
4. Favorite Film of Every Criticker Member (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 96 stars)
5. Roger Ebert: Great Movies (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 80 stars)
6. Palme d'Or (collaborative: moderated by mpowell - 79 stars)
7. Film Noir (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 55 stars)
8. Martin Scorsese's Film School: The 85 Films You Need to See to Know Anything About Film (collaborative - 44 stars)
9. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2008 revision) (collaborative: moderated by Scottathon - 39 stars)
10. They Shoot Pictures 250 Quintessential Noir Films (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 38 stars)
11. Jonathan Rosenbaum's Top 1000 Movies (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 38 stars)
12. Empire's 500 Greatest Movies Of All Time (public: Ross - 36 stars)
13. New York Times' The Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made (collaborative: moderated by theficionado - 32 stars)
14. Rotten Tomatoes - over 95% (collaborative: moderated by Pickpocket - 32 stars)
15. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2010 revision) (collaborative: moderated by MMAlpha - 32 stars)
16. The Guardian's 1000 films to see before you die (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 30 stars)
17. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2014 revision) (collaborative: moderated by Jehan - 27 stars)
18. Best of criticker: Top 250 (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 26 stars)
19. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2012 revision) (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 25 stars)
20. AAA: Empire's five star movies (collaborative: moderated by KasperL - 24 stars)
21. IMDb Top 250 Complete (collaborative: moderated by Jorg - 23 stars)
22. Academy Award - Oscar - ALL Best Picture, Directing, Acting & Screenplay Nominees (collaborative - 22 stars)
23. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2017 revision) (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed - 22 stars)
24. Oscar: Best Cinematography (collaborative: moderated by CCLZA - 21 stars)
25. Criterion Collection (Blu-ray) (collaborative: moderated by epiphany - 20 stars)
26. The Story of Film: An Odyssey (collaborative: moderated by rant1229 - 20 stars)
27. They Shoot Pictures' Recommended Viewing (collaborative: moderated by Cinephile - 19 stars)
28. Best of criticker: Drama (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 18 stars)
29. Edgar Wright 1000 Favorite Movies (Aug 2016) (collaborative: moderated by Aron Ericson - 17 stars)
30. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2013 revision) (collaborative: moderated by rant1229 - 16 stars)
31. Best film of top directors (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 15 stars)
32. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2011 revision) (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 14 stars)
33. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2020 revision) (public: djross - 14 stars)
34. Films available in HD (collaborative: moderated by kubricksucks - 13 stars)
35. Most-ranked film of each year (on Criticker) (collaborative: moderated by nauru - 13 stars)
36. Sight and Sound 2012 (collaborative: moderated by DavidB - 13 stars)
37. Harvard University's Suggested Film Viewing List: Narrative Films (collaborative: moderated by dardan - 12 stars)
38. Con Artist(s) (collaborative: moderated by iceblox - 11 stars)
39. films101.com's 5 star films (collaborative: moderated by ppinocchio - 11 stars)
40. International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 11 stars)
41. Criticker top 250 (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 11 stars)
42. Cinema Discusso Yearly Consensus (2008) (public: PeaceAnarchy - 10 stars)
43. Sight and Sound 2002 (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 9 stars)
44. What Follows Inception? (collaborative: moderated by paulofilmo - 9 stars)
45. Best of criticker: Suspense / Thriller (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 9 stars)
46. 1,000 Noir Films: They Shot Dark Pictures, Didn't They? (collaborative: moderated by lisa- - 9 stars)
47. The Bfi 100 (collaborative: moderated by nexus - 8 stars)
48. Best of criticker: Mystery (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 8 stars)
49. IMDb Top 250 (250 most recurrent) (public: sianaa - 8 stars)
50. Netflix USA (public: mpowell - 8 stars)
51. BFI Film Classics (collaborative: moderated by MMAlpha - 7 stars)
52. David Thomson's 1000 Films (collaborative: moderated by MMAlpha - 7 stars)
53. Black and White Photography (collaborative: moderated by JooJoo - 6 stars)
54. List: Taschen (collaborative: moderated by KasperL - 6 stars)
55. Cinema Discusso Movies of the Month (collaborative: moderated by ABUNCHOFCATS - 6 stars)
56. TSPDT Top 200 Directors: Best Film (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 6 stars)
57. Best by different standards (public: sesito71 - 6 stars)
58. Foreign Classic Film Noir (collaborative: moderated by Shmendrek - 5 stars)
59. AFI 100 Years, Original 1998 list (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 5 stars)
60. List: Empire's 301 Greatest Movies of All Time (collaborative: moderated by KasperL - 5 stars)
61. Top 3000 movies with the most votes on IMDb (public: fanfic - 5 stars)
62. Cinemag's Best 200 films Ever Created! (collaborative: moderated by hristos - 4 stars)
63. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2007 revision) (collaborative: moderated by Scottathon - 4 stars)
64. Average Percentile >70 (collaborative: moderated by peyrin - 4 stars)
65. The 100 Greatest Films of All Time according to BFI's Sight and Sound (2022 edition) (collaborative: moderated by Dr.N0 - 4 stars)
66. Roger Ebert's 102 Films You Must See (public: kevinjoseph - 4 stars)
67. Dark films (public: Hadleyreis - 4 stars)
68. Canon Fodder by Paul Schrader ~d~ (public: 5Z5qjRCfM2 - 4 stars)
69. Vienna (collaborative: moderated by Moribunny - 3 stars)
70. AFI 100 Years... 100 Thrills (collaborative: moderated by iceblox - 3 stars)
71. TIFF Essential 100 (collaborative: moderated by theficionado - 3 stars)
72. TimeOut Magazine's 100 best British films (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 3 stars)
73. 501 Movie Directors (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 3 stars)
74. List: Noir of the Week (collaborative: moderated by KasperL - 3 stars)
75. Best of criticker: Film Noir (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 3 stars)
76. Criticker Top 100 Movies (collaborative: moderated by SpeedlimiT - 3 stars)
77. British Classic Films with good ratings (pre-70s) (collaborative: moderated by 90sCoffee - 3 stars)
78. Sarsanlar (public: Ozancan - 3 stars)
79. Criterion Collection (Blu-ray and 4K) (public: PepeCamello - 3 stars)
80. Black & White (collaborative: moderated by Cowman - 2 stars)
81. AFI - 10 Top 10 Mistery (collaborative: moderated by CCLZA - 2 stars)
82. Cannes 1949 Official Selection (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 2 stars)
83. IMDb Top of The 1940's (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 2 stars)
84. Akira Kurosawa's Top 100 Films (collaborative: moderated by CCLZA - 2 stars)
85. List: Empire's 100 Best British Films (collaborative: moderated by KasperL - 2 stars)
86. MovieMeter.nl Top 250 (collaborative: moderated by Jorg - 2 stars)
87. Cold War (collaborative: moderated by iceblox - 2 stars)
88. Netflix Watch Instantly (public: dgeiser13 - 2 stars)
89. Battleship Pretension top 100 (public: snallygaster - 2 stars)
90. Djross English-language feature film of the year (public: djross - 2 stars)
91. Paste Magazine: The 100 Best Film Noirs of All Time (public: TychoCelchuu - 2 stars)
92. Top 2000 movies with the most votes on IMDb (public: fanfic - 2 stars)
93. The 100 Best Film Noirs of All Time: Slant Magazine (public: TychoCelchuu - 2 stars)
94. AFI 100 Years... 100 Heroes and Villains (collaborative: moderated by iceblox - 1 star)
95. John Kobal Presents The Top 100 Movies (collaborative: moderated by CCLZA - 1 star)
96. my DVDs (collaborative: moderated by Jeb - 1 star)
97. J. Castedo's "The Top 100 Films of the 20th Century" (collaborative: moderated by CCLZA - 1 star)
98. Top 100 movies according to Greek filmmakers (collaborative: moderated by hristos - 1 star)
99. Taschen 100 All-time favorites movies (collaborative: moderated by hristos - 1 star)
100. Village Voice Critics Poll: 100 Best Films of the 20th Century (collaborative: moderated by MMAlpha - 1 star)
101. List: Empire's masterpiece picks (collaborative: moderated by KasperL - 1 star)
102. BAFTA Award for Best British Film (Nominees) (collaborative: moderated by ellinikos - 1 star)
103. filmsite 100 Greatest Films (collaborative: moderated by pupetman64 - 1 star)
104. imdb top 250 / 100% (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 1 star)
105. Halliwell's Four Star Films (collaborative: moderated by MacSwell - 1 star)
106. AFI - 10 Top 10 (All) (collaborative: moderated by Phantom Nook - 1 star)
107. British director (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed - 1 star)
108. Kyles Movie of the Year 1892-2019 (public: Dorkovsky - 1 star)
109. movies of the year - Brian (public: JooJoo - 1 star)
110. List: The Essential 100 by TIFF (public: KasperL - 1 star)
111. Top Film of Each Year (public: Judge Holden - 1 star)
112. IMDb Top 250 (2 years) (public: sianaa - 1 star)
113. List: TSPDT's 100 Noir Films (public: KasperL - 1 star)
114. best of the year (public: ehk2 - 1 star)
115. Antagony & Ecstacy: The Best Films of All Time (public: Nroo - 1 star)
116. IMDB Top 250 (public: Jason212 - 1 star)
117. Films considered the best from each country's National Polls (public: Hadleyreis - 1 star)
118. The Greatest Movies of All Time - Filmweb's Alternative Top 500 (public: Hadleyreis - 1 star)
119. Stiff Upper Lip: rateyourmusic.com's Top 20 British film builder results (collaborative)
120. Derek Malcolm's Century of Films (collaborative: moderated by MMAlpha)
121. Best British Films (collaborative: moderated by PerryStroika)
122. Seen on Netflix (collaborative: moderated by funndude)
123. My Favorite Movies (collaborative)
124. noike/caffes Topp 100 filmer! (collaborative: moderated by Aron Ericson)
125. Ratings (collaborative: moderated by cheapthrills)
126. Golden film reels from L.A. Noire (collaborative: moderated by juntakinte99)
127. They Shoot Pictures, Don't They?: TOP 100 (collaborative: moderated by CCLZA)
128. Referenced in Zeroville (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed)
129. iCMForum’s Favourite Movie From Every County (collaborative: moderated by zzzorf)
130. Cinemateca - Grandes Géneros: Disponíveis para o Noir (collaborative: moderated by pmpfe)
131. Sporadic's Blu-Ray/HD-DVD/DVD Collection (public: Strive)
132. Intended Viewings (public: Grit)
133. Egbert's Top 25 (public: EgbertSouse)
134. Favorites of Each Year (public: Actionberg)
135. The Film Society of Lincoln Center Cannes Best (public: sonique)
136. Favourite of Each Year (public: shalev)
137. Ununnilium Top 100 (public: Ununnilium)
138. Owned (BD) (public: bizarre_eye)
139. The DVD collection of sjostrand (public: sjostrand)
140. 1949: Year in Review (public: polanski28)
141. to watch [TG] (public: teckgecko)
142. Rian Johnson's Top 10 Criterion Collection Films (public: TychoCelchuu)
143. Four-Star Movies (Gail Kinn & Jim Piazza) (public: Alex Watkins)
144. Filmspotting Ratings Project: Week 25 (public: PeaceAnarchy)
145. My Home Video Library (public: joseywales)
146. Movies to See: Orson Welles (public: Lord Moe)
147. Movies I Own (public: Farzan)
148. Films I watched in 2012 (public: jal90)
149. Barry Norman's top 49 British films (public: juandr)
150. Rewatch & Random (public: ForrestQ)
151. Tom's Movies (public: tomwalsh)
152. REWATCH (public: AFlickering)
153. Best Film of Each Decade (public: kendell)
154. Sight and Sound 2012 - Combined list - Part II (public: Ariaz)
155. Top 250 (public: Tars2)
156. New Beverly Cinema (public: xmoffx)
157. First movie I saw from various directors. (public: tipar)
158. Personal Favs of Classic Hollywood (public: PerryStroika)
159. C-1940 (public: cantahta)
160. The Greatest Films (public: JackRyan2014)
161. 100 years of film (public: mutter)
162. nextup (public: valkyrian)
163. Metacritic Top 50 (public: amazedemon)
164. Adaptations (public: Unsaintly)
165. Films Watched 2021 (public: knoroz)
166. Film Gris (public: Russ Bedford)
167. on PLEX (public: ozdemibr)
168. Filmin (public: Hadleyreis)
Browse the full list of collections
| Stars | User | Rating | |
| 14 |  |
Alex Watkins | 6 98th |
|
Though it is not the perfect example of film noir, to me it is the perfect noir movie. The stark chiaroscuro and oblique camera angles underline post-war Vienna with an edge, and the story is at once suspenseful, exciting, romantic and nostalgic. It's a work of perfection, and more fully embodies the romance of going to the movies than anything else I've seen.
|
|||
| 10 |  |
Magb | 95 94th |
|
The Third Man has a lot of things going for it, from the lighting to the music to its brutal cynicism, but Orson Welles still manages to steal the show every time he's on screen (which isn't often enough, damn it).
|
|||
| 9 |  |
Farzan | 94 95th |
|
The Third Man is a special film. It is very dark, yet classy, and the score is completely different from the film's atmosphere, thus bringing many different emotions to the table. Reed does an incredible job of keeping us guessing what comes next, and the excellent use of shadows in the war torn Vienna was visually stunning. The entire cast was extremely good, but Orson Welles steals the show. From its opening, to the run in with Harry Lime, The Third Man is a unique film experience.
|
|||
| 8 |  |
jimmynmu | 95 97th |
|
A great film noir, a fun plot to follow that is told with great skill. There are some really fantastic and memorable shots, and the acting is great all around. Orson Welles is very charming and devious as Harry Lime, but the rest of the cast does a great job too.
|
|||
| 7 |  |
Nathan S | 5 93rd |
|
So many memorable lines courtesy of Graham Greene. Carol Reed's shadowy realization of a crumbling Vienna. An infectious zither score. Orson Welles as the mythic, devilishly clever Harry Lime. One of those films that defies auteur theory, an iconic synthesis of many great talents.
|
|||
| 7 | Teorema | 100 98th |
|
|
This fucking movie, my god. Best entrance ever made by a character mid-film. The cinematography/lighting is so self-aware, and a great nod to Lang. Joseph Cotton and Welles once again prove to be quite a team. You can completely see the last scene in the movie coming but you're still impressed.
|
|||
| 7 |  |
Luna6ix | 92 98th |
|
Stylistically this is the best movie I've ever seen. The music is great, but at times is a bit overbearing. The camerawork and acting are amazing. Early in the story it can drag on, but the last half is perfect. The ending is one for the ages.
|
|||
| 6 |  |
SlrSoapbox | 100 98th |
|
One of the greatest film noirs of all time. The outstanding performances (especially those from Cotten and Welles) are what truly makes this picture, not to mention the excellent use of light/shadow, a cleverly ironic upbeat soundtrack, and a thought-provoking and morally ambiguous story.
|
|||
| 6 |  |
doctor7 | 94 97th |
|
Orson Welles really steals the show for me in this. Despite all the morally despicable actions he commited I found myself cheering him on more than any other character. I don't think I can speak more highly of his performance as the charming villian than that. Great cinematography as well, especially in the sewers.
|
|||
| 6 |  |
frederic_g54 | 10 97th |
|
(2nd viewing) Apart from being one of the most beautifully shot films I've seen - it's truly a mesmerizing watch - 'The Third Man' also happens to be one of the best thrillers out there, with a comical and lyrical beauty to it, emphasized by a charming score and awesome performance by Welles. Recommended!
|
|||
| 6 |  |
Nearphotison | 94 98th |
|
This film is deeply engrossing, combining the romantic Venician atmosphere with a dark and gritty tale. There are twists and turns throughout the story, making it highly unpredictable and worthy of its place as a classic noir film.
|
|||
| 6 |  |
Hawkins | 72 49th |
|
I found the first half a test of patience, affectless characters rush through a bunch of dry exposition while zither guy plays like there's a gun to his head. The opening has no breathing room and every speaking role except Cotten's amounts to the phrase "you shouldn't get mixed up in this". Then Orson Welles swoops in and everything gets more spacious, atmospheric, emotionally engaging. It becomes the film I wanted it to be all along. The Ferris Wheel scene is a standout.
|
|||
| 5 |  |
MartinTeller | 95 98th |
|
An awful lot has been said about this movie, so I'll just say that it's unquestionably a great film in every way.
|
|||
| 5 |  |
Moribunny | 68 70th |
|
Can really see how this became a noir classic. It's good, it never drags or digresses, it's fast (some cuts are too fast, actually). The soundtrack is catchy and memorable. It's Cotten's acting that takes it down an entire notch - he never ever seems to have an appropriate facial expression. The rest of the cast is alright, though.
|
|||
| 5 |  |
Sockman | 100 99th |
|
My favorite film of all time. Cotten plays a great "accidental hero" who stumbles drunkenly into situations for which he is hardly prepared, backed with Trevor Howard's world-weary police chief, and of course, the all-important Welles cameo performance. Combine with those an intelligent story, a gallery of excellent supporting characters, an inspired score, and gorgeous cinematography which make Vienna seem a character itself, and you have a film noir which is as unusual as it is unforgettable.
|
|||
| 5 |  |
Ytadel | 9 98th |
|
A sensational thriller that's held up virtually flawlessly over the last sixty years. Orson Welles is legendary as the charming and diabolical Harry Lime (for good reason), the black and white expressionist cinematography is stark, bold, and gorgeous, and the cinematic portrait of Vienna is beautiful. Fun fact: this movie's assistant director, Guy Hamilton, went on to helm four James Bond installments. Nice!
|
|||
| 5 | owen1218 | 70 50th |
|
|
An epic-feeling film that doesn't live up to its own hype. Well-shot, but has a less than intriguing story. Many elements that might have been fresh when this was released are now predictable and cliched. Orson Welles' character was interesting, but showed up too late.
|
|||
| 5 |  |
jswinder | 92 96th |
|
Better than Chinatown. Great sleazy, slippery characters. Possibly the finest introduction to a film's villain, ever. The lighting and shadows the camera allows to us in that quaint city of Vienna is beyond description. Simply beyond description. It must be seen to be believed. The combative moods set by the score and the circumstances in the film are some times comedic, and other times quite disturbing. Welles' character is truly dark. Evil reinvented. Charming dialogue and premium suspense.
|
|||
| 4 |  |
CCLZA | 95 98th |
|
A masterpiece of cinematography, editing and acting. Welles delivers one of the best performances of his carreer in a scene-stealing turn. The final segment is specially inspired and exciting.
|
|||
| 4 |  |
Pickpocket | 10 98th |
|
Some of the most impressive cinematography ever coupled with some of the best acting and editing ever and you have a great film. The last sequence in the sewer was incredible. I refuse to believe Welles didn't have some part in directing this.
|
|||
| 4 |  |
KasperL | 80 86th |
|
Nicely shot. Heck, it's very nicely shot. The buildup is intriguing and suspenseful. Welles' acting and the reveal of his character is praised with good reason. But what's the further appeal? As a noir, it's way too black and white for me; that is, where is the nuance, the grey layers? However cool, Harry Lime is such a *probably unnecessary spoiler warning* cardboard baddie. And the end-chase in the sewer is frankly not that thrilling. I prefer 'The Fallen Idol', also by Reed and Greene.
|
|||
| 4 |  |
Barthalen | 90 97th |
|
Wonderfully moody and atmospheric. A lot of brooding tension in every scene. The tilted camera angles and war-torn areas of Vienna give the movie an otherworldly feel sometimes. There's a lot going on, especially during the first half, though the story itself seems a bit so-so.
|
|||
| 4 |  |
billkerwin | 99 98th |
|
Great Viennese atmosphere, a first-rate screenplay, fine acting by Cotton, Valli, Howard and Welles, and--yes--the zither music is real cool too. But this flawlessly directed, beautifully photographed thriller is also the chronicle of a moral odyssey, in which a naive American learns that--although evil may seem insignificant from the the top of a ferris wheel (or behind a bomb site?)--it nevertheless reveals itself when you look closely at the victims languishing in the charity ward.
|
|||
| 4 |  |
afx237vi | 95 98th |
|
If Harry Lime is supposed to be one of cinema's greatest villains, why did I feel so sorry for him by the end? That shot of his fingers poking through the sewer grating, all exits closed off, was sublime. Everything works in this film. The amazing lighting and use of shadow, the funky camera angles and perspectives and even the crazy music. I really loved Valli's performance too... an amazing portrayal of a woman beaten down by life, war and death; driven home by that wonderful final scene.
|
|||
| 4 |  |
Kublai Khan | 38 35th |
|
I'm going to be vilified for saying this, but I really thought the film was overrated. It was shot beautifully, sure.. But the characters just aren't engaging at all. Cotten's character is a bore, I don't understand why anyone has any loyalty to Lime, and Anna is not worth the trouble. The mood set by the cinematography is offset by the jarring music. Sorry, but this is overrated.
|
|||
| 4 |  |
lisa- | 4 52nd |
|
i'm starting to think i'm not much a fan of classic noir. the plot just wasn't all that great, though like most noir, it gets significantly better over time. editing was a bit fast, and the harry lime theme, whilst imparting a juxtaposed irony, is irritating on the zither. on the other hand welles is really, really great.
|
|||
| 3 |  |
eveelun | 92 99th |
|
Easily one of the greatest noirs of all time, and arguably one of the best feature films. The lighting, the cinematography, the writing, the acting - everything is in top form here. Harry Lime is one of the greatest villains in cinema, and Welles' acting talents could not have been better utilized. Simply unforgettable.
|
|||
| 3 | MajorB | 87 50th |
|
|
A well-shot mystery with an uninteresting protagonist and an out-of-place musical score. Welles knocks it out of the park though unfortunately he is only in the film for a few minutes.
|
|||
| 3 |  |
Icarus | 100 99th |
|
The Third Man brilliantly displays the catastrophic impact and destruction wrought by war and conflict. The aftermath of WWII in Vienna is devastating, seen not just in the beautifully shot rubble, dark corners, and sewers of the once glamorous city, but also more acutely in the lives of the people trying to make their way in that once glorious locale. No character embodies this tragedy more than Harry Lime, played by Welles, who offers one of the great cinematic performances of all time.
|
|||
| 3 |  |
BillyShears | 90 92nd |
|
Welles saying tablets is my new ringtone.
|
|||
| 3 |  |
Jeb | 96 89th |
|
A masterpiece! The Third Man is just the definite neo-noir thriller with a very classy score and masterful editing along with stellar acting. Very, very ambitious and questioning.
|
|||
| 3 |  |
chemical404 | 78 93rd |
|
For me it didn't live up to expectations. Black and white cinematography is great, but the story lacks the suspense that most of other film-noir have. That music score sure gets repetitive. Welles is charismatic as ever.
|
|||
| 3 |  |
Bmunise | 100 97th |
|
A collection of brilliant actors working in front of a brilliant director from a brilliant script set to brilliant music. Bluray is a must here.
|
|||
| 3 |  |
Anselmi86 | 99 99th |
|
Maybe the best cinematography ever lensed. The entire movie is absolutely captivating.
|
|||
| 3 |  |
mwgerb | 86 98th |
|
The cinematography and the use of shadows is just fantastic, Welles manages to deliver a memorable performance in an incredibly short amount of time, and the score (although seemingly inappropriate) works very well with the film and helps build great suspense.
|
|||
| 3 |  |
Noblet | 92 96th |
|
Some of the best black and white cinematography ever. Honestly, I thought the first half was a little boring but it's necessary to set up the amazing second half. Orson Welles does such a great job with such little screen time, and his speech on the Ferris wheel is one of my favorite scenes in any movie.
|
|||
| 3 |  |
MacSwell | 100 99th |
|
This tense thriller set in post-war Vienna is near-perfect, with Joseph Cotten's ingenuous American searching for an old friend, bringing him to some startling revelations of corruption and evil. The script is exceptional, waiting just long enough to introduce Welles' charismatic villain, and the direction effective in creating a romantic but desperately gloomy world. The performances are truly memorable, notably from Howard and Welles, the cinematography, set design and score all superb.
|
|||
| 2 |  |
Derekstar | 100 96th |
|
Can I order some canted angles, with a side order of shadowy silhouettes? I mean, it's a perfect movie, and it's hard to offer any pithy insight into a perfect movie. I'll only note the wildly innovative cinematography and the wildly innovative score. Just when I thought that I knew what a typical 1949 film looked and sounded like, I see The Third Man.
|
|||
| 2 |  |
evrana | 79 70th |
|
I'm a bit disappointed I must confess. I have expected much more, it is a visual tour de force alright, but it is not a coherently excellent movie for me. Up until Welles shows up, the characters are dull and honestly there is only one possible twist within the premise of the plot; so it is not that surprising either. I deeply hated the musical score by the way.
|
|||
| 2 |  |
caiman | 92 95th |
|
Hits the perfect balance between Hollywood noir and artistic indie style. The reveal of Welles' character was great. All of the performances were great, but Welles just stands out so much despite his small amount of screen time. The Ferris wheel scene is outstanding, as is the zither score.
|
|||
| 2 |  |
TedDedon | 95 94th |
|
The Third Man is a superb movie. It's gripping and visually ambitious. It's the kind of movie that makes you wonder how others aren't as impressive because it doesn't seem to be at this insurmountable level of quality, yet it is.
|
|||
| 2 |  |
vesupria | 7 78th |
|
Great cinematography, and great lighting, yada-yada. This, at least to me, is one of those films that fits like a glove into any text-book critque, but lacked a certain 'spirit' or 'charm' that stopped it from reaching the upper echelons. Perhaps I am missing something, as the plot is certainly full of depth, symbolism and mystery.
|
|||
| 2 |  |
purgatos | 97 98th |
|
Worth watching just to see Orson Welles in his role. The rest of the movie is great of course, but it really comes alive whenever Orson is on screen.
|
|||
| 2 | Ranald | 65 44th |
|
|
Beautifully shot and initially intriguing, but the resolution is all a bit obvious and the movie runs out of steam well before it ends.
|
|||
| 2 |  |
moraesfelipe | 95 98th |
|
The soundtrack is totally different from the film's dark plot, and the cinematography is absolutely fantastic, with an extraordinary use of shadows and beautiful shots. The editing of the final scene, a chase in the tunnels, is one of the greatest ever made. This is noir at its best.
|
|||
| 2 |  |
Bown | 91 94th |
|
Fantastic noir. Perfectly shot, and very well-acted. Welles is so awesome.
|
|||
| 2 |  |
kevinjoseph | 77 94th |
|
One of the most absurdly-upbeat scores ever. Wonderful.
|
|||
| 1 | svicciarelli | 84 42nd |
|
|
Wasn't terrifically impressed, except by Welles.
|
|||
| 1 |  |
willofgaia | 98 95th |
|
An absolute masterpiece of light, shadow and fog.
|
|||
| 1 |  |
TheDiceman | 80 95th |
|
Excellence.
|
|||
| 1 |  |
timmo | 100 99th |
|
Unbeatable, endlessly analyzable, and likely one of the best films ever made. It also has my favorite scene of any film of all time--the Prater Wheel. And it has Orson Welles, what else do you need to know?
|
|||
| 1 | paul | 95 89th |
|
|
Yow! Orson is great and the chase scene in the sewer is second to none.
|
|||
| 1 | Sapphire | 100 98th |
|
|
One of the most lavish, mysterious films of the last half century. Joseph Cotten, Trevor Howard & Alida Valli are all excellent but Orson Welles (as Harry Lime) steals the picture without blinking an eye. It's still very original & offbeat despite its classic status.
|
|||
| 1 |  |
HalfJapanese | 90 90th |
|
A classic film noir that's beautiful and well-crafted.
|
|||
| 1 |  |
kubricksucks | 90 89th |
|
orson welles chews the scenery onscreen almost as well as he chews ham off it
|
|||
| 1 |  |
saucyjack | 89 86th |
|
Don't get me wrong, this is a good film. However, it left me feeling cold. The script is top notch, as is the cinematography, but with all the build up, there appears to be little payoff.
|
|||
| 1 |  |
prowler | 89 92nd |
|
harry lime fits welles like a glove. wonderful film
|
|||
| 1 | hehheh | 3 62nd |
|
|
nicely shot but that's it.
|
|||
| 1 |  |
babamots | 82 74th |
|
All the good you'll read about this one is true, but the dark, suspenseful scenes were ill-served by bright, up-beat music.
|
|||
| 1 | bamp | 95 74th |
|
|
master hitch.
|
|||
| 1 |  |
Optimus_mike | 100 98th |
|
Favorite black and white film ever.
|
|||
| 1 |  |
QVT | 70 74th |
|
Very very disappointed. I don't care about shadows. I hate Orson Welles and wasn't swayed by his performance here.
|
|||
| 1 |  |
omgfridge | 9 92nd |
|
Shot so well especially the sewer scene. Great thriller and Welles is just spectacular.
|
|||
| 1 |  |
CRAYON | 94 95th |
|
Wow, what an amazing looking film. My jaw dropped during some of the chase scenes. They were just so cool to look at. I'm not really sure how I feel about the story, but it kept me entertained.
|
|||
| 1 |  |
Judge Holden | 8 94th |
|
"The dead are happier dead. They don't miss much here, poor devils."
|
|||
| 1 |  |
wetwillies | 70 19th |
|
Maybe I missed something. Beautifully shot, but for the most part, it failed to engage me.
|
|||
| 1 | Pigeon Army | 90 86th |
|
|
Joseph Cotten doesn't get enough love for his work here - Holly may be a bit of a beige character, but Cotten plays him well as a man who slowly comes to realise that he's not the great person he thinks he is and that his best friend's not the great philanthropist he thinks he is. Along with Cotten, Welles' scene-stealing performance is a foregone conclusion, Reed's cinematography is downright astounding, and Greene's script is sharp and well-plotted.
|
|||
| 1 |  |
deaddilly | 75 60th |
|
To say this was masterfully shot would be a gross understatement. Its damn near perfectly shot. Unfortunately, the film refuses to linger into a moral grey-area: All of the good guys do the good thing and all of the bad guys do the bad thing. Its a shame that the potency of the cinematography was diluted by safe and now dated writing.
|
|||
| 1 |  |
roofs_runner | 96 96th |
|
The third man looks like Hitchcock movie for me. Black and white Vienna is amazing and frightening at once as well as Wells. The story is solid and credible which is quite uncommon in thriller genre. The only thing I really do not understand is the score which is absolutely inappropriate for the mood and sequence development. Delightful experience for every suspense fan.
|
|||
| 1 | letskillsamt | 95 85th |
|
|
This is the one film I'd recommend to anyone who claims to hate black and white films. The camera work, the lighting, the snappy dialogue, the fact that it was written by Graham Green, and the performances from Cotton and Welles... It's a classic of British cinema!
|
|||
| 1 |  |
MArkjp | 90 90th |
|
Post-war Vienna provides a wonderful backdrop for this beautiful film noir. Cinematography is absolutely stunning and especially the night scenes are breathtaking. Although the story centers on the mystery of what happened to Harry Lime, at it's core it really is a story about the protagonists moral character (and maybe about the occupying forces' as well...). Anywho: It's simply not true that Switzerland has brought us nothing but the cuckoo clock; what about chocolate?
|
|||
| 1 |  |
Rufam | 75 72nd |
|
Atmospheric, well-acted (especially by Welles) and shot in great style, "The Third Man" nevertheless comes as a minor disappointment to me. Although some sequences are indeed unforgettable (the talk atop the Wiener Riesenrad, the sewer killing, Anna's final snub), as a whole, the -pretty conventional- plot didn't fully engage me neither did the characters actually resonate. It remains a moody, well-written and beautifully photographed noir, it's just that I admire it more than I love it.
|
|||
| 1 |  |
Paxton | 80 87th |
|
Not as 100 as I was led to believe it would be. Baron Kurtz is a new favorite of mine. "I tell you I've done things that would have seemed unthinkable before the war."
|
|||
| 1 |  |
mattorama12 | 88 96th |
|
I know a movie is great when it's chock full of Dutch angles and they actually work. One of the best shot films I've seen. It's on location filming and incredible, original score create an atmosphere unlike any other movie I've seen. A true masterpiece.
|
|||
| 1 |  |
TamCam | 80 89th |
|
A great classical movie that I'd been ignoring for far to long. Watching it in Vienna after strolling through town and observing how destructed these very places were sixty years ago held some extra value for me. The movie itself is a twisted cinematic masterpiece with a perfect international cast.
|
|||
| 1 |  |
NBD Rab | 95 96th |
|
A captivating portrait of a very singular time and place. A twisting mystery plot that grabs your attention and doesn't let go. Welles steals the show here, once again demonstrating that few can play a fascinating jerk quite like he can.
|
|||
| 1 |  |
KenMeisters | 85 93rd |
|
So, I need to watch a few Noir movies this year, because i have basically seen almost none. This movie raises the bar for the remaining three movies I need to watch to very great heights. It slaps very hard.
|
|||
| 1 |  |
JSchlansky | 87 87th |
|
Why am I craving discontinued indigestion tablets? That can't be normal
|
|||
| 1 |  |
le mami | 90 95th |
|
Fascinating movie from start to finish. Very successful at almost every angle. Cinematography is top notch maybe one of the best. Joseph Cotton Orson Welles are geniusly good and the timing Welles appears is just great. I fucking loved this movie.
|
|||
| 1 |  |
rosenritter | 6 49th |
|
Ready to strangle that zither player.
|
|||
| 1 |  |
anilscn | 70 79th |
|
uzun süredir böyle bir görüntü yönetimi görmedim. adeta filmin boktan senaryosunun üstünü makyaj gibi örtmüş. film gene de overrated ama böylesi bir sinematografi çalışmasını kimse es geçemez.
|
|||
| 1 |  |
JonnyHalftab | 91 93rd |
|
What a fucking abomination of a score. Some melodramatic sax would've been way better, but the shadowplay and Dutch angles make me forget
|
|||
| 1 |  |
JPFerguson | 95 98th |
|
While sharing many similarities with other well known noir films, the combination of Reed's direction, Karas' score and the performances of the leading trio (not to mention the fabulous supporting cast) gives this movie a distinctly different feel. It almost transcends the noir genre (if it is a genre). And all for the better. So many rewarding moments for the viewer; Welles' reveal, the boy with the ball outing Martins, Schmidt walking past Martins to end the film. The list goes on. A must see.
|
|||
| Average Percentile 76.84% from 4610 Ratings |  |