The Third Man -- What Makes This Movie Great? (Episode 160)

Disclaimer: All reasonable comments are welcome, including reasoned disagreements. You will be banned for foolish talk, harassment, and hate speech on sight; it's a tremendous waste of life. I believe in freedom of association and, by extension, freedom of dissociation from you.

[jamesdrynan]

I believe Reed went against Selznick, the producer, who wanted a happy ending. He admitted he was wrong. Reed's choice to have Anna walk past Holly without saying a word was the perfect ending.

[daveroche]

First saw this when I was around 14 - just blew me away. The 'cuckoo clock' bit remains 100% epic!

[AlonsoRules]

The Third Man is a masterpiece of film noir. That first shots of Orson Welles as Harry Lime are iconic.

[ronnieince]

In a word -a masterpiece -I never tire of watching it -the photography is simply matchless .

[jimfarmer]

I viewed this films many times before I went to Vienna in 1989. Then there was a movie house that showed this film on a constant loop. I watched the movie (again) and then went to ride the "Big Wheel". Best experience ever!!!

[kalebcollins]

That is the absolute best review of a film I have ever watched on YouTube. The way you intertwine world history, theology, and the technical aspects of cinema is flawless. You said more in 13 minutes than some people can say in an hourlong review. Great analysis. Keep up the good work!

[vdr]

Easily one of my top 10 films. It's amazing how Wells can portray a character so evil & yet so likeable at the same time.

[zantigar]

I wish you had elaborated more on the character of Anna, and how she exemplifies the amorality of love - how one can be in love with a person no matter how wicked, and how being morally "good" like Martins does NOT necesssarily earn you the right to someone's love. This is such a modern, timeless idea, almost NEVER illustrated honestly anywhere in stories, etc. This deeply cynical truth helps make The Third Man so relevant - as the movie gets older, it NEVER feels dated! It has aged beautifully!

[rullvox]

Joseph Cotton was a great actor, and very underrated. Shadow of a Doubt is one of my favorite classical Hitchcock movies that he's in.

[sprezzatura]

Everything about this film is exceptional. Also love Joseph Cotten in the Magnificent Ambersons.

[murtada]

The best thing about this movie is the directing shot of the appearance of the third man

[stevekaczynski]

8:40 - Lime's perspective is almost that of somebody flying a bomber - in WW2 and indeed more recent conflicts, they were often callous about the effect their bombs had on those beneath.

[johnc]

Brilliant movie -- in all respects! What a cast: Joseph Cotten (entirely different from his shady, clever, murderous character in "Shadow of a Doubt"!), Orson Welles (Harry Slime, perhaps?), Trevor Howard. Great analysis, too! I have always loved the zither music and how it sets a unique, forlorn tone for the film. The setting is amazingly depressing, too -- but you cannot get enough of it. Darkness, mystery, nothing level -- from the cinematography to the damaged buildings, streets, and steps (watch your step!). Everywhere you look for normality and some daylight, but so little of it is there. You feel dizzy. And the feeling of being trapped and insignificant in the occupied city and it's zones. You can trust no one. I found it breath-taking: You're grasping and gasping for something normal, something cheery, but it's all bleak. And the city had to endure this purgatory for a decade, until 1955. How do you breathe at all?

[markdhecimovich]

Sir Carol Reed is very underrated and his directing style is what makes this masterpiece work

[pamelachristie]

I first saw this film years ago, before its restoration. (Thank you, Criterion!) So I was unimpressed at the time; everything was muddy and dark - I couldn't even tell that the cat was playing with somebody's shoelaces (a very important shot). But then I saw the restored version, and...Wow. For my money, this is the finest film ever made. It gets full marks for plot, theme, characters, cinematography, setting, dialogue and details: Crabbin, always trying to keep his mistress out of view; the dog, belonging to both Kurtz and Winkel; Holly trying to evoke Harry's past for Anna, and only being able to come up with examples of betrayal and dishonesty. Finally, the scene on the roof of the cafe, where Harry's hat, lit from below, disappears against the dark sky, and all that shows is the white lining on either side of his head, like Satanic horns. You've done a wonderful job with this review! While I'd already noted the connection between the sewer and Harry's soul, I never knew about the Biblical implications of the 3rd man, and I totally missed the God symbolism on the Ferris wheel - Brilliant! You should teach a course!

[davidcronan]

About four years ago we went on a "Third Man" walking tour. Our guide told us that her grandfather had bought some black-market penicillin just after the war to treat his very sick son. Luckily is was not like the stuff Harry Lime was dealing with and her father survived

[titanus]

An absolute gem of a movie. Iconic in every aspect, an unforgettable movie that cannot be made in these days of dross and short attention span.

[AndyWilliams]

I absolutely love this movie. In some ways, I like it more than Citizen Kane. Everything from the directing, to the acting, to the cinematography, to the lighting, to the writing, to the score is an undeniable 10/10. The part that takes it over the top, however, is when Harry Lime shows up and steals the show. Wells' entrance is shocking and sublime. There's just something about that grin. It's thrilling and enigmatic, and every time I watch it, it's like the first time watching it.

He conveys in just a few seconds what some actors cannot show over the course of an entire film. He was a true master of his craft. As his scenes continue, he exudes an air of smooth-talking, free-wheeling charisma and pure, larger then life confidence that has never been topped since. Even after you wince through the scene where the police detail his crimes, one still can't help but be impressed by his character. You want to hate him, but by his last scene, you still can't help but empathize with him, if only a bit.

[wesleypratt]

Everything, its as perfect a movie that has ever been made. Everyone in the film was at the absolute height of there powers.

[shizukana_hito]

the camera work, the pulp story, the setting of vienna. the music is phantastic. the plot is interesting too. the actors worked spot on from the main actors to the most side characters