# Third Man, The (1949)

### reviewed by
Lars Lindahl

    By Lars Lindahl
    © 1999 Lars Lindahl

    The Third Man (1949)

Starring Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles, Alida Valli, Trevor Howard, Bernard Lee, and Wilfrid Hyde-White

    Directed by Carol Reed

    Written by Graham Greene

    Grade **** (out of four)

"The Third Man" tells the story of a writer, Holly Martins, searching for the true details regarding the mysterious death of a close friend Harry Lime. This brief outline of the plot makes "The Third Man" sound like the majority of films in the noir genre. However, Carol Reed's masterpiece is far from the norm. The setting takes place in post World War 2 Vienna, Austria, a very chaotic atmosphere in which the Allied Powers police the streets and the black market dominates the economy. Since Vienna contains a number of different nationalities living in the same region, there are various communication problems and because of this, it is difficult to tell who is on whose side. Reed takes full advantage of this chaotic, paranoid environment. His unbelievable control over light and dark is what specifically makes this film stand out from others. His use of shadows in dark alley ways or sewers creates some memorable chase scenes. In these scenes, Reed mainly displays shadows chasing after shadows, with very few shots of the actual humans. This is extremely clever because with shadows you never know exactly where someone is and also with dark figures it adds to the mysteriousness of the environment. Reed presents some of the most beautiful black and white shots have ever seen. It is truly amazing how detailed he makes some of the night scenes.

"The Third Man" is also strongly supported with an excellent script by novelist Graham Greene. As the film progresses, we learn more and more about the supposedly accidental murder of Lime (Orson Welles) and who Lime really is. The film begins with Martins (Joseph Cotten) learning about Lime's accidental death but when he reaches the funeral there is a very strained and dubious mood. This mood shows that Lime's death certainly has another story to it. Thus the mystery begins with Martins interviewing Lime's friends. Through these interviews Lime and the viewer simultaneously discover more evidence until a porter informs us that there was a third man carrying Lime's body when everyone else swore there were only two. At this point in the film, paranoia reaches its zenith. It is very difficult to tell what exactly is going on. Who is lying? Who is telling the truth? Who is to trust? Who is the third man?? Greene asks these questions and does not give the answer until you least expect it.

The performances in the film are also flawless. Cotten plays Martins perfectly as your not-so-average hero. He drinks heavily, he is a failing writer, and he does not get the girl. You may not even agree with some of his final moral decisions. Martins' appearance just shows that the effects of the war were devastating and virulent on all. Since Martins, once very successful, was obviously hurt by the war even though the film never really adresses the topic. The outcome of Welles' Harry Lime is another effect of the war. Driven away from democracy, Lime goes against his friends and loved ones to succeed. Welles' short but sweet performance answers all of the film's questions about Lime in a heartbeat.

As this film turns fifty years old, it incredibly still contains the same adrenaline. A must-see for film noir fans and to those looking for another masterpiece starring Orson Welles and Joseph Cotten.

    Grade: **** (out of four)

    (c) 1999 Lars Lindahl

visit new web site by Lars Lindahl - Lars Attacks

http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/larsattacks

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