Review of The Third Man (1949) by Ivan M — 03 May 2012
The Third Man, perhaps the greatest film noir of all time, is simply superb. Endlessly re-watchable, moody and atmospheric, and just exceptional. The performances by Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli and Orson Welles help greatly in making this film what it is.
Cotten is simply adorable as the sarcastic Holly Martins, in over his head, the lonely, heartbroken Anna Schmidt is played perfectly by Valli, and Welles gives another stunningly memorable performance as Harry Lime, despite the fact that he has quite a minimal amount of screen time! The picture displays some extremely well done cinematography, most shots being slightly off-kilter to reflect the world Cotten's character is bursting into.
Anton Karas' zither soundtrack is unique but characterises the film and helps it stand out amongst the other great noirs. The Third Man, a film which helps define the word, 'Masterpiece'.
This review of The Third Man (1949) was written by Ivan M on 03 May 2012.
The Third Man has generally received very positive reviews.
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