Review of The Third Man (1949) by Alvaro G — 11 Jan 2014
An American paperback writer travels to a gloomy post-war Vienna to meet a long-time friend. Everything quickly changes when he discovers his friend is dead from an accident, and nobody has any information about what happened.
It turns into a great mystery story of murder, conspiracy, love, moral dilemmas, and betrayal. At first, things move slowly, but as the story progresses and number of big surprises picks the pace up. The lighting and stark settings within the city exude somber mood, making things feel uneasy and uncertain, just like the main character.
Wide camera angles, tilted perspectives, creative viewpoints, and high-contrast lighting reinforce these feelings all the more. The climax is a thrilling set of chase scenes moving through the city and down into the city sewers.
These last scenes are boldly sublime and display an impressive level of craft and directorial creativity. They are a joy to watch and are exciting even by today's standards. The story is not a typical feel-good formula, but the great acting, tense action, sincere emotion and rich character complexities make this a rewarding to watch more than once.
It is of exceptional quality in every way, and I cannot recommend this enduring murder mystery classic enough.
This review of The Third Man (1949) was written by Alvaro G on 11 Jan 2014.
The Third Man has generally received very positive reviews.
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