Review of The Third Man (1949) by Brendan O — 18 Sep 2010
Third Man is really worthy of the acclaim. Everything's works and strikes all the right cords; story, cast and production. The story is witty with strong characterization, strong themes and a pace that maintains my interest till the end.
The Third Man is perfectly casted; Joseph Cotten and Alida Valli gives very low-key performances and Orson Welles is just tailor-made for the part of Harry Lime and despite only being in the movie for about 10% of the time, he's really steal the entire film.
The Cinematography is really a character itself, all the angles, the scenery, Vienna looks both beautiful and in ruins and is constantly slanted and shadowy. dialogue is quite impressive, with some interesting lines and points of view, with a bit of un-subtitled german thrown-in, which enhances authenticity.
Anton Karas' soundtrack is beautiful. The mellow sounds produced by his zitner grant the Third Man with an entirely new flavor, one that blends with the dark vistas from Vienna's sewers exceptionally well.
I can't recommend this film enough, if you in anyway love film you should see this. It's not an ageing classic, its a truly timeless masterpiece.
This review of The Third Man (1949) was written by Brendan O on 18 Sep 2010.
The Third Man has generally received very positive reviews.
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