Review of The Third Man (1949) by Seth D — 03 Apr 2009
In all honesty I have always loved films that are filmed in a highly Expressionist style, as film is one of the few fields where you can distort perception and scale and if you do it correctly it can be more engaging at times than simply portraying reality.
Such is the case of this British classic from Carol Reed, an engrossing story of an accident that may not be an accident, and where the victim may not be a victim, but the catalyst. The director tries a number of differing perspectives to enhance the mystery aspect of the film, such as numerous dutch angles and great shadowing and fog effects that reminded me of classic Fritz Lang and the best of German Expressionism.
And Orson Welles.....damn that guy was a fantastic actor; yes, he is best known as the kid prodigy behind the greatest constructed film ever made, but I think his acting skills really deserve just as much acclaim, as his role in this is a tour-de-force.
Definitely mandatory viewing for anyone that enjoys good film.
This review of The Third Man (1949) was written by Seth D on 03 Apr 2009.
The Third Man has generally received very positive reviews.
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