The Third Man Director Carol Reed

The Third Man, directed by Carol Reed is a British movie of the film noir genre. Released in 1949, the screenplay is by the noted novelist Graham Greene. The screenplay was preceded by the novella of the same name which Greene wrote in preparation of the screenplay. It was published in 1950.

The Third Man won a number of awards including the Grand Prix at Cannes, British Academy Award for Best Film and Academy Award for Best Cinematography in Black and White. It was voted the best British film of all time by the British Film Institute and in 2004, the magazine Total Film voted it the third greatest British film of all time. Though controversial about it being American it has been adjudged among the top American films by American Film Institute.

The Third Man is set in the Austrian capital Vienna immediately after the Second World War. The story revolves around a pulp author from America, Holly Martins who is invited to Vienna by Harry Lime to work with him. The film starred Joseph Cotton as Holly Martins and Orson Welles as Harry Lime. It also starred Alida Valli, Trevor Howard, Wilfried Hyde-White and Bernard Lee.

The Third Man opens with Holly arriving in Vienna and learning that his friend has been killed. He is advised by a police officer, Major Calloway to leave Vienna. At his hotel Holly agrees to address members of a local book club. This was arranged by Baron Kurtz, a friend of Harry. He also reveals that Harry had requested him to take care of Holly and Harrys actress girlfriend, Anna. Holly is advised not to investigate further.

The situation in The Third Man gets further complicated when a porter at Harrys apartment says convincingly that none could survive an accident as that which caused Harrys death after he got hit and was left in an ugly shape. But soon this man gets murdered and being present at the scene the suspicion falls on Holly. Hollys meeting with the book club members does not succeed. Then he meets Calloway. Calloway reveals that Harry actually stole penicillin from the army supplies and sold it in the market in diluted form causing death and injury to many people.

Disheartened, Holly decides to leave but a Russian officer asks for Annas passport which is forged and she is arrested. At Annas apartment he gets a glimpse of a man who happens to be Harry Lime. Holly calls Calloway. It is revealed that Harry was alive and the body was of another man. This marks the climactic point of The Third Man.

Holly meets Harry at Viennas Ferris Wheel and in the famous scene Harry asks whether the men down in the streets, who looked liked dots would make any difference if it stopped moving. Holly decides to hand over Harry in exchange of Annas amnesty. The Third Man ends with a shootout in which Holly kills Harry but Anna ignores him in the end. The Third Man