The Third Man
(1949)
Directed by- Carol Reed
*Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles, Alida Valli, Trevor Howard
British post-war noir based in Vienna, a city segregated by four powers and ruined by the aftermath of war is one of the best, most shining examples of the genre.
With its seedy locales (from cobbled streets to dingy pubs), shady characters (the scrupulous friends and the unwilling witness), masterful camerawork (splendid wide angle shots along with tilted, queer and innovative angles) and a background score which is as magnificent as unusual, The Third Man stands tall as the prime example of everything a noir film should be.
Holly Martins comes to the city to stay with his friend Harry Lime, but he arrives ten minutes too late as his friend is killed in a road accident at his own doorstep, by his own driver, in the company of his own friends, pronounced dead by his own doctor who also, quite comfortably walks into the scene.
Soon these incredible circumstances begin to nag at the nosy b-grade western writer who takes it up with the police to prove his friend's innocence, who are actually more than relieved at the death of the infamous racketeer, Lime.
As Martins grasps for clues he falls for the troubled actress Anna, who was his friend's lover and is recuperating from the sudden loss.
Eventually, this web of shadows and deceit reaches a striking crescendo as a blinding revelation builds into a most astonishing finale.
The strong point of The Third Man is not the perfect acting by its cast, with Cotten as the poor judge of character Holly Martins, who plays the foreigner-comes-to-town part of a noir hero damnably well and Welles as the conniving villain who's revelation shakes up your insides; neither is it the expert direction of Reed who maintains an iron grip over the narrative showing only what he wants us to see and keeps us on toes with the subtle, silent hints he plants on screen; nor is it the smart writing which was first made into a novella by writer Graham Greene to better explore the world of the film; it is, in fact as with all great noirs, the incredible camerawork that becomes the hero of this film.
Robert Krasker's mindblowing cinematography which not only captures the mood, melancholy and misery of war torn Vienna deftly, but also delves into its underbelly with equal ease. The final scenes which form one of the best examples of cinematography in a film noir are also some of the most amazing moments on film, the long winding chase in the sewers which culminates into a most thrilling climax will remain etched in my memory forever.
The way the city's ruined structures are depicted quite in the same vein as it's thriving nightclubs coupled with a dexterous play of shadows and lighting makes it a beloved example of chiaroscuro in cinema.
Everything about this film is near perfect.
It grips you right from the opening monologue (presented by Reed himself) and as the story progresses it sucks you in a quicksand of drama, excitement and moral ambiguity.
The way it surreptitiously leaves the fate of the protagonist open ended (in stark contrast to the novella) adds depth to his actions and their effects.
A quick word about the phenomenal yet quirky music by Anton Karas, which virtually uses just one instrument; the zither, to form the most haunting and appropriate background score. 'The Third Man theme' became a rage worldwide with its new sound that not only complimented the film but is also a pleasure to the ears.
In fact Karas' zither duly accompanies Krasker's lenses in making this film the fondly memorable experience that it is today.
A powerful film that uses every trick of the trade and packs a punch that will impress, inspire and entice you to the charm of this fantastic genre.
Kudos to Carol Reed, who was understandably inspired by Welles' own style of filmmaking and created this screen gem.
Rating- 4.7/5
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