The Third Man (1949)
TOMATOMETER
AUDIENCE SCORE
Critic Consensus: This atmospheric thriller is one of the undisputed masterpieces of cinema, and boasts iconic performances from Joseph Cotten and Orson Welles.
The Third Man Videos
The Third Man Photos
Movie Info
Watch it now
Cast
as Holly Martins
as Anna Schmidt
as Harry Lime
as Maj. Calloway
as Porter
as Baron Kurtz

as Dr. Winkle

as Popescu
as Sgt. Paine

as Hansel

as Brodsky
as Crabbin
as British Policeman

as Hall porter

as Hansel

as Anna's "Old Woman"

as Kurtz's Mother
as Porter's wife

as Winkel's Maid

as Barman at Casanova

as Hansel's Father
as MP

as Man
as Waiter at Smolka's

as Taxi Driver

as Barman at Sacher's

as Headwaiter

as Josefstadt Theatre Actress

as Man Chasing Holly

as Nurse
News & Interviews for The Third Man
Critic Reviews for The Third Man
All Critics (77) | Top Critics (19) | Fresh (77) | Rotten (0) | DVD (14)
Krasker's camera reveals a dank, matte, defeated city - so dully vivid as to be a character unto itself - except that this Vienna becomes something altogether different seen at night or underground.

Reed and screenwriter Graham Greene let the story unfold slowly and deliberately, like the cigarette smoke that floats around the characters, and keep us guessing at every step.
Like many, I have loved this thriller of conscience and betrayal most of my moviegoing life.
"The Third Man" is important not just because of its technique but because of its theme ...
A lot funnier than you remember it, Carol Reed's immortal 1949 film noir seems to exist in the space between two worlds: an earlier time when thrillers were mostly serious affairs, and a future one, when such supremely witty entertainments felt passé.
The Third Man is a movie of sobering pleasures.
Audience Reviews for The Third Man
While this creepy walk through post-war Vienna may not always make sense (Joe Cotton's character argues with the cops about them having a lack of evidence when he in fact is on the light side of proof) it's moody atmospherics make for an interesting crawl through the bad side of town. I particularly liked a kid leading a mob for revenge. Worth a look.
Super Reviewer
Despite its distracting overuse of Dutch angle shots, this is a classic film noir crafted beautifully by Reed and Graham Greene (who worked on it by writing his excellent novella), with a fascinating villain, a fabulous post-war Vienna as its location and a perfect choice for a score.
Super Reviewer
The absolute in spy classics, and Carol Reed's best directorial effort, "The Third Man" remains one of the most interesting and politically driven films of all times. The performances are amazing, to say the least. Joseph Cotten is Holly Martins, an expatriate from America, who comes to war torn Austria to find his friend dead, his job gone, and an unraveling mystery all set up for him to solve. As Martins (a mystery novelist) starts looking into his old friend's (Welles) death, he discovers a man he desperately doesn't want to admit knowing, and a conspiracy that extends to murder. Martins is so subdued and dark that he instantly fits into the everyman facade and runs with it. Alida Valli as Anna Schmidt was intriguing as well, fighting for the man she loves but also being shocked into empathy. Anna Schmidt is one of the more complex and interesting characters of the entire film, and though her motivations are clear, she still steals the show from time to time. The plot is interesting, the suspense is taut, and the cinematography is out of this world amazing. A must see, a classic, and a thriller worth being thrilled about.
Super Reviewer
The Third Man Quotes
Harry Lime: | In Italy for thirty years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder, bloodshed. They producedd Michaelangelo, da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love, five hundred years of democracy and peace, and what did they produce? The cuckoo clock. |
Anna Schmidt: | Honest, Sensible Holly martins. Holly. What a silly name! |
Harry Lime: | Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock. |
Harry Lime: | In Switzerland, they had brotherly love, and they had 500 years of democracy and peace. And what did that produce? The cuckoo clock. |
Discussion Forum
Discuss The Third Man on our Movie forum!