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Harry Lime

The Third Man
ThirdManUSPoster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Carol Reed
Produced by
Screenplay by Graham Greene
Starring
Narrated by
  • Joseph Cotten (pre-1999)
  • Carol Reed
Music by Anton Karas
Cinematography Robert Krasker
Edited by Oswald Hafenrichter
Production
company
Distributed by
Release date
  • 2 September 1949 (1949-09-02) (United Kingdom)
  • 2 February 1950 (1950-02-02) (United States)
Running time
108 minutes
Country
  • United Kingdom
Language
  • English
  • German
  • Russian
Box office £277,549 (UK)

The Third Man is a 1949 British film noir directed by Carol Reed and written by Graham Greene. It stars Joseph Cotten, Valli (Alida Valli), Orson Welles, and Trevor Howard. The film takes place in post-World-War-II Vienna. It focuses on Holly Martins, an American who is given a job in Vienna by his friend Harry Lime, but when Holly arrives in Vienna he gets the news that Lime is dead. Martins then meets with Lime's acquaintances in an attempt to investigate what he considers a suspicious death.

The atmospheric use of black-and-white expressionist cinematography by Robert Krasker, with harsh lighting and distorted "Dutch angle" camera technique, is a key feature of The Third Man. Combined with the unique theme music, seedy locations and acclaimed performances from the cast, the style evokes the atmosphere of an exhausted, cynical, post-war Vienna at the start of the Cold War.

Greene wrote the novella of the same name as preparation for the screenplay. Anton Karas wrote and performed the score, which featured only the zither. The title music "The Third Man Theme" topped the international music charts in 1950, bringing the previously unknown performer international fame. It is considered one of the greatest films of all time, celebrated for its acting, musical score and atmospheric cinematography.

In 1999 the British Film Institute voted The Third Man the greatest British film of all time.


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