IMDb >
The Third Man (1949)
Watch It
Buy it at Amazon
Watch it now at Blockbuster.com
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user reviewsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsThe Third Man (1949) More at IMDbPro »
| Photos (See all 65 | slideshow) | Videos (see all 7) |
Overview
User Rating:
Your Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
31 August 1949 (UK)
See more »
Tagline:
Carol Reed's Classic Thriller See more »
Plot:
Arriving in Vienna, Holly Martins learns that his friend Harry Lime, who has invited him, recently died in a car accident. Full summary » | Full synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
Black Market
|
Writer
|
Car Accident
|
Police
|
Post WWII
See more »
Awards:
Won Oscar.
Another 2 wins
&
4 nominations
See more »
NewsDesk:
(100 articles)
David Reviews Bruce Robinson’s Withnail and I [Blu-ray Review]
(From CriterionCast. 9 September 2010, 6:00 AM, PDT)
More classics from The Studio Canal Collection hit Blu-ray in September!
(From Twitch. 24 August 2010)
Tadff 10: Heartless Review
(From Twitch. 23 August 2010, 10:34 AM, PDT)
(From CriterionCast. 9 September 2010, 6:00 AM, PDT)
More classics from The Studio Canal Collection hit Blu-ray in September!
(From Twitch. 24 August 2010)
Tadff 10: Heartless Review
(From Twitch. 23 August 2010, 10:34 AM, PDT)
User Reviews:
The real mccoy when you want to talk serious screen legends!
See more (317 total) »
Cast
(Complete credited cast)| Joseph Cotten | ... | Holly Martins | |
| Alida Valli | ... | Anna Schmidt (as Valli) | |
| Orson Welles | ... | Harry Lime | |
| Trevor Howard | ... | Major Calloway | |
| Bernard Lee | ... | Sergeant Paine | |
| Paul Hörbiger | ... | Karl - Harry's Porter (as Paul Hoerbiger) | |
| Ernst Deutsch | ... | 'Baron' Kurtz | |
| Siegfried Breuer | ... | Popescu | |
| Erich Ponto | ... | Dr. Winkel | |
| Wilfrid Hyde-White | ... | Crabbin | |
| Hedwig Bleibtreu | ... | Anna's Old Landlady |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
"The 3rd Man" - USA (poster title)
See more »
See more »
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
104 min | USA:93 min
Country:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Certification:
Iceland:12 | Netherlands:6 (DVD rating) | South Korea:15 (2003) | Brazil:14 | Japan:G (2009) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:11 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #14125) | West Germany:12 | New Zealand:G
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Harry Lime's character name may be derived from Graham Greene's own name. Henry=Harry Graham Greene (Green)= Lime. Others say he chose the surname because it "reminded him of the quicklime where murderers were buried."See more »
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: In the two separate back projection shots of Calloway, Martens and Paine, supposedly traveling in a jeep at night in Vienna, a double-decker London bus can be seen in background.See more »
Quotes:
British MP:I'm sorry, Miss, it's orders. We can't go against the protocol.
Anna Schmidt:I don't even know what protocol means.
British MP:Neither do I, Miss.
See more »
Anna Schmidt:I don't even know what protocol means.
British MP:Neither do I, Miss.
See more »
Movie Connections:
Featured in AFI's 10 Top 10: America's 10 Greatest Films in 10 Classic Genres (2008) (TV)See more »
Soundtrack:
Managua, NicaraguaSee more »
FAQ
Is "The Third Man" based on a novel?Who was the third man?
See more »
See more (317 total) »
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Third Man (1949) See more »Recommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| Bon voyage | Salt | The Fugitive | Slaughterhouse-Five | Basic Instinct |
|
IMDb User Rating: |
IMDb User Rating: |
IMDb User Rating: |
IMDb User Rating: |
IMDb User Rating: |
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb top 250 movies | IMDb Film-Noir section |
| IMDb UK section | Add this title to MyMovies |























What IS it makes THE THIRD MAN the classic most everyone agrees it is? (And lets face it, voted no 35 in the top all-time films gives it MORE than just some passing credibility!) Is it Orson Welles' menace? The whiff of corruption in occupied post-war Vienna? the cuckoo-clock speech atop the big wheel? even Anton Karras' zither? Perhaps ALL these things? If however, you had to nominate just a single influence within the whole production that elevates it to greatness I suggest that would be Robert Krasker's cinematography.
The finished product innovatively, was years ahead of its birthright. Time and time again the viewer is bailed up by stunning camera angles and back-lighting. The eerie shadows around the deserted streets and of course the unforgettable first glimpse of Harry Lime (Welles) himself as he skulks like the rat he is, in the corner of the building, lit in close-up suddenly from the light in an adjacent apartment. Offhand I cannot think of a character's more dramatic entrance to a film.
Welles in fact has minimal screen time, though his dark presence and influence infiltrate proceedings like an insidious disease. Yet somehow his ultimate demise in the sewers brings into play an incredible sadness and compassion that has absolutely no right being there. It remains for me one of my top five film favorites. I have always given it a "10" personally but hey, to be voted an "8.6" universally is a pretty fair vindication of my words here.