The Third Man is one of the high points in the history of film noir; loaded with atmosphere and tension, memorable dialogue, stunning cinematography and an iconic score, the movie also features one of the greatest character reveals of all time, played to perfection by Orson Welles. Joseph Cotten's writer arrives in Vienna looking to reconnect with old friend Harry Lime, only to be told that he was killed just days before. After the funeral, Cotten's Holly Martins investigates the suspicious circumstances surrounding Lime's death and ultimately discovers that his friend isn't dead after all, and is in fact a black market racketeer. After visiting Lime's girlfriend, Martins spots somebody watching him from the shadows. Ignoring Martins' calls to reveal himself, a flicker of light briefly illuminates the face of the recently deceased Harry Lime, looking very much alive and well. The music meshes perfectly with the mischievous look on Welles' face, adding another layer of intrigue to the story before he disappears back into the darkness.
I don't do social media, so like or follow me in person but please maintain a safe distance or the authorities will be notified. Don't snap me though, I'll probably break. I was once labelled a misogynist on this very site in a twenty paragraph-long rant for daring to speak ill of the Twilight franchise. I stand by what I said, it's crap.
The Third Man is one of the high points in the history of film noir; loaded with atmosphere and tension, memorable dialogue, stunning cinematography and an iconic score, the movie also features one of the greatest character reveals of all time, played to perfection by Orson Welles. Joseph Cotten's writer arrives in Vienna looking to reconnect with old friend Harry Lime, only to be told that he was killed just days before. After the funeral, Cotten's Holly Martins investigates the suspicious circumstances surrounding Lime's death and ultimately discovers that his friend isn't dead after all, and is in fact a black market racketeer. After visiting Lime's girlfriend, Martins spots somebody watching him from the shadows. Ignoring Martins' calls to reveal himself, a flicker of light briefly illuminates the face of the recently deceased Harry Lime, looking very much alive and well. The music meshes perfectly with the mischievous look on Welles' face, adding another layer of intrigue to the story before he disappears back into the darkness.