The Third Man

This is a colossal mystery. Unless I have watched a completely different film, I can't explain why The Third Man's rating far exceeds its actual objective qualities. The story makes no sense and dully maintains the tension by listening over and over again to dialogues about one "mysterious" event. Perhaps, it was successful in its time thanks to the participation of Orson Welles, who plays a truly "mysterious" character, and also for being shot on location in a crumbling Vienna, whose narrow streets were perfect for a story full of mysteries. Today, however, the film would have a hard time fitting in, regardless of the fact that noir is sort of past its prime. I give three stars solely for the last fifteen minutes, and also out of admiration for the director, who managed to work quite skilfully with the predictable mysteries for almost 70 minutes. But this is a movie with too many mysteries for my taste. :-) 60% (22/07/2014)

The premise alone wouldn’t have made me watch this film. Orson disappears, and his longtime friend shows up by chance. The friend falls for Orson’s mistress, who spends an hour lamenting Orson’s disappearance. But then, Orson suddenly reappears, leading to the film’s biggest twist. The real draw of this movie is its setting — post-war Vienna. That’s why I wanted to see it. The atmosphere of the city during that time is incredibly strong and fascinating. The cinematography is excellent, with some shots that are downright chilling. The music, with its Greek balalaika, is amusingly out of place but doesn’t detract from the film's mysterious vibe. (07/11/2022)

I've heard that British fans consider this the best film of all time. For its era, it was certainly an exceptional film, but spreading such statements among today's consumers of commercial hits would likely garner some ridicule, as time in the film industry moves quickly, and the nearly 60 years certainly show. In the late 1940s, the extensive use of exteriors and the bleak ruins of bombed-out Vienna were revolutionary and now give this thriller almost the dimension of a war documentary. Excellent performance by Orson Welles, with noteworthy cinematography and lighting, and several excellent scenes such as the wild chase across the city that surprisingly ends at a literary lecture. On the other hand, there is uneven pacing and drawn-out scenes (especially the final quarter-hour in the sewer system). Overall impression: 80%. (07/05/2007)

A prime example of a noir film that I still liked more than six decades after it was made. Gloomy atmosphere, a criminal plot, an unexpected twist, a lot of very well and effectively used shadows – The Third Man has all this and more to offer, and it won me over mainly because of its technical workmanship. In short, a film that I personally don't find to be the best I've ever seen, but still worth watching. (05/04/2012)

Great film noir, for many people a movie that defines this genre. Orson Welles in his classic role, when he appears only for a few minutes, but completely changes the understanding of the whole plot and previous events. Great twists and absolutely unexpected music. This is something that must bring joy to film lovers. However, I can't help but feel that something is missing in order for the film to create a truly perfect impression of uniqueness. As if it were not perfectly consistent. (20/10/2013)