DVD/Blu-Ray Review: Carol Reed's 1949 classic "The Third Man", returns in a stunning 4K restoration...

“The Third Man” (U)
Directed by: Carol Reed.
Starring: Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles, Trevor Howard and Bernard Lee.
Rated: ‘U’, for containing mild threat.
Running time: 104 minutes.
Released on EST from the 13th of July and Blu-Ray/DVD from the 20th of July, 2015.  

Pulp novelist Holly Martins (Cotten), is dangerously out of his league. Upon his arrival in post-war Vienna, Martins is greeted with only mystery, bewilderment and danger; his three close companions for the duration of Carol Reed’s Great British masterpiece. Martins himself, is due to visit a dear friend of his, named Harry Lime (Welles), but is dutifully informed that Harry was killed, after he was struck at high speed, by a car. Broke, and clueless in regards to his future plans, Martins decides to peruse the alien landscape, encountering Lime’s lover, Anna (Valli), and a section of the British Army Police, led by Major Calloway (a tremendous performance from Howard). After some brief enquiries, Martins discovers that Lime himself was accused of being a criminal, and to honour Lime, decides to stay and clear his name. But as Martins becomes ensnared within a plot similar to the novelettes he so frequently publishes, he soon finds himself embracing the role of a gumshoe, despite being hopelessly bemused, yet tenacious in the pursuit of truth.

Written sublimely by novelist turned screenwriter Graham Greene, “The Third Man” encapsulates perfectly, the codes and conventions of the quintessential film noir, featuring a female character to rival many, and a villain whose crimes signify the very meaning of callous. Each character receives some particularly acerbic and intelligent dialogue, with lines which are arguably iconic (the confrontation between Popescu and Martins within the book club, is at once comedic as well as frightening), but also deceptively revealing, regarding the intentions of the characters themselves, providing a depth unlike many other screenplays. Even secondary characters receive back story of sorts; the charming Sergeant Paine (Lee) often insists on relaying to Martins how much he adores the readability of his novels, despite often being shrugged off by the obnoxious American.

The entire cast absorbs the dialogue, and fully embody the characters they were destined to portray. Cotten is the stereotypical American (a drunk who is both loud and rude), but is sincere in his quest for justice, providing a reserved quality to the scenes between himself and Valli, as the prime suspects for a will they/won’t they relationship. But once Welles arrives on screen, he begins to steal the majority of the scenes he features in. Martin’s meeting with Lime aboard Vienna’s Ferris wheel, the Wiener Riesenrad, is tense far beyond expectation. As the scene itself progresses, Lime obliquely threatens Martins as calmly as one would order a cup of coffee. Lime remains cool and calm despite the clear desire of murder, ingrained upon his eyes. The result is chilling and the creation of an immortal exercise into true tension. The film’s cast is undeniably pitch-perfect, with Howard and Welles leading the proceedings. But this is a fine showcase for Cotten, committing fully to his performance which rivals the very best of the film noir actors of his time, particularly Bogart and Mitchum. The intensity and dedication to the crafting of his character is admirable, and pays off, allowing the audience to align with him despite his loathsome traits which provide a sense of humanity to the part.

The film itself is an undeniable masterpiece, but without the cinematography and score, “The Third Man” may not have earned its seat amongst the classics. Beautifully shot by Robert Krasker, his use of expressionistic black and white cinematography is astounding, providing an atmospheric tone throughout the entire film. The scenes filmed at night are consequently mysterious, adding a horror-like style to the sequences in which Cotten walks through the bombed-out streets, transporting us to an area in which the safety of our protagonist is constantly questioned. An appearance from Nosferatu himself would not surprise me... Yet the strangest feature of Reed’s film is the musical score from Anton Karas. Written only to require the participation of the zither (a strange instrument), the score itself signifies a mixture of fear, danger and comedy in every scene. Even if the characters are multi-layered in their emotions, Karas’s score unearths their deepest feelings, even in the most involved of sequences. 

As expected, the special features are exceptional (full list provided below); overly informative, yet especially rewarding for cinephiles. Martin Scorsese and Ben Wheatley contribute to a intriguing documentary and offer personal accounts of how Reed's masterpiece influenced the direction and style of their very own films, whilst another documentary charters Greene's personal life and the creation of "The Third Man" in relation to both the novel and screenplay, which is particularly powerful and revealing. Another documentary, entitled "Restoring The Third Man", offers direct insight into the process of 4K restorations like never before, allowing the audience to finally understand the pivotal craft of restorations.

Verdict

Simply put, this is the perfect embodiment of film noir. Intense confrontation, thrilling chase sequences, gorgeous cinematography and one of cinema's finest casts provide a captivating slice of Great British cinema unlike any other. The final shot might just take your breath away.

Film - 10 stars out of 10
DVD/Blu-Ray extras - 10 stars out of 10
Written by Scott Gentry.

Film/TV Rating Key
1-2 stars out of ten = Awful.
3-4 stars out of ten = Average.
5-6 stars out of ten = Good.
7-8 stars out of ten = Excellent.
9-10 stars out of ten = Amazing.

 

Special Features Material Includes:

• Audio Commentary with Guy Hamilton, Simon Callow & Angela Allen
• Shadowing the Third Man
• Interview & Zither Performance by Cornelia Mayer
• The Third Man Interactive Vienna Tour
• The Third Man on the Radio
• Guardian NFT Interview - Joseph Cotten (Audio Only)
• Guardian NFT Interview - Graham Greene (Audio Only)
• Joseph Cotten's Alternate Opening Voiceover Narration
• The Third Man - A Filmmaker's Influence
• Restoring The Third Man
• Dangerous Edge - Graham Greene Documentary
• Trailer

Trailer




Clip