Too much of everything

That was an excellent one.

Good concept, poorly executed.

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

I respect the "classic" status of The Third Man, but I could not get past the soundtrack. The zither music was distracting to me and it ruined what could have been some intense moments. The story was slow, but interesting and the characters were awkward, but relatable. I still think Orson Welles is a bit overrated, but he was excellent in this film.

Pulp novelist Holly Martins travels to shadowy, postwar Vienna, only to find himself investigating the mysterious death of an old friend, Harry Lime. I was expecting 'The Third Man' to be some awesome Noir thriller but instead we get the boring version of it like seriously i get it some of those movies back in the 30's and 40's did well for their time but now in 2018? They look pretty terrible, sound terrible and their just either very boring or very long and this movie is on the first side of things. Some people will enjoy it but others will just get bored by it. (0/10)

Has there ever been a film where the music more perfectly suited the action than in Carol Reed's "The Third Man"? Anton Karas is responsible for this unforgettable soundtrack. At the beginning, he wasn't part of the film, but after one day of filming, Reed and some cast members (Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli and Orson Welles) had dinner and retired to a wine cellar, where they heard the zither music of Karas, a 40-year-old musician, who was playing only for tips. When Reed heard him, he realized that this music was perfect for his film.The film begins with the spoken prologue "I never knew the old Vienna, before the war. . ." On the background it is presented post-war Vienna. After the war, Vienna was divided in 4 zones: French, British, American and Russian. American pulp Western novel writer Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) comes to the city seeking his old best friend, Harry Lime. Upon arrival he finds out that Harry was killed by a truck while crossing the street. Martins attends Lime's funeral, where he meets two British policeman. One of them is Sergeant Paine (Bernard Lee), a huge fan of Martins' novels, and Major Calloway (Trevor Howard), who says Lime was a criminal and suggests Martins leave town. After the funeral Martins goes with Major Calloway to have a drink. Calloway says that Lime was the biggest gangster in the city, but Martins didn't believe him, and starts a fight. Calloway send Martins to a hotel with Sergeant Paine. At the hotel Martins met Crabbin, who is the head of a discussion group, about culture. Crabbin is offering to pay for his lodging, in exchange for a lecture about American culture at his group.Viewing this an opportunity to clear his friend's name, Martins decides to remain in Vienna. He receives a call from "Baron" Kurtz (Ernst Deutch), who tells Martins that he, along with another friend, Popescu (Siegfried Breuer), carried Lime to the side of the street after the accident. After that he goes to Lime's place, where he meets the porter (Paul Hörbiger), who says that Lime was carried by three men. He also finds out, that Lime had a girlfriend Anna Schmidt (Alida Valli), who was acting in a play at Josephstadt.From now on the suspense and adventure begins. Who killed Lime? Why? Who was the third man? If you want to find out you have to watch this amazing noir film. This is one of my favourite movies, with an unforgettable story, music, and characters. I hope you will consider to watch it, because you won't regret it.

Without a lot of hyperbole, this movie is a true must see, a film noir master class and an important landmark in the history of cinema.A story about individuals living in Vienna after WWII, a place and a time of rebuilding in the context of great loss, both personal and national. The intro narration is a cynical description of the setting but the character introduction is hopeful, perhaps prophesying a brighter future. But subsequent events become increasingly shady and foreboding. The conclusion remains in question until the very last scene.This is an older movie, and acting styles have changed over the years. And yet, the performances are perfect for the setting and the story given that the movie and the story were made and written around the same time in history, in other words, events in the story were contemporaneous with history. Character arcs are engaging and realistic. The story is, in many ways, about character, the choices individuals make and the consequences that follow, the influence of history on individual choices and the impact of character on history. DEEP.The cinematography alone is worth several viewings. B&W heaven.The direction is a healthy mix of Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock, and British discipline. Excellent pace, every shot/scene essential. Suspension of disbelief is easy and effortless. The editing is fluid, seamless, invisible if you're not looking for it. That is meant as a compliment.There are many sub-textual layers to this movie; something that is important to me when recommending a movie as a must see. I did not give this movie a 10. Why? Perhaps this was not intended but the British character and element came off as higher than thou, arrogant. Didn't like that. Maybe I'm being petty but it seemed that this element changed the thematic focus from existential crisis to political righteousness. Other than that, it's a 10.