Product Description

Orson Welles stars as Harry Lime, and Joseph Cotten plays his childhood friend, Holly Martins, in this all-time classic thriller scripted by Graham Greene and directed by Carol Reed. Martins searches for Lime through the seedy underworld of postwar Vienna and gets caught up in a web of love, deception, racketeering, and murder. The Third Man's stunning cinematography, twisting plot, and unforgettable zither score are immortalized in Criterion's pristine special edition, following the 50th Anniversary theatrical re-release.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #27434 in DVD
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English

Amazon.com essential video
The fractured Europe post-World War II is perfectly captured in Carol Reed's masterpiece thriller, set in a Vienna still shell-shocked from battle. Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) is an alcoholic pulp writer come to visit his old friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles). But when Cotton first arrives in Vienna, Lime's funeral is under way. From Lime's girlfriend and an occupying British officer, Martins learns of allegations of Lime's involvement in racketeering, which Martins vows to clear from his friend's reputation. As he is drawn deeper into postwar intrigue, Martins finds layer under layer of deception, which he desperately tries to sort out. Welles's long-delayed entrance in the film has become one of the hallmarks of modern cinematography, and it is just one of dozens of cockeyed camera angles that seem to mirror the off-kilter postwar society. Cotten and Welles give career-making performances, and the Anton Karas zither theme will haunt you. --Anne Hurley

Amazon.com
The fractured Europe post-World War II is perfectly captured in Carol Reed's masterpiece thriller, set in a Vienna still shell-shocked from battle. Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) is an alcoholic pulp writer come to visit his old friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles). But when Cotton first arrives in Vienna, Lime's funeral is under way. From Lime's girlfriend and an occupying British officer, Martins learns of allegations of Lime's involvement in racketeering, which Martins vows to clear from his friend's reputation. As he is drawn deeper into postwar intrigue, Martins finds layer under layer of deception, which he desperately tries to sort out. Welles's long-delayed entrance in the film has become one of the hallmarks of modern cinematography, and it is just one of dozens of cockeyed camera angles that seem to mirror the off-kilter postwar society. Cotten and Welles give career-making performances, and the Anton Karas zither theme will haunt you. --Anne Hurley

DVD features
This 50th-anniversary DVD release of The Third Man is a perfect example of how the Criterion Collection continues to raise the bar on how a special edition should be produced. Not only did Carol Reed's classic undergo an impeccable facelift, drastically enhancing the sights and sounds of post-World War II Vienna, but the disc is also packed with pertinent extras that provide deep insight into the film. The new digital transfer was created from the restored 35mm fine-grain master positive, presented in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1 and mono soundtrack. A major element of The Third Man is its magnificent cinematography, and it is extremely satisfying to see the high-quality visual improvements. Notable extras include Peter Bogdanovich's introduction, an alternate opening voice-over by Joseph Cotton, and two radio broadcasts of The Third Man chronicling The Lives of Harry Lime. All in all, a wonderful repackaging of a true classic. --Robert Bracco

Customer Reviews

THE in-one-THIRD-of-the-movie MAN
The 50th Anniversary Edition of THE THIRD MAN has been digitally restored to near perfect visual and audio condition. It's advertised as a Director's Cut, which is partially true. There have always been two different versions of this movie. The British release has an intro by director Carol Reed, while the American one includes narration by Joseph Cotten. Additionally, Daryl Zanuck made a few minor edits in the U.S. version. To be a true "director's cut," this film would incorporate the Reed comments as well as the restored segments.

The VHS release of THE THIRD MAN has been fleshed out to a full two hours running time with the inclusion of a pre-movie analysis by Peter Bogdonovich, plus several items after the film, such as Anton Karas performing the theme song in a coffee house setting, a vintage advertising trailer, Gaumont newsreel footage and of especial interest, a comparison of film portions before and after digital restoration. These magical efforts have made a bona fide classic positively sparkle-- the movie has never looked better. The plot is of course always engaging while Cotten, Valli, Howard and Welles are simply unforgettable. This superb edition of the very best of Euro-film noir belongs in the collection of all lovers of great cinema.

Parenthetical number is viewer poll rating found at a popular film resource website.

(8.5) THE THIRD MAN (UK-1949) - Joseph Cotten/Alida Valli/Orson Welles/Trevor Howard/Bernard Lee/Wilfrid Hyde-White (uncredited: Lee Strasberg)


Two years before appearing in THE THIRD MAN, Orson Welles directed THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI. Starring in this fascinating film noir is glamorous Rita Hayworth, who attempted unsuccessfully to reconcile with co-star and estranged husband Welles during this film's production.

Impressive
A fantastic story (Graham Greene wrote the screenplay), terrific acting and first-class cinematography (full of camera shots that are utterly riveting) make The Third Man a must-see classic. The score is a little heavy-handed and obtrusive at times, but almost sixty years after its release, The Third Man remains a masterpiece.

"The Third Man" is a first rate classic
This movie is a prime example of classic film, if not the staple of perfection in not only the crime/noir genre, but in all of cinema. The setting is breathtaking, the acting is marvelous and the script is superb. Movies that fill each of these categories with such perfection are few and far between, no matter the genre, no matter the year they were made. Post WWII Vienna is a site to behold - a rare backdrop that can now only be mimicked, but here, in this film, is the real deal; a character all its own. Speaking of characters, what a cast of characters it is. So much is said of Wells' performance, but what about Valli? The character Anna (Valli) is wonderful and smart, not a weak-minded sex object so often portrayed on film. She has backbone and depth, something particularly impressive given the year in which this movie was made, let alone by today's standards. The script was not cheapened with modern Hollywood clichés that tend to undermine a character's validity. The last five minutes of the film is a perfect example of this as Holly (Cotton) waits for Anna. Holly is a humorous and sympathetic protagonist and Harry Lime (Wells) delivers quite a speech that, like the movie itself, leaves quite a lasting impression. Impressive, indeed. Five stars.