THE THIRD MAN

Case Study 4

The Third Man Background

The Third Man (1949) is an Iconic Noir-Thriller film directed by
Information
Carol Reed.
It stars: Joseph Cotten, Alidi Valli, Orson Wells and Trevor Howard.
It won 1 Oscar in 1951 for Best Cinematography and won
another 4 awards, including a BAFTA for Best British Film.
Its set in Vienna and it involves the Pulp novelist Holly Martins
traveling to shadowy, postwar Vienna, only to find himself
investigating the mysterious death of an old friend, Harry Lime.

The Third Man reviews

1) IMDb user review
The Third Man is a movie that looks and feels not like a movie of the 40s, but like a neo-noir of the late
60s/early 70s. This wonderful example of classic noir is one of the all time greatest films. It combines
amazing visuals, sounds, dialogue, and acting to tell a thrilling story and comment about the atmosphere
after WWII.

2) IMDb User review

'The Third Man' now has more than 60 years on its back, but its age hardly shows. Despite the story's
dark themes, the general mood of the narrative is rather light, sometimes darkly funny, and the slightly
cynical tone and morally ambiguous characters give the movie a very modern feel. What also stands out
and makes the film memorable - in addition to the fantastic soundtrack - is the outstanding, Academy
Award winning cinematography. Black and white has rarely looked better. The way DOP Robert Krasker
plays with unusual angles and virtually "paints" this city of Vienna with light and shadow, he adds an
almost expressionistic quality to the film. I always felt that the city plays an essential part in the story, a key character if you will - with its damaged buildings reflecting the damaged human characters.

3) Roger Ebert
Reed and his Academy Award-winning cinematographer,
Robert Krasker, also devised a reckless, unforgettable visual
style. More shots, I suspect, are tilted than are held straight;
they suggest a world out of joint. There are fantastic oblique
angles. Wide-angle lenses distort faces and locations. And
the bizarre lighting makes the city into an expressionist
nightmare. (During a stakeout for Lime, a little balloon man
wanders onto the scene, and his shadow is a monster three
stories high). Vienna in "The Third Man" is a more particular
and unmistakable *place* than almost any other location in
the history of the movies; the action fits the city like a hand
slipping on a glove.

Camera Shots & Movement

The Third Man is arguably one of the most iconic Thriller ever made.
Reed uses hundreds of brilliant and unique shots that outlined the
future of conventional Thriller Camera Angles.
An example of typical Thriller shot Reed uses is the Tilt Angle (Dutch
Angle). There are many examples of this shot in the film (A). I'm a
particular fan of the Tilt shot and this is evident in our preliminary
task where we used shots on the tilt to create a sense of panic (B).
As Ebert said: More shots, I suspect, are tilted than are held
straight. I strongly agree with this and on the next slide you can
see many examples. Even one of the film posters there is a tilt!
It can be said the most famous shot in The Third Man and a
commonly associated shot with the film-noir and Thriller genre is
the first appearance of Harry Lime (C). This is a great example of
Chiaroscuro lighting, light on dark. There is a strong resemble from
this shot to shots in Nosferatu the Vampyre which I will cover in more
detail later on in this research.

Camera Shots & Movement

In addition, during this reveal, the well known theme music begins to
play. This acts as a personification of Orson Wells character; cheeky,
pleasing and attractive.
Furthermore, another conventional camera shot for the Thriller genre
are close ups and once again Reed hasn't failed to litter the film with
hundreds of examples (D). Close ups allow the audience to identify
with the characters more and also intensify confrontations.
Reed also uses several shots of spiral staircases in The Third Man
(E). These are used to create a sense of chase and reassure the
'pursuit' theme of the film. This shot is very common in the Thriller
genre and a great example can be seen in the 1994 Thriller: Shallow
Grave (Directed by Danny Boyle) (F). Its almost an identical shot!

(A) Tilt
Angles

(B)

(C)

(D) Close Ups

(E)

(F)

Cultural Signifiers
A cultural signifier is something within a media text that indicates
the cultural setting. A great example would be an accent/ flag/
archetypal location
In the third man the first cultural signifier were introduced to is
the famous theme music. Originally composed by Anton Karas, it
was written for the Zither (G). The zither is a European
(particularly alpine regions) stringed instrument similar to a guitar.
The theme is very catchy and jaunty and creates an entertaining
juxtaposition to several shots in the opening few minutes (dead
bodies and black market).
The main cultural signifiers in The Third Man were the many
locations that Reed shot in around Vienna. Examples include the
very well known Wiener Riesenrad (H).

(G)

(H)

Cultural Signifiers 2
Another example of the quintessential Vienna locations
that act as Cultural Signifiers are the sewers (I). Sewers
connote ideas of entrapment, isolation and labyrinthine a
common convention of the Thriller genre. This idea can
also be seen in Thrillers such as Essex Boys (2000) (I1)
when Jasons victim is held in the back of his van and in
Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004) where The Bride is buried alive. (I2)
The location of the sewers also offer the audience several
beautifully composed shots. For example (J) and (K)

(I)

(I2)

(I1)

(J)

(K)

Lighting
Robert Krasker the cinematographer for the film made the decision to shoot the film in Black and
White (L). Gone with the wind had become the first colour film to win the Oscar for Best picture
10 years before so colour film was definitely an available option. Krasker won the Oscar for Best
Cinematography in 1951 so his decision definitely paid off. His stylistic choice of black and white
adds to the run down and corrupt aesthetic of post-war Vienna. Black and white, on top of being a
common convention of the Thriller genre, represents the mystery and enigma of what's going on
in the city. This is reinforced by the lack of natural light.
The most poignant use of lighting, is like previously mentioned, the introduction of Harry Lime
(M). Limes face is lit up by a woman turning on a light to investigate the shouting from Holly
Martins. This shot is a great example of chiaroscuro lighting ( a very common convention of the
Thriller genre) and the fact that Limes face is surround by shadows implys he has an evil and
dark side. Other great examples of chiaroscuro lighting in Thrillers can be seen in Prisoners
(2013) (M1), The Dark Knight (2008) (M2) and Once Upon a Time in America (M3). In addition, it is
also a Thriller technique we have experimented with in preparation for our final production (M4).
On top of lighting, Reed uses a lot of shadows (N). A great example of an effective use of shadows
can be seen shortly after the arrival of Holly Martins at Harry Limes flat (O). As he's walking up
the stairs, first of all its a high angle implying vulnerability, but also martins shadow is cast in
front of him. This is a literal example of foreshadowing and it suggest martins is heading for
darkness and trouble.

(L)

(M1)

(M)

(M2)

(M3)

(M4)

(O)

(P)

Locations
As previously covered, The Third Man uses many unique and famous
locations. The films set in post-war Vienna, Austria. We are introduced to
this in the first minute of the film. We can see 4 establishing shots of
crumbled Vienna (P). Run down and derelict places are a common
convention of the Thriller genre.
A typical Thriller location Reed uses is the black archway. Similar to the
archway in Once Upon a Time in America (Q) however Reed uses it to
create a sense of enigma as you cannot see whats inside them (R).
Reed also has a brilliant example of a vanishing point in the end shot of
The Third Man (S). This shot is aesthetically pleasing but it also provides
a source of tension as the audience watch Anna walk all the way towards
martins and unexpectedly walk right past (T).

(P)

(R)

(Q)

(S)

(T)

Locations 2
Obviously one of the main locations and the most iconic is the Vienna Sewers
(U). The climax of the film is shot here. Its now become a museum and part of
the 'Third Man tour'. The sewers are a labyrinth which adds to the sense of
entrapment, enclosure and adds tension as Lime doesnt know which direction
his pursuers are coming from hes got no escape. Like previously mentioned
this theme of entrapment is an extremely common convention of the Thriller
genre and some examples can be seen on the next slide.
In addition, one more common location Carol Reed uses are staircases, more
importantly spiral staircases (V). In each of the examples used, we cannot see
the start nor the end. This, on top of the spiral pattern, adds to the theme of
chase theme and never ending battle within the film. Furthermore, its a
representation of the enigma and mystery to do with Lime and Vienna as a
whole.

Essex Boys (2000)

Buried (2010)

Das Boot (1981)

Phone Booth (2002)

Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004)

(U)

(V)

Props and Costume

Another common convention of the Thriller genre Reed explores is the costume
that many characters, including martins, are wearing. This is the classic trilby hat,
suit and overcoat (W). This costume can be seen in Once Upon a Time in America
and modern Thrillers such as Luther (X).
In the first few minutes of the Third Man, the audience are introduced to several
props that are typical of the Thriller genre. First of all, the audience are chilled by
the sight of dead body floating in the water (Y). This is the audiences first
introduction to criminality within the city of Vienna. Once again this is very similar
to a shot in Once Upon a Time America where we can see several dead bodies in
body bags. (Z)
The second encounter of crime and corruption in this city is the shots of the
presumed black market. We can see a man selling several watches on his sleeve
(AA). This immediately informs the audience this film and the city itself is about
deviance and law-breakers.

(W) (X)

(Y)

(Z)

(AA)

Props and Costume 2

All throughout the Third Man, Reed uses barriers to consolidate martins
frustration and unsuccessful attempts to catch Lime (BB). It gives the
audience the impression that Martins is (to put it clichd): so close
but so far.
Furthermore, in the beginning of The Third Man as Holly Martins is
approaching Harry Limes flat, he casually walks under ladder (CC). This
is a common superstition that causes bad luck. The audience now has
the expectation that martins has hardship coming his way.

(BB)

(CC)

Inter-Textual References.
The Third Man outlined many of the now clichd Thriller conventions which
many Thriller directors have tried to emanate. Like previously mentioned, the
stair case shot is one that has become very popular within the Thriller genre
since the Third Man. This stair shot can be seen in Danny Boyles: Shallow
Grave (1994) (DD) and even on the film poster you can see a spiral staircase
(EE).
Another inter-textual reference we can observe in the Third Man is during the
introduction of Harry Lime. This shot is very similar to the shots of Nosferatu
the Vampyre in the 1929 (FF) and the 1979 (GG) version. In both versions
(mainly the latter) the face of the Ghoul is fully illuminated and surrounded by
darkness just like Harry Lime. Obviously the 1929 version came out before the
release of the Third Man so its probable that Reed was inspired by these shots
this to portray Lime in an evil, ghoul-like way, similar to a phantom. This is
reinforced shortly after this shot where Orson Wells character seems
disappear into the night in a similar way to a vampire/ a supernatural being.

(DD)

(EE)

(FF)

(GG)

Inter-Textual references 2
The Third Man ends with a fantastic shot where Reed experiments with
Geometric composition and a vanishing point that was way ahead of
its time (HH). This shot is very similar to one that can be seen in Essex
Boys (2000) when the character of Billy drives through a tunnel (II). In
Essex Boys, this shot represents looking down a barrel of a gun, the
end shot in the Third Man not only serves to build tension whilst Anna
walks towards the camera but it also acts as an aesthetically pleasing
ending to a extremely well shot film.

(HH)

(II)