Carol Reed’s The Third Man is a seminal piece of 1940s cinema and Film Forum is showing a new 4K restoration from June 26 to July 9. Directed by Reed, executive co-produced by David O. Selznick, and starring Orson Welles, there shouldn’t be too much convincing required to fill Film Forum’s seats for this beautiful restoration. The film is essentially a classic detective story, set in the ruins of a shattered Vienna. It is amidst the dilapidated city squares, people torn between the various factions in control of the city, that the investigation into the eponymous man occurs. There’s adventure, love, melancholy, and political intrigue. This is one of those films that has it all, and it’s orchestrated perfectly. Here are five reasons why you really shouldn’t miss this limited run...
5) The Cinematography
Robert Krasker might just be the true hero of this film. Filmmaking is a combined effort, of course, but Krasker so expertly shot this film that the memories of certain uses of light still echo in the mind. The use of black and white is, of course, apt for the time and place, but it is the way Krasker plays with the dynamic of light-source, location, and tone that sets him apart from other cinematographers of the time. There is a reason he won the Academy Award for Cinematography for this very film, after all. Once you’ve seen him work his magic in those tunnel scenes, or how he films people stroll through the cobblestone streets at night, past the bombed out churches - you’ll gleefully relish the results of his efforts.
4) It's a Classic Detective Tale
The film is an utterly engaging, classic detective story with a captivating mystery at the heart of it. Who is "the third man"? All the tropes of a classic noir are here, and they make for a great ride. There’s a femme fatale, a police chief/army general telling our hero what’s what, and the melancholy of a world gone awry. Our hero wears a fedora, drinks whiskey, and won’t let up until he’s pounded the pavement long enough to have solved this mystery of his friend’s death.
3) It’s Funny!
You see, a few decades ago, people actually wrote great screenplays. They worked on them, and toiled on them until they were solid. They were filled with wit, explored their characters deeply, and used humor as a form of intelligent conversation. People were well-read, and they wanted to see people on-screen that were as smart as them. In an age where a script is all too often an afterthought, and improvisation or clichés find their way into our mainstream films, The Third Man feels fresh. It is filled to the brim with playful slapstick comedy, very quick-witted back and forth counter-arguing, and more well-laid jokes than you’d expect. Don’t be confused - this is very much a noir, detective film - but it’s actually, viscerally funny at times. It's a testament to the writing, that more than 60 years later, audiences still laugh heartily throughout the film.
2) A Vérité Look at post-WWII Vienna
The film was completed just three years after the end of World War II, and it is astounding how real and historically significant the results feel. Societies were rebuilding, not entirely sure where to go from here. Cities were divvied up into pieces and thrown to various factions, kept in control of other countries. The loss of population was still fresh, and the bricks of bombed out buildings were still strewn across city squares. Electricity use was carefully doled out, and it’s noticeable in these night scenes. In fact, all of this is apparent throughout the film. There’s an air of real history coming through the screen, and it’s incredible to see a real city at the end of the worst war of the 20th century being used as a location for a detective thriller. It makes so much sense that these became the de facto settings for the upcoming Cold War genre. Trust was lost after WWII, and The Third Man is a required film to contextualize all of that properly.
1) Orson Welles
It’s not often we get relatable or even charming villains, anymore. Audiences are far too demanding of seeing what they know, and scared of being challenged. At least that’s what the studios think. In The Third Man, our villain is one with a cause he explains in fairly understandable terms. Not only that, but he’s so charming. He’s Orson Welles, for God’s sake! If the world was murdering each other for nearly a decade and various countries pick up the spoils in the guise of cleaning up Europe, what’s the big deal if I get some for myself? That’s the condensed question he poses to our protagonist, and it’s one that at least has some validity to it. To add to this, there’s an incredible chase sequence featuring Welles in the second half of the film, that is absolutely required to see on the big screen. This restoration truly gives The Third Man its just due.
The Third Man will play a limited engagement at Film Forum from June 26 to July 9. For tickets and more click here.
