Vault: "The Third Man"

"Who's that man?"

How does one convince another to go see Carol Reed's "The Third Man?" What's the pitch? Why see this film that you may have not heard of? Well, the reason is simple.

"The Third Man" is the best film of all time.

No I am not trying to be provocative or ostentatious. Let me repeat.

"The Third Man" IS the best film of all time.

Yes, that is totally subjective. And keep in mind, there is a difference between your favorite film and always arguable "Best." But think about it. "Citizen Kane" is perfect, but how often can you watch it? "The Godfather" has a fair fight, but it's not so perfectly wrapped. And "Gone With the Wind" is, well, fine I suppose. And I will watch it someday. But "Third Man" is well ...

"Third Man's" got it all. It has everything we go to the movies to see and then it excels in those areas. With superlative work in every facet of the production, "Third Man" is a pitch-perfect cooperation of filmmakers. From the disconcertingly jaunty zither music, to the beautifully baroque photography, to snappy and sardonic writing, to the still breathtaking chase finale. See it once, and you'll understand this claim. That is why it brought me great pleasure to see "Third Man" last night at The Music Box downtown. Amongst a crowd of fellow appreciators and friends, with stereo sound and a cleanly dated Rialto print, "Third Man" has never been so amazing to me. Going 61 years on from its initial release, "Third Man" is still as fresh and exciting as it ever was.

"Just what are you getting at Goble?"

Before you read other critiques, essays, or just wanna figure out the premise, take my word on how marvelous this film is. See it, and then we'll talk. In a theater setting if you can. But if you want details, and a catalog of the film's qualities, then read on.

The Third Man, why it's the best, and how to see it:

A dizzying and disorienting thriller in post-WWII Vienna, "Third Man" is a baroque detective story to find the very person of the title. Holly Martins (RKO regular Joseph Cotton) has arrived to accept on a job offer from an old friend, one Mr. Harry Lime (A perfect Orson Welles). But, it appears that Mr. Lime had an accident just before Martins got there: He was run down by a lorry (truck). Confused, upset, a little drunk and desperate, and possibly because he has nothing better to do, Martins tries to figure out the circumstances to Lime's death, only to find a kinky and often creepy underbelly in the multicultural city. Dangerous femmes, specious alleys, creepy kids and dozens of non-english speaking are among the odd obstacles that Martins encounters on the path to the elusive "third man." Who's the man? See the movie. Where's Welles in this? See the movie.

This mystery, and the way Reed plays it out makes "Third Man" like a breathless and exciting race to the conclusion. "Third Man" uses everything in films to its perfect advantage, unlike anything you might ever see, and that is why "Third Man" is the best. It wastes no time, and there are only great things to say about every facet of it. Anton Karas's zither score is epically memorable. The jaunty camera emits both post disaster Beauty in Vienna, all the while putting the viewer at perfect unease. Graham Greene's original novel gave the film its moral and political ambiguity, which only strengthened "Man's" intrigue. Joseph is a perfectly naive and inquisitive every man for us to follow. And of course, Welles, at only 10 or 15 minutes, is one of the most seductively sensational film villains, ever. See the top image? Damn good intro in a movie, don't you think? And if you see it in the theater, you'll be captivated til the end. I've seen this film several times now, and it only gets better and more breathtaking.

"The Third Man" is perfect, in every way possible. And I honestly don't think I can make that claim on another movie. See "The Third Man," on Criterion, at your local oddball theater if you can. I saw it with three family members, two of which who had never seen it. The two uninitiated had this to immediately say afterwards: "That movie ... was awesome!"

Well, yeah!

On a final and personal note, I actually wrote my first good film essay on it in high school. It was about the ending and its meaning. What the hell happens? Why was it shot and editing and played out so uniquely? Well, all I know is that the paper got me an A+ for once. I don't think it was because of my writing.

"Man, I am so lost."

If you've seen "The Third Man," let's talk. If you haven't, then find the damn classic on Netflix!

A parting gift: