The Third Man (1949)

In this article, we will be looking at 2019’s book “1001 Movies to See Before You Die” and going through each film in a random order that I have chosen. We will be looking at what constitutes this film to be on the list and whether I think this film deserves to be here at all. I want to make perfectly clear that I won’t be revealing details from this book such as analyses by film reporters who have written about the film in question, so if you want the book itself you’ll have to buy it. But I will be covering the book’s suggestions on which films should be your top priority. I wouldn’t doubt for a second that everyone reading this article has probably watched many of these movies anyway. But we are just here to have a bit of fun. We’re going to not just look at whether it should be on this list but we’re also going to look at why the film has such a legacy at all. Remember, this is the 2019 version of the book and so, films like “Joker” will not be featured in this book and any film that came out in 2020 (and if we get there, in 2021). So strap in and if you have your own suggestions then don’t hesitate to email me using the address in my bio. Let’s get on with it then.

The Third Man (1949) dir. by Carol Reed

"The Third Man" (1949), as you know, is one of my favourite movies of all time and it is just such a great thing to re-watch. I once watched it twice in one night so that I could learn things that were new and excited about the themes of acting and, of course, the feline and the feminine. The film pretty much heightened what is known now as Golden Age Noir.

One of the other things we have to watch out for is not only the stuff that happens upon the ferris wheel, but the "Swiss Cuckoo Clock" speech, which is often considered as one of the greatest speeches in cinematic history. Check it out, read it and read it out loud. Honestly, it makes all the difference to the character and story:

You know what the fellow said – in Italy, for 30 years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love; they had five hundred years of democracy and peace – and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.

When you watch the film, these lines can send a damn shiver down your spine because of the way it takes place in the reality of the character but it also references the reality outside of the movie.

Another thing about this movie is the music. I think the music is iconic. It really makes all the difference for the atmosphere and really intensifies the noir atmosphere with those stringing and plucking. It is strange and sounds weird, it sounds unexpected and when you watch the scene where the cat goes towards Harry in the dark, which causes Holly Martins to run after him - you hear that music again and it kind of makes you chuckle. Here's what the New Statesman had to say about it:

What sort of music it is, whether jaunty or sad, fierce or provoking, it would be hard to reckon; but under its enthralment, the camera comes into play ... The unseen zither-player ... is made to employ his instrument much as the Homeric bard did his lyre.

Carol Reed met Anton Karas (the composer of the musical score) in Vienna and at that time, the composer was then unknown but rose to the challenge. I'm not going to lie, it is his most brilliant piece of work that solidified his legacy.

All in all, this is a film that definitely deserves its place in cinematic legacy and after reading "1001 Films to See Before You Die" for a few years now, it has never been dropped from the list - and I am so happy about it. It's an amazing genre film with some incredible themes, it was well ahead of its time and really, I cannot imagine noir films without it. It has influenced so many films after it, including some Hitchcock movies such as "Vertigo" (1958) and definitely influenced the films of the noir 50s and 60s.