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The Third Man

Play trailer 1:29 Poster for The Third Man 1949 1h 44m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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99% Tomatometer 98 Reviews 93% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Set in postwar Vienna, Austria, "The Third Man" stars Joseph Cotten as Holly Martins, a writer of pulp Westerns, who arrives penniless as a guest of his childhood chum Harry Lime (Orson Welles), only to find him dead. Martins develops a conspiracy theory after learning of a "third man" present at the time of Harry's death, running into interference from British officer Maj. Calloway (Trevor Howard) and falling head-over-heels for Harry's grief-stricken lover, Anna (Alida Valli).
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The Third Man

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Critics Consensus

This atmospheric thriller is one of the undisputed masterpieces of cinema, and boasts iconic performances from Joseph Cotten and Orson Welles.

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Critics Reviews

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Richard L. Coe Washington Post 07/26/2022
It’s all neatly sewn together and recalls the early Hitchcock spy chasers, The Lady Vanishes and the 39 Steps. The playing is fitted nicely to the director’s and writer’s specifications and there are some appealing portraits limned by Austrian actors. Go to Full Review Ed Potton The Times (UK) 09/08/2019
5/5
Seventy years on such sombreness seems timely, as does Harry Lime, Welles's deliciously elusive antihero. Go to Full Review Mark Feeney Boston Globe 08/06/2015
4/4
Krasker's camera reveals a dank, matte, defeated city - so dully vivid as to be a character unto itself - except that this Vienna becomes something altogether different seen at night or underground. Go to Full Review Chance Solem-Pfeifer Willamette Week Jul 1
To say “nothing is as it seems” would be accurate but trite. The deeper power of The Third Man is more like “nothing is as it was.” Go to Full Review Sarah Boslaugh TheArtsStl Oct 11
9/10
...The Third Man is a banquet that offers so much of everything that you will never run out of things to enjoy within it, even as you may have already had too much of some other things it offers. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 03/27/2025
4/4
One of those rare birds that improves with subsequent viewings, which is saying a lot since an initial viewing immediately pegs it as a cinematic masterpiece. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jacqueline R 05/21/2024 It was interesting and has a good twist to it. See more Lam N 05/21/2024 the choice for music is baffling. really takes you out of the movie. See more Alexander G @agregory Jul 3 The greatest ending scene in any movie – I sometimes rewatch just that. The scene where Harry Lime’s face is revealed by the light from the window above is one of my favorite scenes of all time, and the instrumental theme song is also my favorite theme song. See more Kevin R @RT42656089 Jun 10 Great movie. A must see. Excellent performances. Thank you. See more Johannes S @RT64416087 Feb 2 Holds up surprisingly well for such an old movie! Easy to see that it was groundbreaking during it's height. See more Luca D @JoeCamel7 Jan 22 Another great Welles movie with the only flaw being the Welles cliche in his movies where even though he's a horrible person, everyone adores him for some reason. I guess it's just a narcissistic thing he adds into all of his movies and it kinda ruins every movie of his. Other than that the soundtrack, plot, acting and cinematography were all top notch. See more Read all reviews
The Third Man

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Cast & Crew

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Carol Reed

Director

Orson Welles

The Third Man

Joseph Cotten

Holly Martins

Trevor Howard

Major Calloway

Alida Valli

Anna Schmidt

Paul Hoerbiger

Porter

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The Third Man

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The Third Man

The Third Man (1949) The Third Man (1949) The Third Man (1949) Scene from the film THE THIRD MAN. Scene from the film THE THIRD MAN. Scene from the film THE THIRD MAN. View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Set in postwar Vienna, Austria, "The Third Man" stars Joseph Cotten as Holly Martins, a writer of pulp Westerns, who arrives penniless as a guest of his childhood chum Harry Lime (Orson Welles), only to find him dead. Martins develops a conspiracy theory after learning of a "third man" present at the time of Harry's death, running into interference from British officer Maj. Calloway (Trevor Howard) and falling head-over-heels for Harry's grief-stricken lover, Anna (Alida Valli).
Director
Carol Reed
Producer
Alexander Korda, Carol Reed, David O. Selznick
Screenwriter
Graham Greene, Alexander Korda, Graham Greene
Distributor
Spiegel Media GmbH, Continental Home Vídeo [br], Warner Home Vídeo, Selznick International Pictures, British Lion Films Ltd., Vintage Video
Production Co
London Film Production, British Lion Film Corporation
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 1, 1949, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Jun 12, 2026
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 1, 2009
Box Office (Gross USA)
$447.0K
Runtime
1h 44m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.37:1)
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