Movie No. 39 (2014): THE THIRD MAN

The Third Man (1949)
Director: Carol Reed
Cast: Jospeh Cotten, Orson Welles, Trevor Howard, Alida Valli

I first saw this film on VHS tape in 1998. The copy, despite being original, was not as clear as the Criterion's DVD transfer of the movie. I still keep the tape. I remember liking the movie that time. The second time I saw the film (Criterion edition) was two days ago. Now, I appreciate the film even more. Without much reservation, I can now declare The Third Man one of the greatest films ever made. This, of course, is just my opinion.

There are so many aspects to like about the film. The film does not attempt to comment or be political  about the present situation of the post-war Vienna, which is the setting of the movie. Graham Greene's script focused on the mystery-melodrama. It's very seldom that a melodrama is not so contrived that it actually results in a masterpiece. Yes, I'm a sucker for black-and-white cinematography, particularly when the film is partly or wholly of the mystery genre. In this film, the cinematography excellently enhanced the intrigue, suspense, and even the emotions of the characters. The playful yet eerie music, like a lurker, sounds (or appears) like one of the important characters, which is rare in a movie. And, of course, the cast played their respective parts well. 

Rating: 4.0/4.0

Date seen: April 18, 2014