The Third Man is one of the most popular early movies in the film noir genre, and it’s gone on to retain status as “one of the greatest films of all time.” It’s easy to see why, too, as the film remains interesting and engaging more than 70 years later. The movie was very innovative for its time, helping to pioneer expressionist cinematography and things like the “Dutch angle” camera technique. These innovations will probably be lost on modern audiences since we’re so accustomed to them now, but even without that the movie remains a really great watch.

The basic story here is that a novelist named Holly Martins is invited to Vienna by his friend Harry Lime. However, when Martins arrives he finds that Lime is dead. He’s troubled by this sudden news, and upon hearing the cause of death, he thinks that the circumstances surrounding Lime’s death sound suspicious. So, he takes to investigating the death, and winds up uncovering some very interesting revelations. It’s a really easy plot to follow, and it also takes some very unexpected turns.

I was a bit unsure of The Third Man in the beginning, but as the movie progressed I found it to be really intriguing. The movie is a slow build, but also has some surprising comedic moments to help alleviate the mood. Once the movie gets going, it becomes really fascinating. The second half of the movie is simply excellent, and the climax is nothing short of a masterpiece. It’s easy to see why this went on to gain the prestige that it did.

I don’t really have a whole lot to say about the movies besides this, though. I’m very honest about how I feel about movies, and I haven’t shied away from criticizing “old classics” that I just didn’t find that enjoyable (such as Citizen Kane and The Rules of the Game), so I want to be clear that I’m not praising The Third Man just because it’s considered an old classic. I genuinely enjoyed this movie quite a bit, and I think most people that are into noir mysteries will like it too. It’s still pretty accessible even for modern audiences, and so I think it’s worth a shot if you’re looking to try out an old classic.

4/5