The Third Man

List Price : CDN$ 48.27

Amazon Price : CDN$ 48.27

Usually ships in 24 hours

Amazon Marketplace : CDN$ 34.31

Usually ships in 1-2 business days.

Product Details

Director : Carol Reed
Actor : Nelly Arno, Leo Bieber, Hedwig Bleibtreu, Martin Boddey, Siegfried Breuer
Format : Import, Black & White, Dolby, Full Screen, NTSC
Aspect Ratio : 1.33:1
Binding : DVD
EAN : 0715515023429
Product Group : DVD
Release Date : 2007-05-22
Studio : Criterion
UPC : 715515023429

ASIN : B000NOK0GM

Customers who bought this goods also bought.

Editorial Reviews

From Amazon.co.uk

The fractured Europe post-World War II is perfectly captured in Carol Reed's masterpiece thriller, set in a Vienna still shell-shocked from battle. Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) is an alcoholic pulp writer come to visit his old friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles). But when Cotton first arrives in Vienna, Lime's funeral is under way. From Lime's girlfriend and an occupying British officer, Martins learns of allegations of Lime's involvement in racketeering, which Martins vows to clear from his friend's reputation. As he is drawn deeper into post-war intrigue, Martins finds layer upon layer of deception, which he desperately tries to sort out. Welles' long-delayed entrance in the film has become one of the hallmarks of modern cinematography and it is just one of dozens of cockeyed camera angles that seem to mirror the off-kilter post-war society. Cotten and Welles give career-making performances and the Anton Karas zither theme will haunt you. --Anne Hurley

Additional Features

This 50th-anniversary DVD release of The Third Man is a perfect example of how the Criterion Collection continues to raise the bar on how a special edition should be produced. Not only did Carol Reed's classic undergo an impeccable facelift, drastically enhancing the sights and sounds of post-World War II Vienna, but the disc is also packed with pertinent extras that provide deep insight into the film. The new digital transfer was created from the restored 35mm fine-grain master positive, presented in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1 and mono soundtrack. A major element of The Third Man is its magnificent cinematography, and it is extremely satisfying to see the high-quality visual improvements. Notable extras include Peter Bogdanovich's introduction, an alternate opening voice-over by Joseph Cotton, and two radio broadcasts of The Third Man chronicling The Lives of Harry Lime. All in all, a wonderful repackaging of a true classic. --Robert Bracco

Amazon.com Essential Video

The fractured Europe post-World War II is perfectly captured in Carol Reed's masterpiece thriller, set in a Vienna still shell-shocked from battle. Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) is an alcoholic pulp writer come to visit his old friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles). But when Cotton first arrives in Vienna, Lime's funeral is under way. From Lime's girlfriend and an occupying British officer, Martins learns of allegations of Lime's involvement in racketeering, which Martins vows to clear from his friend's reputation. As he is drawn deeper into postwar intrigue, Martins finds layer under layer of deception, which he desperately tries to sort out. Welles's long-delayed entrance in the film has become one of the hallmarks of modern cinematography, and it is just one of dozens of cockeyed camera angles that seem to mirror the off-kilter postwar society. Cotten and Welles give career-making performances, and the Anton Karas zither theme will haunt you. --Anne Hurley

Customer Reviews

Great Film Noir,and Criterion Showcases it with quality and class! (2008-09-07)

Well,Criterion has another release triumph here with "The Third Man".Criterion is well known for its' quality and an eclectic array of films already released in its' catalogues and many more on the way.Most are unavailable anywhere with Criterion consistently setting the release standards for DVDs,and this film is no exception."The Third Man" is a film originally released in /49 in Britain to great acclaim(this is the film we see),then released a year later in the U.S.The latter market had about 11 minutes cut out of it and the opening narrative changed from director Carol Reed's voice to star Joseph Cottons'.This two disc collection includes everything you ever wanted to know about this film,and so much more.Included is a nine minute vignette with a self explanatory title "Insiders' Info" ,the US Trailer,the UK Press Book,another small vignette translating the foreign language sequences into English with sub-titles(five min.),a /51 radio show starring Orson Welles as "Harry Lime" in "Ticket to Tangiers",a Lux Radio Theatre show from /51 of "The Third Man",an award winning documentary from 2000 called"Who was the Third Man?"(30 min),a /68 profile of Graham Greene from the BBC show "Omnibus",a three min./54 newsreel of zither player Anton Karas at London's Empress Club,another three min.Pathe newsreel of the policing of the Vienna sewers called "The Underground of Vienna",and "The Third Man's Vienna",a background vignette on the real post war Vienna that Greene brings to life in the film.To top this all off is a 26 page booklet with several articles about the making and producing of the film which are quite intriguing,along with production credits,transfer specs,cast credits and much more.I won't go into the plot as it is very well known by most by now.I must say that I have never seen the film looking as good as it does in this release.They made a great transfer using a high grain positive master and took out thousands of extant marks,dirt,etc, to bring the B&W print gloriously back to life.It's not perfect but it is light years beyond anything I've ever seen before.I've always said that a great print can only add to ones enjoyment of a film and the proof is abundantly clear in this "pudding".The film comes from the "Janus" collection which,as I noted in my review of Criterions'glorious release of "Pandora's Box",has been known to me as a firm that has released only countless cut and butchered films over the years.However,as I have nothing to compare films with(as I did with Pandora)I can only say that nothing appears to be amiss here so I will leave it at that.In conclusion this is a film which belongs in every serious film collectors collection.A classic of its' genre,"The Third Man" is without doubt a very important film.Its' cast is rock solid,the script and on film atmosphere that is created through its' brilliant use of lighting and cinematography,serves to enhance the films' quality and stature.With all the extras included,and this being a Criterion product which is ALWAYS a superior product,it is a must have DVD set.

Da Vinci vs A Cuckoo Clock (2007-08-18)

Whether the greatness of Citizen Kane is due to Orson Welles's writing or Herman J. Mankiewicz's contribution to the screenplay has always been up for debate. The Third Man squashes this argument. On the spur of the moment, Welles comes up with one of the most memorable and brilliantly written monologues in cinema history. Harry Lime: Don't be so gloomy. After all, it's not that awful. Like the fella says, 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 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock. So long, Holly. And the zither music ain't bad, either!

By far one of the top films ever made! (2004-07-12)

First at all , the ravishing presence of Orson Welles is felt all along this movie in such level you may well state this film was four hands directed . The powerful and menacing atmosphere that surrounds Vienna after the WW2 , the expressionist style , the superb photograph , the bitter and clever dialogues , the high caliber acting level , the somber passages under Vienna's streets , the sideral beauty and presence of Alida Vali , the extraordinary performance given by Joseph Cotten , the unforgettable zither music of Anton Karas and the dark secrets all along the story demands from you special attention. This film won Cannes Festival 1949.You will never get tired of watching over and over this giant work. A Cold War spy classic. From Graham Greene novel.Magnificent!

One of the all-time great films (2004-07-07)

This was one of the very first films I purchased on DVD. I was lucky enough to see this on the big screen when it was re-released to theatres after the restoration. The quality of this DVD is outstanding. Seeing the widescreen version is truly sublime. Robert Krasker's cinematography is stunning. The Anton Karas score is haunting. The direction of Carol Reed and the screenplay by Graham Greene could not be improved upon. (film lovers will also want to see "The Fallen idol" by Reed and Greene). Cotten, Howard and Valli are great in their parts, but Orson Welles as Harry Lime steals the film - he should have won the Oscar for his brilliant work here. A work of art.

Simply the best ... (2004-06-18)

What can be said about a movie that has stood the test of time, in that it still has the power to move, intrigue, amuse and simply entertain the viewer even *55* years later??!! Do you think that anyone will want to watch "Kill Bill" in 55 years? I don't even want to watch it now. The Third Man was made in Vienna at the end of WWII .. so much is clear from the date of the movie, and the very realness of the bombed out city within which the story is set. The horrible effects of war are seen both in the surroundings, and within the dark hearts of the racketeers. I'm so grateful that this movie has never been "colored up" because that would have taken away the wonderful use of shadows and light. There are so many truly awesome moments - pick your own! - which just wouldn't be the same in color. I'm thinking of the doorstep scene, when the cat finds Harry, and his smug little smile is highlighted by the light coming from an opened window. And, my favorite ever movie scene, in the last quarter of the movie, where Holly is waiting in the cafe to betray Harry, and he steps out on the roof top above. There is something about the way that Welles moves, and the interplay of shadow and light, that is just beautiful.

The actors are all magnificent. Welles' Harry Lime is a cynical, uncaring horror - a very "dirty" Harry indeed (pun intended!) Joseph Cottens as Holly Martins starts out naive and foolish, a total buffoon and innocent, who falls in love with Welles' mistress overnight, but he soon hardens as the full magnitude of his friend's crimes become clear to him. Trevor Howard is the (stereo)typically English Major Calloway. (When Holly addresses him as "Callaghan", he brusquely corrects him and barks that "I'm not Irish" .. lol!) There are such wonderful moments in the script. Not just Welles' cuckoo clock speech, but moments such as the one where Anna, Harry Limes' beautiful Czechoslovakian girlfriend is arrested for possible deportation to Russia, she says sadly "Sometimes he said I laughed too much." That line, so beautifully delivered, always brings a tear to my eye. I loved this cleaned up DVD. There were subtitles - very necessary in my household, and the zither music was as clear as day (a little bit too clear at times in fact). A very necessary purchase for anyone who appreciates a bloodless, yet deeply thrilling mystery classic.

Look for similar items by category