It’s easy to forget that people aren’t always the focus of attention. Governments don’t consider them, so why should we? Carol Reed directed and Graham Greene wrote *The Third Man*, which features Joseph Cotton, Alida Valli, Trevor Howard, and Orson Welles in the cast. Anton Karas composed the music, and Robert Krasker was responsible for the cinematography. When writer Holly Martins (Cotton) goes to Vienna to meet up with his old friend Harry Lime (Welles), he’s upset to learn that Harry died in a traffic accident. After attending the funeral, Holly starts to suspect that Harry's death wasn't an accident and tries to prove his friend was innocent. But things aren't what they initially appear to be... More than six decades after its release, Carol Reed's film noir thriller still feels remarkably fresh and stands up well under close examination. It’s a disturbing story anyway, with the black market criminals and those who messed with penicillin leaving a bad taste in your mouth, but the movie is also elevated by the director's skill at creating an unsettling atmosphere through style and deliberate pacing. The acting is excellent from everyone involved, resulting in both iconic imagery and playful storytelling. It’s striking how the story unfolds against a backdrop of post-war Vienna that reflects the damaged state of the characters. Moist, winding streets provide locations for foot chases involving people and long shadows; there's a fairground scene now steeped in legend, which serves as an illustration of the banality of evil, and naturally those vast sewers, filled with somber sounds. Reed uses tilted camera angles, with moral decline being the norm and a dose of confusion to satisfy your noir cravings. Krasker employs expressionistic light and shadow while Karas’s zither music lingers in your ears forever. A murder mystery, a heartbreaking romance, and a suspenseful film noir, *The Third Man* remains impressive because of its qualities. The cuckoo clock and cat, the shadowy doorway, and the solitary, mournful walk of a woman—it continues to entertain serious movie fans and inspire filmmakers worldwide. *The Third Man*, it’s a masterpiece. 10/10

Source on TMDB