Where to begin. For starters Graham Greene. You know he understood the devastation Europe had gone through. You just can't make a film like this without it. That's what The Third Man is about - the devastation of Europe and how that affected people, both morally and physically.
Holly Martins, the main character, is who's eyes we see the post-war world through as he uncovers the mystery of the death of his friend Harry.
Back to Graham Greene - He wrote the novella. He writes about human misery as well as anyone. And there was no shortage of misery and lack of morals in post-war Vienna. He's also a master of conflict, both external and internal, which is where I'm going here. His characters struggle with their own souls to the point of anguish. Loss is another thing he nails.
There are a few more reasons this is the best movie ever made. The next is the editing. The chase scene at the end gets all the love but-this is going to be hard to articulate but the editing is so innovative I have to try-unlike most editors who edit based on sound and dialogue, this movie is kind of reverse. It's almost like the rhythm of the scene is dictating when to cut. It's a "feel" thing established either within a scene or the entire movie or both. It really has to be experienced, not just written about.
The next reason is the grandiosity of the visuals. It's unbelievable how grand everything is. This totally falls in line with Orson Welles noir style and the German expressionism that influenced this film. Carol Reed's choice of lenses throughout the film are perfect. Space is played with perfectly. This falls in line with my next reason, which is the noir style that is done so well. The mood is established and kept throughout, employing the noir and the expressionist style.
And lastly, this movie didn't just defy convention, it obliterated it - the visuals, the sounds, the story, the locations, the style, the score (which consisted of one musical instrument), and the people; the way Carol Reed presented their despair. I'm preaching to the choir. I know you know.
