Sulle tracce del Terzo Uomo

Like the above reviewers, I too am a "The Third Man" junkie. If you love this film, then this doc is a must see. To me, "The Third Man" is the epitome of film making & I consider it the perfect film. "In Search of The Third Man" gives a behind the scenes look at the making of the film & like the film, it too is marvelous.

FYI: While not related to "In Search of The Third Man", there is a book called "In Search of The Third Man" by Charles Drazin. Like this doc, the book also gives a behind the scenes view of the making of the film.

Watching this doc has inspired me to go to Vienna & take the tour.

So long, Holly.

For some years we have been reluctant to admit that 'The Third Man' is the film we most admire. Always falling short of proclaiming it the best movie ever, we instead have taken the less controversial position that it is certainly one of the great films, undoubtedly in the top ten, arguably the best, perhaps the finest, but never actually deeming it Numero Uno. Well, no longer are we so wishy-washy; in viewing the fascinating documentary 'Shadowing the Third Man', the original film is propelled back onto our radar screens and in the act gives us good reason to give it it's due.

Great film has some or all of the following elements: action, drama, a love interest, a political undercurrent, a surprise, great dialogue, remarkable filmography, auteur, a memorable musical score, superior acting, an intriguing story, the hint of violence or violence itself, interpersonal relationships worth caring about and novel use of a location. What part of 'The Third Man' does not have all these components?

'Shadowing' Director Frederick Baker, an outstanding documentation hits just the right note in capturing the feel of the post-WWII setting (Vienna), mixing in enough zither music and original movie footage to infuse this film with real authenticity.

Peppered throughout we hear from Graham Greene (screenplay), Alexander Korda (producer), Carol Reed (director), assistant director Guy Hamilton, cinematographer Robert Krasker and of course Orson Welles. Not one second of footage or voice-over is less than fascinating.

As an example, Welles himself reveals, as he did in one turn of a ferries wheel in the actual film, more information than we ever knew. On two points we are stunned: he admits that in an early interview he gave an impression that he co-directed the film, and he clarifies his intention; secondly, he credits Carol Reed's deft direction unwaveringly!

What is disappointing about Welles is finding he was more than reluctant to film scenes in the Vienna sewers. This seems completely inconsistent with our view of the risk-taking Orson, the same man that tried his hand at new endeavours throughout his life.

There is enough attention to small details to reveal just how much labor went in to this smart and atmospheric documentary. Only one topic is a bit difficult to follow; that of Vienna's history. It seems an insertion and does not flow naturally from the moments preceding it.

As to the ending of 'The Third Man' – for our money the finest ever recorded -how satisfying to hear Greene admit, after telling us the he and Reed disagreed on the final scene that '…Carol Reed was right…slight pause… he made a magnificent ending'.

Daniel Selznick (son of co-producer David O. Selznick) says of the 'The Third Man' 'formula' that throughout 'things aren't at all what they seem to be' – adds an illusion to the point that we do not have here the simple plots of Holly Martin's pulp Westerns; and concludes that 'after World War II it wasn't that simple anymore.' And there be noir.

Rating: 3 and ¾ stars.

Definitely a must-see for lovers of The Third Man, a movie that I watched so many times to know almost every line by heart. The documentary is cleverly edited, merging bits and pieces from the original movie with modern time scenes in Vienna, where I was surprised to see some of the locations still standing, like the Casanova Cabaret club.

Assistant director Guy Hamilton and another crew member are interviewed and tell some anecdotes. Other registered interviews are with Selznick and Korda's relatives, mentioning how Selznick used amphetamines and probably pushed Korda to use them, too, so that he could schedule filming 22 hours per day.

It also explained that this was an attempt at neorealism, at the time very popular in Italy with Rossellini and the likes, filmed in the "bombed about a bit" streets and with local extras, inclusive of the unforgettable "balloon" man. The concept was applied also to Valli's costumes, but not approved by Selznick who wanted his leading ladies to look beautiful. Luckily he was convinced that an elegant wardrobe would have seem incongruous.

The memorable zither score by Anton Karas is also mentioned and until now, I had not noticed how versatile the instrument is, since it is used both to convey happy and melancholic feelings without the invasive or bombastic use of orchestras.

Shame they did not include one of my favourite scenes, of Martins with Dr. Winkel who corrects him on how to pronounce his surname, but obviously, the ferry wheel and the memorable "cuckoo clock" speech are included. I also appreciated the story on how difficult it was to shoot the scenes with the kitty.

Did seeing 'The Third Man' change your life in any way? I know it did mine and is a question I have asked many friends, men and women alike. When the film had just been released in Ireland I went to the local Fairview Grand cinema on a Saturday and there was the movie that was to decide my life direction in a most positive way.

For some reason The Third Man caused a sensation here in Ireland and its influence lingers on even to the present day. It packed out the cinemas for a long time and culminated with Anton Karas performing in a Dublin Theatre. Newspapers to this day frequently use a 'third man' phrase in in a story headline. "Third Man accused of robbery" or some such. Hardly a week goes by but the 'Harry Lime Theme' as played by Anton Karas is not heard on a radio station. This week alone there were three playings on radio, Zanussi white-ware used in in a TV advert and a travel film about London used it, albeit incorrectly, when showing the London Eye ferris wheel! In my own case, having seen the movie as a new teenager, I determined that I wanted to take up photography/filming AND learn to play the zither. I did both as it happened and later I hitched-hiked across Europe to meet Anton Karas in Vienna. What a thrill it was to meet him and to visit the still undisturbed film locations.

I met a girl who, quite by accident, revealed that she had the Anton Karas Decca 78 record, so that clinched our commitment! I still have that record. Like most Irishmen I emigrated to London where I consolidated my ambition to make films, The Third Man always being the 'gold standard', by attending a Film School. This led on to my joining the new Irish TV service as a Director.

At least two colleagues of mine went on to a career in radio, the movie having been the catalyst. Another guy is a movie reviewer! I have every record and CD ever made featuring Anton Karas but I would give my right arm to find the actual original studio recordings of him playing the background music for the film. Can anyone help? Is there no end to the fascination this film has for people? My collection has grown again with the discovery of the Michael Rennie BBC 'Third Man' series and of course this excellent documentary 'Shadowing the Third Man'. Frederick Baker has written and directed a surprising film in its own right. He has used the superimposed montage to great effect, echoing the slanted camera of the parent film! Don't miss Charles Drazin's excellent book 'In Search of the Third Man' with a load of new and interesting photographs and material. He made a very welcome and authoritative appearance in this documentary, both in front of and behind the camera.

So that is my story, told as I too walk that long avenue and I hope others might share their thoughts and experiences of that greatest of all films, 'The Third Man'. Tim Costello, Dublin, Ireland.

This documentary was sock-o! I love "The Third Man," and the insight given by this documentary was tremendous. Not only was the narration great, but the scenes of post-war Vienna were staggering. (In Vienna today, one can actually take a "Third Man" tour.) The background of the Selznick-Korda conflict, the description of how the zither music was decided upon, the tour of the tunnels, how the silhouettes were created, the cat at Harry's shoes -- all wonderful information.

Being a huge Orson Welles fan, I loved the stories about Welles. But my favorite story was the one about how the name Paul Horbiger opened the doors of Vienna to the producers, where the names Orson Welles, Alida Valli, and David Selznick did nothing! This is a must see.