Third Man on the Mountain

A young hotel dishwasher dreams of conquering the mountain that claimed the life of his father.

This is a strong (and at times exciting) entry into the Disney catalogue of live-action movies that combines excellent production values with a very good central character arc.

'Third Man On The Mountain' has a simple character-driven plot about the realisation of young person's ambition through a perilous adventure and his struggle for acceptance.

As you should expect with Disney, the central characters are well defined, with Rudi having a clear goal from the opening scene. Underpinning this are some great themes about being true to yourself and following your dreams in the face of adversity. At the same time it makes a point of showing that ambitions can be sacrificed in the right circumstance and highlights the greater importance of human life. Rudi's arc and the decisions he makes towards the climax of the movie are the high point.

It showcases some truly great action-adventure scenes. My heart was in my mouth watching the climbers attempt certain feats and for me this is the other great aspect of the movie. Considering it was shot in 1959 these sequences easily stand the test of time. My 5 year old daughter, who is accustomed to the spectacle of modern filmmaking, was genuinely thrilled by scenes of climbers tackling vertical or overhanging rock faces, crevasses, pinnacles, caving and their frequent brushes with death. All this is set to a beautiful alpine backdrop.

Unfortunately it suffers from uneven pacing, as the village scenes at times kill the momentum created by the suspense and excitement of the mountaineering. I think if the exchanges of dialogue between the villagers were shorter (or better) it would work, as these characters are not as interesting as Rudi's adventure.

That being said the look and feel of Kurtal is very well done. Production values are high with great sets, props, costuming and a reasonably authentic sense of period.

Performances for me are a mixed bag. James McArthur looks and acts the part of the caged young alpine adventurer. It feels almost like he's playing a version of Fritz from 'Swiss Family Robinson' in the days before they left for New Guinea. Michael Rennie has a natural charm and certain awe about him as a famous mountaineer. Janet Munro, James Donald and Herbert Lom are all good but, along with the remaining cast play relatively contrived caricatures that exist for the sake of Rudi's emotional journey.

I saw this film on the old Disney show back decades ago, and liked it very much, then sort of forgot about it. These days the Disney channel shows it periodically, and whenever it's on and I'm watching television, I can't help but stayed tuned to this one. For anyone who's ever climbed a mountain this movie is a treat.

The story is beyond simple: a young man in 19th century Switzerland whose father was killed trying to climb the Citadel (which is what the Matterhorn is called here) wants to become a mountaineer himself, and of course climb to the top of the Citadel, which no man has done. His mother strictly forbids it, and his uncle downright nasty to him whenever the subject comes up. Persistent fellow that he is, the boy hooks up with an English mountain climber, then coaxes his uncle to take him along on a climb, makes an ass of himself, then has a go at it again. The boy doesn't really have the maturity for the task, but persists, and in time he grows up, almost in spite of himself.

There's a larger than life quality to this movie, which was filmed on location. Director Ken Annakin, who never achieved his potential, shows himself a first-rate movie man here. The Swiss village and the looming mountains beyond convey an odd mood, as the place feels alternately dangerous, as if on the edge of the world, and beautiful, because of what one sees out the window every day. There's an intimacy between the clannish villagers, with their peculiar garb and gingerbread homes, that's caught to absolute perfection by Annakin and his crew. Everything seems real in this film; stylized as it sometimes is, it has an unmistakable ring of (admittedly Disneyfied) truth.

As to the climbing scenes, they are wonderfully photographed, with the camera seemingly in the right place at all times. One gets just close enough to experience at least some of the danger and excitement of mountain-climbing, with the camera pulling back periodically to show a larger view, invariably breathtaking. The actors are all competent. James MacArthur's non-charisma actually helps movie the picture along, as one is often more aware of who he's with than his character. He fades into the background somewhat, as young men often do, with the older, more experienced adults dominating. James Donald is brilliant as his uncle, creating a fully rounded portrait of a man who looks after his nephew, who for reasons never wholly explained, likes to belittle him. Michael Rennie is sturdy as the Englishman and Janet Munro makes a perky love interest. Herbert Lom almost steals the show as Saxo, the outsider from beyond, who also wants to climb the Citadel, and has a disagreeable disposition. He dresses differently from the others, and even wears a different sort of hat. Lom comes across as foreign, as we can see why people don't take to him in this little close-knit society.

There are few surprises in this film, but it tells its familiar and largely predictable story with great flair and feeling for the people it's about, showing once more that one can make an outstanding, maybe even great film, out of seemingly routine, even threadbare material, if one hunkers down really hard and gives it one's best shot, as clearly everyone connected with this movie did.

I was eight years old in 1970, when our primary school in Northern Ireland assembled all the students into the gymnasium to see "a film". The film was Third man on the Mountain. A quiet loner who detested the boredom of sports that chased an object around an enclosed playing field, I was captivated by this film, and knew that I wanted to climb. I am 43 years old now, and have spent my life climbing and enjoying the beauty of the mountains. I have just purchased this film on DVD but will wait until Christmas Eve, to see it for the first time in 35 years.

In an age where Hollywood gratifies violence, profanity, and promiscuity, caring parents would do well to, not only let their children see this great adventure story; but to sit with them and watch it as a family. As a teenager, I never once attended a 'house-party', drank, or engaged in the trash that often creates arrogant, ungrateful, and belligerent adolescents. The memory of this film never left my mind, and kept me focused in life. Honour, self discipline, respect for our elders and caring about what others think of us; as well as a great story of personal determination and effort, young people today need to be presented with the values that used to be 'normal' in society.

The real locations used in the filming provide a welcome relief from the slick, computer-animations and green-screen fakery of modern celluloid, and the climbing depictions are far, far superior to anything that has since been passed off by Hollywood, as 'mountaineering'. Having to EARN respect, working and striving for goals, personal sacrifice, and a good story: parents owe this film to their children.

Third Man On The Mountain has young James MacArthur working as a dishwasher in his uncle James Donald's hotel for tourists in Switzerland. But MacArthur longs to be a mountain climber guide as his father who was a legend in the field. The father was killed attempting a climb up a forbidding mountain outside their village some 16 years earlier.

Both Donald and MacArthur's mother Nora Swinburne keep him away from mountaineering, but he does it on his own. When he saves visiting British mountain climber Michael Rennie, Rennie becomes his champion.

Third Man On The Mountain is a fine coming of age film and it's perfectly cast. Both James MacArthur and Janet Munro were being cast in a lot of Disney films at that time and they made perfect young leads. I should also note the presence of Herbert Lom in the cast as a bragging mountaineer from another village who shames the men of MacArthur's village by accompanying Rennie on an attempt up the local Everest. He steals the film when he's on screen.

After 60 years Third Man On The Mountain holds up well and it's fine family viewing.

Wonderful stuff! I saw this at a school screening in 1970, noticed over the years afterwards it was seldom shown on UK TV, however never forgot it even though I was never interested in becoming a mountaineer or a sherpa when old enough. It's a simple wholesome family Disney live action adventure, today's cynical polluted generations could probably spend days poring over its stereotypes and corn and missing the point: to enjoy a harmless 107 minutes with a feelgood movie.

Young lad Rudi (James MacArthur) dreams of climbing the Matterhorn but is forced to be a hotel dishwasher instead, therefore something's got to give: you can't bottle the wind after all. He gets his chance when kindly top mountaineer Michael Rennie takes him under his wing much to his cautious uncle James Donald's disgust and later greasy guide Herbert Lom's disdain. Some splendid shots of bodies climbing impossible rocks, lovely sunny Swiss scenery and much angst between the characters leads to an admittedly rather flat conclusion, but all was well anyway. Rudi's doe eyed ever smiling girlfriend Lisbeth (Janet Munro) was perfect in her supportive role; it's always sad to recall how real life turned out so crap for her. Favourite bits: her charming meeting under her umbrella with Rudi and his boots in the rain; Rudi squeezing up the "chimney" – I nearly felt the panic. And as a sign of his parts to come I almost wished Lom had ended up stuttering and twitching!

All in all, totally inconsequential entertainment, lovely to revel in and regret that not even Planet Disney can be as wholly heartwarming any more.