Third Man on the Mountain

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.

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.

Until I rented it on disc I'd never heard of 'Third Man On The Mountain' - and what a lovely surprise it was.

What's not to like? The alpine location photography, abetted by select matte paintings which, for a 1959 film, hold their own against all such in Cameron's 'Titanic,' is simply gorgeous. The solid cast gives rock-solid performances, making 'Third Man On The Mountain' a splendid Disney coming-of-age adventure animated with believable, earnest characters. Through the story's onward and upward progress Ken Annakin's gives sure-handed and sure-footed direction: he has a story to tell, and he orchestrates his actors and camera to tell it.

And, oh, I second what my Canadian cousin, "oldyale6," from up there in BC, said in his IMDb review about this film's rock-solid values (we used to call them ideals): this is most definitely a film children ought to enjoy and profit from. 'Third Man On The Mountain' is timeless worthy fare for all.

Third Man on the Mountain ranks among the very best live-action films ever produced by Walt Disney. Period mountain-climbing film works as both a white-knuckle adventure thriller and compelling coming-of-age story. Highlights include sensational location photography and stunt work, strong character performances, terrific period detail, and a fine screenplay by Eleanore Griffin. Film takes its time establishing its characters, before building towards unusually gripping second half, where the human drama becomes as suspenseful as the high-altitude acrobatics.

Current DVD uses badly-worn elements for its source, with swarms of dirt, scratches, and ugly grain. It might, in fact, be the exact same transfer used in the 90's for the laserdisc release. Modern DVD resolution and large-screen televisions make the result unacceptable, especially for a film of this caliber. Disney Home Video needs to revisit this title and give it the respect it deserves.

Trivia: The Matterhorn ride at California's Disneyland theme park is based on the killer mountain seen in this film.

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.