The Third Man

1939 1 hr 33 min

2025 Oscar Nominations

2025 Oscar Winners

Pulp novelist Holly Martins travels to shadowy, postwar Vienna, only to find himself investigating the mysterious death of an old friend. Featuring a haunting zither score, amazing black and white cinematography, and some of the best performances of the postwar period. Voted the #2 Best British Film by the British Film Institute, THE THIRD MAN is widely regarded as one of the greatest movies of all time.

About the Score. Anton Karas was an Austrian zither musician who had no prior experience in the film industry before his involvement in THE THIRD MAN. His significant opportunity arose when the film's director, Carol Reed, encountered the 40-year-old artist performing for tips while out to dinner with the cast. Impressed, Reed immediately offered him the chance to compose the film's score, which Karas completed over a six-week period, creating and recording 40 minutes of music exclusively on a concert zither. This instrument, characteristic of Central Europe, features 40 strings and is typically played by strumming or plucking with fingers or a plectrum. The zither was the sole instrument featured in the film's soundtrack and was intentionally tuned a semitone lower, contributing to a unique, gritty sound that resonated with the atmosphere of post-WWII Vienna. Upon its release, the score for THE THIRD MAN gained considerable acclaim, remaining at the top of Billboard's U.S. Best Sellers in Stores chart for 11 weeks.

Director Carol Reed

Cast Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli

Country UK

Language English

Aspect 1.37

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