Principal cast
Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Trevor Howard, Orson Welles and Paul Hörbiger
Film 57 of 498 on the Screen Path
The Third Man
Hunted by men ... Sought by WOMEN!
About the film
The Third Man at a glance.
Screen Path places this 1949 film at stop 57 in one curated journey through cinema. The learning experience adds context before you watch and deeper analysis after.
In postwar Vienna, Austria, Holly Martins, a writer of pulp Westerns, arrives penniless as a guest of his childhood chum Harry Lime, only to learn he has died. Martins develops a conspiracy theory after learning of a "third man" present at the time of Harry's death, running into interference from British officer Major Calloway, and falling head-over-heels for Harry's grief-stricken lover, Anna.
Key craft credits
Robert Krasker (director of photography), Oswald Hafenrichter (editor), Anton Karas (original music composer) and Graham Greene (screenplay)
- Director
- Carol Reed
- Release
- 1949-08-31
- Runtime
- 105 minutes
- Genres
- Thriller and Mystery
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Quiz
- 50 questions
The Screen Path journey
Before. After. Remember.
The featured film is watched outside Screen Path. The app provides the learning experience around it: a guide, an analysis, and a quiz with explanations.
01
Before you watch
Start with a spoiler-free video guide to the context and filmmaking choices worth noticing.
Spoiler-free02
After the film
Return after watching for a deeper video analysis of craft, meaning, and legacy.
Contains spoilers03
Quiz yourself
Answer 50 questions with clear rationales designed to make the ideas stick.
50 questions in this journeyCitizen Kane is the complete public example: both learning videos and a five-question sample quiz are available below.
Start the example →Full cast
Full cast
- Joseph CottenCharacter: Holly Martins
- Alida ValliCharacter: Anna Schmidt
- Trevor HowardCharacter: Major Calloway
- Orson WellesCharacter: Harry Lime
- Paul HörbigerCharacter: Karl the Porter
- Ernst DeutschCharacter: 'Baron' Kurtz
- Erich PontoCharacter: Dr. Winkel
- Siegfried BreuerCharacter: Popescu
- Hedwig BleibtreuCharacter: Anna's Landlady
- Bernard LeeCharacter: Sergeant Paine
- Wilfrid Hyde-WhiteCharacter: Crabbin
- Alexis ChesnakovCharacter: Col. Brodsky the Russian Liaison Officer (uncredited)
Full crew
Full crew
- Carol ReedCredits: Director, Producer
- Graham GreeneCredits: Screenplay, Book
- Anton KarasCredits: Original Music Composer, Musician
- Robert KraskerCredits: Director of Photography
- Oswald HafenrichterCredits: Editor
- John WilcoxCredits: Additional Photography
- Alexander KordaCredits: Executive Producer
- David O. SelznickCredits: Executive Producer
- Hugh PercevalCredits: Associate Producer
- George FrostCredits: Makeup Artist
- T.S. Lyndon-HaynesCredits: Production Manager
- Jack DrakeCredits: Sound Editor
- Red LawCredits: Sound Recordist
- Bert RossCredits: Sound Recordist
- Ivy BakerCredits: Wardrobe Supervisor
- Vincent KordaCredits: Set Designer
- Noreen BestCredits: Editorial Staff
- Jack N. GreenCredits: Third Assistant Director
- Peggy McClaffertyCredits: Continuity
- John HawkesworthCredits: Assistant Set Designer
- Joseph BatoCredits: Assistant Set Designer
- Guy HamiltonCredits: Assistant Director
- Edward ScaifeCredits: Camera Operator
- Denys N. CoopCredits: Camera Operator
- Stanley PaveyCredits: Additional Photography
- Ferdinand BellanCredits: Assistant Art Director
- James SawyerCredits: Assistant Art Director
- Elizabeth MontaguCredits: Technical Advisor
- John CoxCredits: Sound Supervisor
- Peter TaylorCredits: Assistant Editor
- Joe ShearCredits: Hairdresser
Film data and images provided by TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.