Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		5.0

The Third Man 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov September 21, 2024

Carol Reed's "The Third Man" (1949) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of StudioCanal. The supplemental features on the release include archival audio commentary with assistant director Guy Hamilton, Simon Callow and Angela Allen; archival audio interviews with Joseph Cotten and Graham Greene; interactive tour of Vienna, with commentaries by Dr. Brigitte Timmermann and tour guide Gerhard Strassgschwandtner; collection of early radio announcements; documentary feature; and a lot more. In English, with optional English SDH, German, and French subtitles for the main fetaure. Region-Free.

A young American novelist, Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten, The Killer is Loose), heads to Vienna looking for his friend, Harry Lime (Orson Welles, Citizen Kane). Once in the city, however, he learns that Lime has passed away. Shocked by the news, Martins starts asking questions -- a lot of questions. He is told a number of different stories that eventually lead him to believe that Lime was killed.

Determined to find out who is responsible for Lime's murder, Martins embarks on a treacherous journey amidst the unfriendly streets of Vienna. Eventually, he encounters the beautiful Anna Schmidt (Alida Valli, Eyes Without a Face), a Czech national with forged Austrian papers, who agrees to help him find his friend.

Based on a screenplay by Graham Greene (The Quiet American), Carol Reed's The Third Man is a terrific hybrid of a film in which noir, neo-realism, and Hollywood bravado are mixed to perfection. Set in post-war Vienna, it is very much a dark caricature of sorts where the finesse, elegance, and tradition of Old Europe are seen through the eyes of a naive but ambitious American looking for his missing friend.

Contrary to what many critics have claimed, the narrative is rather complicated. A giant mystery surrounding Welles' character is slowly peeled off, piece by piece, and as a result, The Third Man quickly evolves into a guessing game in which every little detail must be scrutinized. As expected for a film noir, there is also a dangerous femme fatale who becomes a prominent player as soon as the main protagonist reaches Austrian soil.

In addition to strong dark overtones, The Third Man boasts a great deal of nihilism. For example, betrayal and impossible love are depicted by Reed with a sense of realism that feels uncannily contemporary. Not surprisingly, The Third Man works incredibly well not only as a non-stop adventure film, but also as a realistic depiction of a world struggling to recuperate after an enormous tragedy.

Even though The Third Man is a British film, its take on Old Europe is distinctly American. The clash of cultural ideologies, as witnessed through the interactions between Valli and Cotten, is particularly intriguing. There are entire sequences where Reed focuses on the American, whose alarming naivety produces some of the most hilarious moments.

Anton Karas' score is most unusual but strikingly beautiful. The mellow sounds produced by his zither give The Third Man a very special flavor, one that blends with the dark vistas from Vienna's sewers exceptionally well. Predictably, the atmosphere that The Third Man sustains is often cited as its greatest strength.

The Third Man 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

StudioCanal's release of The Third Man is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray disc is Region-Free. However, the Blu-ray disc is Region-B "locked".

Please note that some of the screencaptures included with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc.

Screencaptures #1-20 are from the Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #27-36 are from the 4K Blu-ray.

The Third Man was restored in 4K approximately a decade ago. In 2015, StudioCanal introduced the 4K restoration on Blu-ray in multiple European markets. I do not have this British Blu-ray release. However, I have this French Blu-ray release. The two should be identical. I like the 4K restoration a lot. It gives the film a very healthy, wonderful organic appearance that easily makes viewing it a treat. I sampled various areas of the 1080p presentation on the new Blu-ray disc included in this combo pack. My only minor criticism is that there is a lot of supplemental content on it, so perhaps the film should have been placed on a separate Blu-ray disc.

How does the 4K restoration look in native 4K? Terrific. I scrutinized a lot of the nighttime footage from the streets and canals of Vienna because I was curious to see how the HDR grade handles them, and went back to the 1080p presentation to see what looks different and how. The HDR grade does not flatten this footage and does not introduce crushing. It is very well done. I felt that a lot of the subtle shadows and nuances were more pronounced, contributing to an overall richer organic look. Yes, in a few spots, the small density fluctuations that are present on the 1080p presentation are still noticeable, but I think that the tighter 4K visuals make them a bit more even. Also, the native 4K presentation benefits from the superior encode, and I think that this is an improvement that folks with large screens will easily notice and appreciate. Grain exposure is very good. However, as I noted earlier, you should expect to see small inherited density fluctuations. Image stability is excellent. Lastly, I did not notice any encoding anomalies to report in our review.

So, should you consider acquiring the combo pack if you already have the previous Blu-ray release of the 4K restoration? I like this film a lot and have upgraded a couple of releases over the years, including the original Blu-ray release that Criterion produced in the United States. The French Blu-ray release I have is great, and if it was the final release of the film, it would have been fine. In native 4K, the film looks terrific, and I saw minor but meaningful improvements on my system that should be expected from a 4K Blu-ray release, so as far as I am concerned, an upgrade is justified.

The Third Man 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are three standard audio tracks on this release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, German DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, and French DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH, German, and French subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I think that the overall quality of the English track is excellent. I am aware that some collectors have speculated that additional restoration work could have been done, but I like the track a lot. Yes, there is some small unevenness in the music, but I do not consider it to be an issue. Also, the dialog is remarkably clear and always very easy to follow, but during the DVD era there were releases that did not offer the same quality.

The Third Man 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Noreen Ackland on Saving The Third Man - presented here is an excerpt from an archival interview with cutter Noreen Ackland recalls some early work she did on The Third Man and how Carol Reed reacted. Also, Mrs. Ackland explains how difficult it was to assemble a proper audio track because the sound negative was cut. In English. (6 min).

• Audio Commentary - an archival audio commentary with assistant director Guy Hamilton, Simon Callow, and Angela Allen (second unit continuity). This is a relaxed, very informative commentary with an abundance of technical information about the production history of The Third Man, the technical and logistical obstacles the cast and crew had to overcome, the film's fascinating story, etc. The same commentary appears on StudioCanal's first Blu-ray release of The Third Man.

• The Third Man - A Filmmaker's Influence - in this archival program, directors Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver), Ben Wheatley (Kill List), John Sayles (Matewan), and Franc Roddam (Quadrophenia), and screenwriter Hossein Amini (Drive) recall their initial reactions to The Third Man, and discuss its unique qualities as well as the type of impact the film had on them and their careers. In English. (17 min).

• Restoring The Third Man - in this archival program, Paul Collard (Vice President of Film & Digital Services/Deluxe), Marie Fieldman (film specialist), Paul Doogan (Head of Scanning), Tom Barrett (Restoration Supervisor), Tom Wiltshire (Digital Restoration Artist), and Stephen Bearman (Senior Grader) discuss in great detail StudioCanal's 4K restoration of The Third Man. In English. (20 min).

• Joseph Cotten's Alternate Opening Voiceover Narration - this segment is also included on StudioCanal's previous Blu-ray release. In English. (2 min).

• The Third Man Interactive Tour - a fantastic, very original tour of the old Vienna seen in The Third Man and compared to modern Vienna. With comments and very helpful information by Dr. Brigitte Timmermann and tour guide Gerhard Strassgschwandtner. It is also included on StudioCanal's previous Blu-ray release. In English.
  
  1. Josefsplatz (4 min).
  2. Third Man Museum (4 min).
  3. Karlsplatz (4 min).
  4. Sacher Hotel (6 min).
  5. Am Hof (6 min).
  6. Maria am Gestade (5 min).
  7. Molkerbastei (4 min).
  8. Stephansdom (3 min).
  9. Hoher Markt (3 min).
  10. Morzinplatz (4 min).
  11. Ruprechtskirche (3 min).
  12. Prater (4 min).
  13. Stadtpark (4 min).
  14. Zentralfriedhof (5 min).

• The Third Man on the Radio - a collection of early 1950s radio announcements for The Third Man as heard on "The Lives of Harry Lime" show. Written and read by Orson Welles. Also included on StudioCanal's previous Blu-ray release. In English. (30 min).

• Interview and zither performance by Cornelia Mayer - a wonderful performance of the Harry Lime theme & Cafe Mozart Waltz by Mrs. Mayer. It is also included on StudioCanal's previous Blu-ray release. In English, not subtitled. (5 min).

• Shadowing the Third Man - a long, very informative documentary film focusing on the production history of The Third Man, the secret of its success, the allure of post-war Vienna, etc. The documentary contains an abundance of archival footage, as well as numerous interviews and excerpts from Graham Greene's novel. It is also included on StudioCanal's previous Blu-ray release. In English. (94 min).

• Guardian NFT Interviews - also included on StudioCanal's previous Blu-ray release.
  
  1. Joseph Cotten - an audio only interview, courtesy of BFI National Archive/Guardian News & Media Ltd, from 1987. This is a very long and very informative interview in which the famous actor who played Holly Martins recalls his work with Carol Reed, and discusses the production history of The Third Man, its success, etc. In English. (48 min).
  
  2. Graham Greene - an audio only interview, courtesy of BFI National Archive/Guardian News & Media Ltd, from 1984. In this interview, the famous writer discusses how the screenplay for The Third Man came to exist. In English, not subtitled. (9 min).

• Stills Gallery - presented here is a collection of behind the scenes stills.

• Trailer - presented here is StudioCanal's new trailer for the 75th anniversary of The Third Man. In English. (1 min).

BLU-RAY DISC

• Noreen Ackland on Saving The Third Man - presented here is an excerpt from an archival interview with cutter Noreen Ackland recalls some early work she did on The Third Man and how Carol Reed reacted. Also, Mrs. Ackland explains how difficult it was to assemble a proper audio track because the sound negative was cut. In English. (6 min).

• Audio Commentary - an archival audio commentary with assistant director Guy Hamilton, Simon Callow, and Angela Allen (second unit continuity). This is a relaxed, very informative commentary with an abundance of technical information about the production history of The Third Man, the technical and logistical obstacles the cast and crew had to overcome, the film's fascinating story, etc. The same commentary appears on StudioCanal's first Blu-ray release of The Third Man.

• The Third Man - A Filmmaker's Influence - in this archival program, directors Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver), Ben Wheatley (Kill List), John Sayles (Matewan), and Franc Roddam (Quadrophenia), and screenwriter Hossein Amini (Drive) recall their initial reactions to The Third Man, and discuss its unique qualities as well as the type of impact the film had on them and their careers. In English. (17 min).

• Restoring The Third Man - in this archival program, Paul Collard (Vice President of Film & Digital Services/Deluxe), Marie Fieldman (film specialist), Paul Doogan (Head of Scanning), Tom Barrett (Restoration Supervisor), Tom Wiltshire (Digital Restoration Artist), and Stephen Bearman (Senior Grader) discuss in great detail StudioCanal's 4K restoration of The Third Man. In English. (20 min).

• Joseph Cotten's Alternate Opening Voiceover Narration - this segment is also included on StudioCanal's previous Blu-ray release. In English. (2 min).

• The Third Man Interactive Tour - a fantastic, very original tour of the old Vienna seen in The Third Man and compared to modern Vienna. With comments and very helpful information by Dr. Brigitte Timmermann and tour guide Gerhard Strassgschwandtner. It is also included on StudioCanal's previous Blu-ray release. In English.
  
  1. Josefsplatz (4 min).
  2. Third Man Museum (4 min).
  3. Karlsplatz (4 min).
  4. Sacher Hotel (6 min).
  5. Am Hof (6 min).
  6. Maria am Gestade (5 min).
  7. Molkerbastei (4 min).
  8. Stephansdom (3 min).
  9. Hoher Markt (3 min).
  10. Morzinplatz (4 min).
  11. Ruprechtskirche (3 min).
  12. Prater (4 min).
  13. Stadtpark (4 min).
  14. Zentralfriedhof (5 min).

• The Third Man on the Radio - a collection of early 1950s radio announcements for The Third Man as heard on "The Lives of Harry Lime" show. Written and read by Orson Welles. Also included on StudioCanal's previous Blu-ray release. In English. (30 min).

• Interview and zither performance by Cornelia Mayer - a wonderful performance of the Harry Lime theme & Cafe Mozart Waltz by Mrs. Mayer. It is also included on StudioCanal's previous Blu-ray release. In English, not subtitled. (5 min).

• Shadowing the Third Man - a long, very informative documentary film focusing on the production history of The Third Man, the secret of its success, the allure of post-war Vienna, etc. The documentary contains an abundance of archival footage, as well as numerous interviews and excerpts from Graham Greene's novel. It is also included on StudioCanal's previous Blu-ray release. In English. (94 min).

• Guardian NFT Interviews - also included on StudioCanal's previous Blu-ray release.
  
  1. Joseph Cotten - an audio only interview, courtesy of BFI National Archive/Guardian News & Media Ltd, from 1987. This is a very long and very informative interview in which the famous actor who played Holly Martins recalls his work with Carol Reed, and discusses the production history of The Third Man, its success, etc. In English. (48 min).
  
  2. Graham Greene - an audio only interview, courtesy of BFI National Archive/Guardian News & Media Ltd, from 1984. In this interview, the famous writer discusses how the screenplay for The Third Man came to exist. In English, not subtitled. (9 min).

• Stills Gallery - presented here is a collection of behind the scenes stills.

• Trailer - presented here is StudioCanal's new trailer for the 75th anniversary of The Third Man. In English. (1 min).

ADDITIONAL CONTENT

• Custom Packaging - pop-up rigid box packaging. The Third Man theme plays on opening.

• Booklet - 64-page booklet with brand-new essays and technical credits.

• Screenplay - fully annotated shooting script.

• Art Cards - four collectible art cards.

• Poster - poster of Nico Delort artwork.

The Third Man 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If you like The Third Man, you already know that it was beautifully restored in 4K approximately a decade ago. StudioCanal introduced the 4K restoration on Blu-ray in various European markets in 2015. This combo pack celebrates the film's 75th anniversary and offers you the opportunity to see the 4K restoration in native 4K. Should you consider picking up the combo pack if you already have the previous Blu-ray release of the 4K restoration? In The Third Man, the cinematography is incredible, so even the tiniest improvements can be easy to appreciate. If you agree, give yourself an early Christmas present. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.