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.
cast
Joseph Cotten Holly Martins
Alida Valli Anna Schmidt
Orson Welles Harry Lime
Trevor Howard Major Calloway
Paul Hörbiger Karl the Porter
Ernst Deutsch ‘Baron’ Kurtz
Erich Ponto Dr. Winkel
Siegfried Breuer Popescu
Hedwig Bleibtreu Anna’s Landlady
Bernard Lee Sergeant Paine
Wilfrid Hyde-White Crabbin
Alexis Chesnakov Col. Brodsky the Russian Liaison Officer (uncredited)
Thomas Gallagher Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Herbert Halbik Hänsel the Little Boy with Ball (uncredited)
Hannah Norbert Actress at Josefstadt Theater (uncredited)
Eric Pohlmann Waiter at Smolka’s (uncredited)
Carol Reed UK Version’s Opening Narrator (uncredited)
Annie Rosar The Porter’s Wife (uncredited)
Frederick Schrecker Hansel’s Father (uncredited)
Hugo Schuster Waiter (uncredited)
Karl Stepanek Actor at Josefstadt Theater (uncredited)
Theodore Gottlieb Man on Street (uncredited)
Jenny Werner Dr. Winkel’s Maid Hilde (uncredited)
crew
Writer Orson Welles
Producer Alexander Korda
Producer David O. Selznick
Assistant Director Guy Hamilton
Sound Supervisor John Cox
Director of Photography Robert Krasker
Makeup Artist George Frost
Director Carol Reed
Producer Carol Reed
Screenplay Graham Greene
Associate Producer Hugh Perceval
Original Music Composer Anton Karas
Musician Anton Karas
Editor Oswald Hafenrichter
Camera Operator Edward Scaife
Sound Recordist Red Law
Camera Operator Denys N. Coop
Additional Photography John Wilcox
Additional Photography Stanley Pavey
Set Designer Vincent Korda
Assistant Editor Peter Taylor
Sound Recordist Bert Ross
Technical Advisor Elizabeth Montagu
Assistant Set Designer John Hawkesworth
Assistant Set Designer Joseph Bato
Country: United Kingdom
Studio & Production Companies: British Lion Films London Film Productions
Runtime: 105 minutes
Release Date: 1949-08-31
