The Third Man
Categories: [ TV/Cinema ]
Wikipedia
Holly Martins, an American author of pulp novels arrives in Allied-occupied Vienna at the invitation of his acquaintance Harry Lime who promised him a job. Harry has however been recently killed in a road accident and Holly assists to the funerals where he meets British Military Police officers, Paine and Calloway. He later meets a friend of Harry's “Baron” Kurtz who described how Harry died in front of his home, was carried to the side of the street by two men and asked them to take care of Holly and of Harry's girlfriend Anna. Holly however also hears the story from the porter at Harry's home who tells him there were three men and Harry had died instantly. The porter is later murdered after having offered to give Holly more information, and Holly is accused of the murder. Holly confronts Calloway, demanding that Harry's death is investigated, the policeman reveals that Harry was stealing penicillin from military hospitals and diluting it before reselling it on the black market, killing or injuring countless people. Holly agrees to give up on his investigation. Drunk and in love with Anna, Harry later visits her and notices someone watching her flat from across the street; he recognizes Harry, who flees and vanishes. After telling Calloway, they realize he escaped through the sewers. They then exhume his coffin and identify the body as an orderly who had been involved in the penicillin theft. In the meanwhile, the British police had taken Anna's forged passport and the woman, being a Czech citizen, is going to be delivered to the Soviet authorities. Holly visits Kurtz again and asks to see Harry. The meet in the Wiener Riesenrad and Holly realizes that Harry is interested only in his personal gain and has no consideration for the victims for his illegal activities, suggesting he sold Anna to the Soviet authorities. Holly then agrees with Calloway to help him catch Harry in exchange for letting Anna leave Vienna. She boards a train to Paris, but gets off the train when she sees Holly and persuades him to reveal the plan to capture Harry before leaving to tell Harry. Exasperated, Holly decides to leave Vienna, but Calloway takes him to a hospital where children dying because of Harry's dealings are treated. Holly agrees to stay and help capture Harry. They are supposed to meet but Anna warns her lover who flees through the sewers. A chase ensues where Harry is eventually killed by Holly. Holly attends Harry's second funeral and hopes to talk to Anna, but she ignores him.
[ Posted on October 28th, 2024 at 17:35 | no comment | permanent link ]
