The Third Man

The Third Man, directed by Carol Reed, is another film which has been produced in the style of Film Noir, taking on the  morbid, bleak, crime themes.  In true Film Noir fashion 'The Third Man' has taken everything morbid which was happening in society during the time period, taking it to the extreme, and turning it into a film; Harry Lime goes missing due to being found out about selling medication of hospitals which is deforming children, his friend Holly Martin (yes he is male) has made it his own personal mission to discover where he is hiding.

One of the most famous scenes in The Third Man is the sewer scene; During the end part of the film on where Harry Lime is running away from the police and decided to turn into the underground tunnels of the sewers. This is itself could be taken as a reference to 'heaven' and 'hell'. Harry Lime as a character has mixed morals when earning a living, there is a line is in deception and lies told to provide for your family, however Harry Lime crossed it when his actions and extent of deception caused children to suffer. For his character to the retreat to the sewer, a dirty dark place, suggests that 'hell' is where he belongs, and ties in the familiar moral less, seedy character Film Noir is famous for. 

The Third Man uses six different aspects which can be categorised into : Sound, Location, Camera Work, Editing, Lighting and Action.

Camera Work AND Editing

The Sewer also offers a chance to include another key conversion of Film Noir; claustrophobic disorientation. The sewer scene holds many scenes shot at a close angle to emphasis the closed spaces, like a 'tapped rat' (Harry Lime being the rat) which highlights the themes of struggling and need of escape in this particular scene. The disorientation comes from the obscure shots and angles, with the editing cutting in weird places which don't seems to be following pattern or order, from the rapid change of shot types, long shot, to close up, to medium shot ect; the audience will be continuously be trying to find a meaning or reasoning for cutting in these places, which holds no other reason than to make them feel disorientated and confused. For example at one point the editor has cut scenes to have police men run into he sewers and through the tunnels from different parts of the city, making it hard to keep track who was where and how close to Harry Lime as his abouts location within the tunnels was also unknown. The only action clear happening on screen was that there was a chase between a criminal and the police.

 

In this particular screen shot the audience has a 'birds eye view' on Harry Lime. If you look closely you will be able to recognise that you camera angle has a slight tilt to a low angle, giving the illusion of the audience being is a high status of knowledge and power; this is where our judgement of Harry Lime is going to shift from an 'evil' moral less character, to feel sympathetic towards his situation. Within the scene, Harry is in pain after receiving a bullet, and helplessly still trying to climb up the stairs from the sewer to gain freedom.; Freedom which he will never receive. The audience picks up on this which causes their opinions to have a change of heart.  This simple technique was able to control the audience's response.

This being said, the majority of shot types include close up and mid shots of the characters, as this is the confusion and emotions shown on each of their faces is a important role in causing the disorientation to the audience. The camera also keeps to tight shots, focusing in to add the sense of the location being claustraphobic.



 
 

Sound

The use of sounds within the Sewer scene was also used quite effectively used to cause disorientation.

When Harry Lime firsts enters the sewers we are immediately met with the constant sound of running water being echoed throughout the tunnels which does not end until the rest of the scene is over (at the end of the film). This later on in the film helps play a key aspect in how Harry Lime will be feeling so trapped and disorientated.

The stone underground tunnels of the sewer were able to echo each word and footstep made giving the illusion that someone is close by when in reality they are quite a distance. This made it impossible for both the audience and Harry Lime to have any idea on who was where. What does not help matters in the constant sound of the running water, which makes it hard to distinguish what the source of each sound is; whether it is the waterfall or the voices/footsteps of the police.

During the clip the police will switch from Foreign language, supposedly Deutsch as the film is set in Vienna, to English throught the whole scene, only giving away half of the plot.  This disorientates the audience, as well as confuses them as we are unable to 'fill in the blanks'. Constantly looking for an answer yet never able to find one. It also gives the audience a little insight on what Harry Lime's character must be feeling as he only knows half of what is going on himself - his half. He knows his next action, yet is completely unaware of the next move of the Police; Its like a large game of 'cat and mouse'.

The Scene where Harry is close to freedom uses sound quite nicely. As Harry lime has brought his fingers through the cracks of the drain, all noise is cut except from the sound of the wind blowing through his fingers as he is met with the door to freedom. However the clip will then cut back to the image of Harry Trapped within the sewer with the noise of the police footsteps, falling water and voices gradually increases through the illusion of them 'gaining up on him'. This adds in with the claustrophobic idea as Harry Lime is trapped between the Police and the exit with him chance of freedom which isnt opening.

Lighting
Due to The Third Man taking on the style of Film Noir, we are able to instantly know that lighting is going to play a big role in causing the disorientation and claustrophobia. First we are able to distinguish the type of lighting: artificial due to the lack of natural light sources such as the sun, and the excess amount of torches in scene supplied by the policemen. The torches making the ligh source act as a spot light, which will then highlight key features within the scene the audience needs to pay attention to, such as their facial expressions. They will also create movement to the shadows we will be able to see within the sewers, as the policemen wont be holding the torch in one perticular spot but moving the light around to be able to see. This creates disorientation.

In this particular picture the light source is the 'light at the end of the tunnel' is am idiom used when you believe something that is difficult or unpleasant will end. The lighting still shows that Harry Lime believes that he is able to escape and outsmart the policemen, that there is still hope. I suppose this technique is for the audience to believe that there is a chance Harry is able to get away, so his downfall creates some sort of shock.


The 'light at the end of the tunnel is also used as a vanishing point; in this case the point within a clip we are no longer able to see anymore. This image seems to have been enclosed using this effect to add to the claustraphobia of the location. It highlights the cold stone walls and ceiling of the sewer tunnels and in doing so, giving the illusion of the tunnel decreasing in size.


Action
The main action happening within the scene is running and searching. Harry lime, running away from the police and searching for a way out. Police: running around the sewers to catch Harry Lime, and searching for any sign of him. Not a great variety however quite effective.

Although the action is minimalistic, the running has a huge effect on the disorientation of the whole clip. As the characters on screen are constantly moving their exact location is constantly changing, and there are A LOT of characters with each one running about in a different location within the sewer. The different scenery with the same action with what appears to be the same person due to the policemen all wearing the same uniform, causes the disorientation as the audience has to keep up with who is who, where they are and where they are running to.

Location
As you have probably guessed, the dominant location within the chase scene is the underground sewers, and like i have said before it can be a reference to 'heaven and hell'. However we do have another location which is the city, which can easily be contrasted with the sewers.

City

• Busy/lively
• constantly lit (may that be through natural light like the sun, or artificial light such as street lamps)
• Populated with people
• Clean(er)

Sewers

• Lonely
• Dark/Dull
• Populated with vermin
• Dirty

The sewer is a unattractive place to be living in through the idea, however when contrasted with the city any appeal which it might have had (which i really doubt to being with), is non existent now. The continuous running into darkness of not knowing what way is safe, its where the disorientation begins.