Third Man
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Cahier for The Third Man (1949)
In this essay I will be discussing certain aspects of cinematography in Carol Reeds The Third Man (1949) and look at how these aspects are used to help drive the narrative. The cinematography used in the Third Man is heavily dependant on aspects of shadows and lighting (partly to do with the film being black and white) this was very common in the period that was later referred to as 'film noir'. The use of shadow throughout the film emphasises tension and suspense and is used to great effect during the scene where Major Calloway (Trevor Howard) and Sergeant Paine (Bernard Lee) are waiting for Harry Lime (Orson Welles) and a large (scary also) shadow is slowly making it's way from around the corner. The use of close ups in this scene also adds to the suspense when it jumps from Calloway and Paine, to the shadow and then to the stand by police officers, it then continues back and forth creating anticipation and suspense for the audience. The film also has a constant use of cantered angles that are used as a representation of both characters and narrative. The angles are used to make the audience disorientated and confused, which is how we can relate to the character Holly Martins (Joseph Cotton). After he arrives in post war Vienna with expectations of work with his old friend Harry Lime, upon discovering his death he is immediately thrown into a web of guilt, disillusionment corruption and betrayal, this is emphasised heavily through the use of cantered angles. With Holly being the central character, we as the audience are encouraged to see experience the incidents as he sees them. An early examples of Holly's state of mind shown through cantered angles are near the beginning were he visits Harry's girl, Anna Shmidt (Alida Valli). When Anna is on stage performing the angle is normal, but when it cuts to Holly sitting in the crowd the angle is skewed because he doesn't understand what's being said...