The Third Man

I never knew the old Vienna before the war...

with its Strauss music, its glamour and easy charm.

Constantinople suited me better.

I really got to know it in the classic period of the black market.

We'd run anything if people wanted it enough and had the money to pay.

Of course, a situation like that does tempt amateurs...

but, well, they-

you know, they can't stay the course like a professional.

Now the city, it's divided into four zones, you know...

each occupied by a power:

the American, the British, the Russian and the French.

But the center of the city, that's international...

policed by an international patrol, one member of each of the four powers.

Wonderful! What a hope they had, all strangers to the place...

and none of them could speak the same language...

except a sort of smattering of German.

Good fellows, on the whole. Did their best, you know.

Vienna doesn't really look any worse than a lot of other European cities.

Bombed about a bit.

Oh, I was gonna tell you- Wait.

I was gonna tell you about Holly Martins...

an American, came all the way here to visit a friend of his.

The name was Lime. Harry Lime.

Now, Martins was broke, and Lime had offered him...

I don't know- some sort of a job.

Anyway, there he was, poor chap, happy as a lark and without a cent.

- Passport, please. - Oh.

- What's the purpose of your visit here? - Friend of mine offered me a job here.

- Where are you staying? - With him. 15 Stiffgasse.

- His name? - Lime. Harry Lime.

- Okay. - Thought he'd be here to meet me.

#

- Speak English? - English?

Uh -

Little. Little.

Uh, 10 minutes too late.

- Already gone. - Who?

Um, his friends and the - Uh, no.

- Uh, coffin. - Coffin?

Mr. Lime's. An accident.

Knocked over by a car, here in front of the house.

Have seen it myself. Killed at once, immediately.

Already in hell... or in heaven.

Sorry for the gravediggers. Hard work. It is frost.

Can you tell me, uh, who's the -

A fellow called Lime.

Like a lift to town?

I've got a car here.

Thanks.

- My name's Calloway. - Martins.

- You a friend of Lime? - Yeah.

- Been here long? - No.

You've had a bit of a shock, haven't you?

You could do with a drink.

Could you buy me one? I haven't got any Austrian -

Of course.

- Thanks. - Schmolka.

I guess nobody knew Harry like he did.

- Like I did. - How long ago?

Back in school.

I was never so lonesome in my life till he showed up.

- When did you see him last? - September '39.

- When the business started? - Mm-hmm.

- See much of him before that? - Once in a while.

- Best friend I ever had. - That sounds like a cheap novelette.

Well, I write cheap novelettes.

I'm afraid I've never heard of you.

What's your name again?

- Holly Martins. - No, sorry.

You ever hear of "The Lone Rider of Santa Fe"?

Can't say that I have.

- "- Death at Double-X Ranch"? - Uh - "Ranch."

Nope.

He must've known I was broke.

He even sent me an airplane ticket.

- It's a shame. - What?

Him dying like that.

Best thing that ever happened to him.

What are you trying to say?

that ever made a dirty living in this city.

He was about the worst racketeer

- Policeman, huh? - Come on, have another drink.

No, I never did like policemen.

I have to call them sheriffs.

- Ever seen one? - Pin it on a dead man.

Some petty racket with gasoline or something.

Just like a cop.

You're a real cop, I suppose.

It wasn't petrol.

So it wasn't petrol.

So it was tires or saccharin or-

Why don't you catch a few murderers for a change?

Well, you could say that murder was part of his racket.

It's all right, Raine.

He's only a scribbler with too much drink in him.

Take Mr. Holly Martins home.

Holly Martins, sir? The, uh- The writer?

The author of "Death at Double-X Ranch"?

Listen, Callaghan-

Calloway. I'm English, not Irish.

You're not going to close your files at a dead mars expense.

So you're going to find me the real criminal?

Sounds like one of your stories.

When I'm finished with you,

you'll leave Vienna, you'll look so silly.

Here's some army money.

It should see you through tonight at Sacher's Hotel...

if you don't drink too much in the bar.

We'll keep a seat for you on tomorrow's plane.

Please be careful, sir. Up we come.

- Written anything lately? - Take him to Sacher's.

Don't hit him again if he behaves.

And you go carefully there. It's a military hotel.

I'm so glad to have met you, sir.

I've read quite a few of your books.

- Auf Wiedersehen. - I like a good western.

That's what I like about them.

You can pick them up and put them down anytime.

- Oh, Mr. Hardtmuth. - Yes, sir?

Major Calloway said this gentlemars gotta have a room for the night.

He'll be off tomorrow.

Passport, please.

Can't very well introduce you to everybody.

Would you mind filling this in?

- Mr. Crabbin. - What is it, Sergeant?

- Mr. Holly Martins, sir. - Who?

The author. Thought you might be interested.

Never heard of him.

He's very good, sir.

I've read quite a few of his books.

Have you, Sergeant? Author? Martins?

Thank you, Sergeant.

Mr. Martins? My name's Crabbin.

I represent the C.R.S. of G.H.Q.

- You do? - Yes. Cultural Reeducation Section.

Propaganda. Very important in a place like this.

We do a little show each week. Last week we had Hamlet.

The week before we had, um, something.

The striptease, sir.

- Yes, the Hindu dancers. Thank you, Sergeant.

This is the first opportunity we've had

of making an American author welcome.

- Welcome? - I'll tell you what, Mr. Martins.

On Wednesday night, at our institute,

we're having a little lecture on the contemporary novel.

- Thought perhaps you'd like to speak. - They wouldn't know me.

Nonsense. Your novels are very popular here. Aren't they, Sergeant?

- Very popular. - Very popular. Are you staying long?

How long can one stay here on this stage money?

Listen, Mr. Martins, if you'd agree to be our guest...

we'd be delighted to have you.

- Would you? - As long as you care to stay.

- But he's due to leave tomorrow, sir. - Excuse me. Have you got a toothache?

- Number 8, Mr. Martins. - Come upstairs a moment.

I know a very good dentist.

I don't need a dentist. Somebody hit me, that's all.

Goodness. We must report that. Were they trying to rob you?

Oh, just a soldier.

I was trying to punch his major in the eye.

- No. A major? Were you really? - Heard of Harry Lime?

I've heard of him, of course, but I didn't exactly know him.

I was going to stay with him, but he died Thursday.

Goodness, that's awkward.

That what you say to people after death?

"Goodness, that's awkward"?

Mr. Martins. Excuse me. Telephone.

Who is it?

- Baron Kurtz. - Must be some mistake. Yes?

I was a friend of Harry Lime.

I'd very much like to meet you, Baron.

Come around.

Austrians aren't allowed in your hotel.

- Couldn't we meet at the Mozart Café? - Where?

- Just around the corner. - How will I know you?

I'll carry a copy of one of your books.

Harry gave it to me.

Be there in a moment. Wait a minute.

If I do this lecture business, you'll put me up here a while?

- Certainly. - It's a deal.

Ever read a book of mine called "The Lone Rider of Santa Fe"?

No, not that one.

It's a story about a man who hunted down

a sheriff who was victimizing his best friend.

- Seems exciting. - It is.

I'm gunning just the same way for your Major Callaghan.

Sounds anti-British, sir.

- Baron Kurtz? - Mr. Martins?

Delighted to meet you.

Come, let's sit down here.

- What would you like? Tea? Coffee? - Coffee.

It's wonderful how you keep the tension.

- Tension? - Suspense.

You really liked it? what he'll be up to next.

At the end of every chapter you are left guessing.

So, you were a friend of Harry's?

I think his best. Except you, of course.

The police have a crazy notion that he was mixed up in some sort of a racket.

Everyone in Vienna is. We all sell cigarettes and that kind of thing.

I tell you, I've done things that would have seemed unthinkable before the war.

Once when I was hard up,