The Third Man
?? [ Zither ]
[ Man Narrating ]
l never knew the old Vienna
before the war...
with its Strauss music,
its glamor and easy charm.
Constantinople
suited me better.
l 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, 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, wait. l 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 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 ?
- With him. 15 Stiffgasse.
- His name ?
- Lime. Harry Lime.
- Okay.
- Thought he'd be here to meet me.
[ Bell Rings ]
- English ?
[ Mutters ]
A little, little.
Ten minutes too late.
- Already gone.
- Who ?
Mmm, his friends
and, 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. lt is frost.
Can you tell me, uh,
who's the--
[ Priest Continues ln German ]
[ German ]
Like a lift to town ?
l'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 ?
- Of course.
- Thanks.
- Schmolka ?
like he did, or like l did.
- How long ago ?
- Back in school.
l was never so lonesome
in my life till he showed up.
- When did you see him last ?
- September, '39.
- Mm-hmm.
- See much of him before that ?
- Once in a while.
- Best friend l ever had.
- That sounds like a cheap novelette.
[ Groans ]
Well, l write cheap novelettes.
l'm afraid l've never heard of you.
What's your name again ?
- Holly Martins.
- No, sorry.
You ever hear of
Can't say that l have.
Death at Double-X Ranch ?
Uh, raunch.
- Nope.
- [ Groans ]
He must've known l was broke.
He even sent me an airplane ticket.
- lt's a shame.
- What ?
Him dying like that.
Best thing that
ever happened to him.
What are you trying to say ?
He was about the worst
racketeer in this city.
- Policeman, huh ?
- Come on, have another drink.
No, l never did like policemen.
l 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, l suppose.
- lt 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.
lt's all right, Paine. He's only
a scribbler with too much drink in him.
Holly Martins, sir ?
The, uh, the writer ?
The author of
Death at Double-X Ranch ?
- [ Martins ] Listen, Callaghan--
- Calloway. l'm English.
You're not going to close your
files at a dead man's expense.
So you're going to find me
the real criminal ? Sounds
like one of your stories.
When l'm finished with you,
you'll leave Vienna.
Here's some army money. lt 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.
- [ Calloway ] Take him to Sacher's.
Don't hit him again
if he behaves.
And you go carefully there.
lt's a military hotel.
l'm so glad to have met you, sir.
l've read quite a few of your books.
- Auf Wiedersehen.
- l like a good western.
That's what l like about them. You can
pick them up and put them down anytime.
- Oh, Mr. Hartman ?
- Yes, sir ?
Mr. Calloway said this gentleman's
got to have a room for the night.
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, the author.
- Who ?
- Thought you might be interested.
He's very good, sir.
l've read quite a few of his books.
Author ? Martins ?
Thank you, sergeant.
Mr. Martins ?
My name's Crabbin.
l 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... something.
- The striptease, sir.
- Yes, the Hindu dancers. Thank you.
This is the first opportunity
of making an American author welcome.
- Welcome ?
- l'll tell you what, Mr. Martins.
On Wednesday night,
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.
- Are you staying long ?
How long can one stay here
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.
- He's due to leave tomorrow.
- Have you got a toothache.
- Number 8, Mr. Martins.
- Come upstairs a moment.
- l know a very good dentist.
- l 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. l was trying
to punch his major in the eye.
l've heard of him,
but l didn't exactly know him.
- l was going to stay with him,
but he died Thursday.
- Goodness, that's awkward.
ls 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 ?
[ Man On Phone ]
l'd very much like to meet you, Baron.
Come around.
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