The Third Man

?? [ Bells Chiming ]

?? [ 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 ?

-A friend offered me a job.

- Where are you staying ?

- With him. 15 Stiffgasse.

- His name ?

- Lime. Harry Lime.

- Okay.

- Thought he'd be here to meet me.

?? [ Man Singing ln German ]

[ Bell Rings ]

[ Man Speaking German ]

- Speak English ?

- English ?

[ Mutters ]

A little, little.

[ Speaking German ]

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--

A fellow called Lime.

[ Speaking German ]

[ Speaking German ]

[ Priest Continues ln German ]

[ Mourners Repeating Priest ]

[ 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 ?

l guess nobody knew Harry

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.

- When the business started ?

- 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

The Lone Rider of Santa Fe ?

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.

Take Mr. Holly Martins home.

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.

- Written anything lately ?

- [ 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.

- Never heard of him.

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,

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.

- 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.

- [ Phone Rings ]

- 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.

- A major ? Were you really ?

- Heard of Harry Lime ?

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 was a friend of Harry Lime.

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

Come around.

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