Holly Martens (Joseph Cotten) receives a job offer from his friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles) in postwar occupied Vienna. He arrives there only to find that Lime is dead and every witness has a different story. Being a pulp writer, Holly thinks he can solve the mystery. But this is a Graham Greene story, and the mystery is not just a whodunit but an exploration of evil. Tangling with a nihilistic band of black marketers exploiting the corruption and ruin of a great city after the war, Holly is told that he is in way over his head. The movie has many unusual touches. Expressionist camerawork…

“Hunted by men ... Sought by WOMEN!”
In postwar Vienna, Austria, Holly Martins, a writer of pulp Westerns, arrives penniless as a guest of his childhood chum Harry Lime, only to learn he has died. Martins develops a conspiracy theory after learning of a "third man" present at the time of Harry's death, running into interference from British officer Major Calloway, and falling head-over-heels for Harry's grief-stricken lover, Anna.
- Status
- Released
- Original Language
- English
- Production
- London Films Productions
- Box Office
- $1.23M
Cast
Joseph CottenHolly Martins
Alida ValliAnna Schmidt
Trevor HowardMajor Calloway
Orson WellesHarry Lime
Paul HörbigerKarl the Porter
Ernst Deutsch'Baron' Kurtz
Erich PontoDr. Winkel
Siegfried BreuerPopescu
Hedwig BleibtreuAnna's Landlady
Bernard LeeSergeant Paine
Wilfrid Hyde-WhiteCrabbinAlexis ChesnakovCol. Brodsky the Russian Liaison Officer (uncredited)Media
Official Trailer
User Reviews
Nobody thinks in terms of human beings. Governments don't. Why should we? The Third Man is directed by Carol Reed and written by Graham Greene. It stars Joseph Cotton, Alida Valli, Trevor Howard and Orson Welles. Music is by Anton Karas and cinematography by Robert Krasker. When writer Holly Martins (Cotton) travels to Vienna to hook up with his childhood friend Harry Lime (Welles), he is distressed to find that Harry has been killed in a road accident. After attending the funeral, Holly comes to believe that Harry's death was no accident and begins to try and clear his friend's name. But…
Nobody thinks in terms of human beings. Governments don't. Why should we? The Third Man is directed by Carol Reed and written by Graham Greene. It stars Joseph Cotton, Alida Valli, Trevor Howard and Orson Welles. Music is by Anton Karas and cinematography by Robert Krasker. When writer Holly Martins (Cotton) travels to Vienna to hook up with his childhood friend Harry Lime (Welles), he is distressed to find that Harry has been killed in a road accident. After attending the funeral, Holly comes to believe that Harry's death was no accident and begins to try and clear his friend's name. But…
Joseph Cotton ("Holly") arrives in post war Vienna to meet up with his former school friend "Harry Lime" - only to discover that he was recently killed in an automobile accident. Without his promised job, he starts to chat with the friends of the dead man and swiftly spots some inconsistencies that lead him to become suspicious. He determines to try and find out just quite what happened. It becomes harder and harder for "Holly" to get straight answers - even from those whom he ought to be able to rely upon - "Maj. Calloway" (Trevor Howard) nor even "Anna" (Alida Valli), the dead man's lover…
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I watch The Third Man (1949) for free?
You can stream the full The Third Man movie (1949) right here on FlixWow in HD, completely free. No subscription, no signup, nothing to install.
What is The Third Man about?
In postwar Vienna, Austria, Holly Martins, a writer of pulp Westerns, arrives penniless as a guest of his childhood chum Harry Lime, only to learn he has died. Martins develops a conspiracy theory after learning of a "third man" present at the time of Harry's death, running into interference from British officer Major …
Who stars in The Third Man?
The movie stars Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Trevor Howard, Orson Welles, Paul Hörbiger and more.
When was The Third Man released?
The Third Man was released in 1949 and is streaming free on FlixWow.
Is The Third Man worth watching?
The Third Man holds a rating of 7.9/10 from viewer votes (2,169 ratings). Watch it free on FlixWow and judge for yourself.















































































