75 Years Later, The Third Man Still Has Cinema's Best Tragic Romance Storyline

Even three-quarters of a century later, The Third Man still has one of the most effective bittersweet love stories in cinematic history. Directed by Carol Reed, The Third Man is one of the most enduring and entertaining entries to ever come out of the film noir genre. The movie follows Joseph Cotten as Holly Martins, an American who travels to Allied-occupied Vienna in the years following World War II (and the start of the Cold War) to attend the funeral of his old friend Harry Lime. However, his investigation into Lime's fate reveals more about his friend then Holly could have hoped to know.

While The Third Man stands out as one of Orson Welle's best movies thanks to his deeply charismatic performance as Lime, the true opposite to Cotten is Alida Valli's performance as Anna. Lime's grieving girlfriend, Anna is revealed steadily forms a bond with Holly while subverting expectations about the "femme fatale" archetype in noir stories. In fact, the way the film sets-up and then subverts a standard Hollywood romance between Holly and Anna is one of the great strengths of the film. The Third Man's bittersweet romance story remains one of cinema's most memorable and helps elevate The Third Man above other entries in the film noir genre.

The Third Man Has A Tragic Romance For The Ages

Holly And Anna Care For One Another But Lose Their Chance With One Another

The Third Man's heartbreaking unrequited romantic storyline between Holly and Anna is one of the best tragic love stories in cinematic history and remains deeply affecting 75 years later. While most of the film is focused on Holly's investigation into the apparent death of his friend Harry Lime, a secondary aspect of his arc is centered on his connection with Lime's girlfriend, Anna. Anna is heartbroken by the death of Lime but has an undeniable chemistry with Holly that she comments on when she tells him he needs to "find himself" a girl. However, Anna's love for Harry remains strong.

Her love for Harry lingers even as the moral depths of Lime's criminal actions in the Vienna black market. Anna risks her freedom to warn Lime about the enclosing authorities, in stark contrast to implications that Lime sold out Anna to the Soviets to save his own skin. Despite his feelings for Anna and friendship with Lime, Holly proves crucial in the attempted capture and eventual death of Lime — which permanently destroys any of Anna's positive feelings towards Holly. It's a love story where everyone involved ends up brokenhearted, furious, or dead, giving The Third Man its bittersweet emotional core.

The Third Man Almost Had A Happy Ending (And Is Better For Dropping It)

The Third Man's Original Conclusion Was Less Tragic

The effectiveness of the ending makes the behind-the-scenes drama surrounding the film all the more surprising. In the novella that served as the inspiration and film treatment for The Third Man, author Graham Greene ended the story in a largely similar place. However, Holly and Anna ended the story walking arm-in-arm. This ending suggests that the pair will find happiness together in the aftermath of Lime's death, regardless of the other challenges they face in the world. Greene and Producer David O. Selznick initially wanted the film to conclude in a similar fashion, only for director Carol Reed to disagree.

It was Reed who argued that Anna should walk past Holly after his "betrayal" of Lime, forgoing any potential happy ending for a far more heartbreaking and emotionally memorable conclusion. Although Reed had to vigorously defend his decision, Greene later acknowledged his as the better ending. The Third Man is improved by embracing the purposefully bittersweet and bleak tone that comes with breaking apart the film's two romantic leads. It speaks to the morally gray tone of the film, eschewing standard perceptions of nobility and villainy for a story about good people and institutions becoming cruel in a harsh world.

Anna's Mysterious Fate Gives The Third Man's Its Perfectly Bittersweet Ending

Anna Walks Off Into An Unknown Future, Alone And Bitter

One of the things that makes Anna's decision to walk off ignoring Holly all the more impactful is the way it leaves her fate somewhat mysterious. Anna is revealed in The Third Man to be a Czech citizen who has been in Vienna using a forged Austrian passport. It's revealed that Soviet forces are after her so she can be repatriated, which could mean she's facing severe punishment from the Russian authorities. The only reason Holly remains a part of the investigation is to try and ensure Anna's safety by working with the Vienna authorities, something she refuses to accept.

Peter Bogdanovich in The Other Side of the Wind

One Of Orson Welles’ Movies Took Nearly 50 Years To Make Before Releasing On Netflix

One of Orson Welles' movies, which ended up being his final film, took almost five decades to make before it was released on Netflix in 2018.

Posts

After Lime's death, however, Anna's refusal to play along and attempt to warn Lime seems to have ensured her fate. She walks off into an unknown future, alone. This is another reason the ending is better then the original idea, which suggested that Anna and Holly could be together without a clear possible threat. Instead, Anna faces a potentially bleak future that she nevertheless faces head on, heading in a direction that Holly simply can't follow. It's a perfectly morally grey riff on the classic film ending of "riding off into the sunset," undercutting any romantic potential of the story.

The Third Man Is About The Limits Of Romance In A Harsh World

Love Can't Redeem All In The World Of The Third Man

Released less then a decade after World War II, The Third Man's moral compromises and bleak victories were realities to the survivors during reconstruction efforts. All the good intentions in the world can't fix people or keep dire situations from festering into something worse. That's what makes Holly and Anna's thwarted romance so impactful. Both of them genuinely care for Orson Welles' Harry Lime, but find their limits for him differing. Not only does this end in Lime's death, it destroys any future Holly and Anna may have had because of Anna's fury for Holly choosing his morality over loyalty.

The Third Man 75th Anniversary Collectors Edition 4K Steelbook is now available.

The Third Man is a love story with an unhappy ending and a moral about the limits of love in a harsh world. Harry Lime may have been a good man once, and his descent into selfish villainy never felt cartoonish. There were real consequences for his actions, whether that be the ruined emotions of his loved ones or the lives of children he'd never met. Wistful memory and true love can't fix someone like Lime, who has no desire for redemption. The Third Man visualizes that theme and uses it to fuel one of cinema's most heartbreaking romantic turns.