1949: The Third Man

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– Director: Carol Reed

– Stacker score: 92.7

– Metascore: 97

– IMDb user rating: 8.1

– Runtime: 93 minutes

Pulp novelist Holly Martins, played by Joseph Cotten, heads to postwar Vienna to investigate the death of his friend Harry Lime, played by Orson Welles. What he uncovers is a much broader conspiracy with Lime at its very center. Director Carol Reed’s use of off-kilter theme music and harsh lighting drives home a lingering sense of unease, positioning Martins as a mere pawn in someone’s international game.