The Third Man (1949): cast, story & where to watch
1949 · Film · ★ 7.9
Released in 1949, The Third Man is a thriller and mystery film directed by Carol Reed, running about 104 minutes. “Hunted by men ... Sought by WOMEN!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s 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 Calloway, and falling head-over-heels for Harry's grief-stricken lover, Anna.
Who’s in it. The Third Man stars Joseph Cotten as Holly Martins, Alida Valli as Anna Schmidt, Orson Welles as Harry Lime and Trevor Howard as Major Calloway, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.9/10, The Third Man has been warmly received by audiences. It went on to earn $1.2M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on IndieFlix, Cineverse, BFI Player Amazon Channel and IndieFlix Shorts Amazon Channel and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Third Man page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Third Man tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, Pulp Fiction, Parasite and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Third Man (1949)?
- In US, The Third Man is available to stream on IndieFlix, Cineverse and BFI Player Amazon Channel, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Third Man worth watching?
- The Third Man holds an audience score of 7.9 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy thriller and mystery. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in The Third Man?
- The Third Man stars Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles, Trevor Howard and Paul Hörbiger.
- When was The Third Man released?
- The Third Man was released in 1949, with a runtime of about 104 minutes.