THE THIRD MAN BY CAROL REED (1949) HOW READ USES , DEVELOPS AND CHALLENGES THRILLER GENERIC CONVENTIONS

IN THIS ICONIC NOIR THRILLER .

By Thomas Cutmore

H OW G E N E R I C C O N V E N T I O N S O F A THRILLER ARE USED IN THE THIRD MAN

The scenery used in the mise-en-scene to create a nightmare/dystopia as the buildings around Holly make him look small and lost as the buildings are

all different sizes and heights.

Also another thriller convention is used where the streets are shiny, which, linking to a nightmare, make Vienna unreal, and as if Holly was in a completely different world. The way that the whole city is shown in the buildings and streets make Vienna seem as a labyrinth that Holly cannot get out of, and that it seems hes locked inside a nightmare which he cant escape

EXAMPLES OF NIGHTMARE VIENNA

Makes Holly seem small and lost as everything is out of proportion and bigger than he is, making it seem like a nightmare

The buildings of Vienna look gloomy, gothic and crowded, making it seem that there is no way out for Holly

OTHER CONVENTIONS USED IN VIENNA SCENE

In the scene, vanishing points were used to give the audience an idea that there was no way out and that they were trapped with Holly in a Labyrinth in Vienna. This is used as it creates an idea of the city almost acting as a nightmare as you feel closed in and lost as the buildings create a claustrophobic feel and the vanishing points act as a path to no where as you cant see where they go/around them.

THE VANISHING POINTS USED

THE USE OF TILT

Another generic convention of a thriller that Reed uses is the use of tilt. This is used to show that things arent real or that its twisted or evil as it plays with the audiences vision because of the angle causes them so see the area in a different perspective, such as low down, venerable or confused, making them feel that things are not right or that the actor is twisted as you see him on a tilt (for example,

when Harry Lime is seen briefly by Holly)

THE USE OF TILT

THE CHARACTERS
Holly Martens Holly is a very naive character as he sends himself
out to Vienna, a divided city and somewhere hes never been to find his brother, who appears to be dead until a series of events lead him to finding him. He is also seen as nave as he does not understand

any of the language spoken, which in the film leads him to trouble as
he is accused of murder, and as they speak in Austrian, and he doesnt understand but pushes them away and it turns them on him more. He is also seen as a humble and innocent character as if he is just there to find his brother and not cause any trouble

I N T E RT E X UA L R E F E R E N C E S W I T H H O L LY M A RT E N S
An intertexual reference with Holly Martens would be Truman Burbank out of The Truman Show. Holly Reminded me of Truman as they are both innocent people as they want to just live a happy life

and not cause any trouble or hassle with anyone. Another feature that
the two characters share are their names; Holly Martens and Truman Burbank seem like two humble names, making the people seem as if they were average citizens and dont hold anything about them that can change their character i.e. unlike Harry Lime where he is a player on people and that he wears a mask to hide it

Both characters are seen to be innocent and trust worthy, but also unattractive to the audience as they hold nothing different about them, they are just average characters

THE CHARACTERS (CONTINUED)

Harry Lime Harry Lime is a binary opposite to Holly Martin as Holly
is seen to be innocent and average, while Harry is seen to be sly and sleek and also towards the women, better looking than Holly. Harry is seen to be wearing a mask, hiding his real self as he wants to act calm and easy

because of his confidence in his work as a black market seller and does
not want to look obvious. He also tends to act as an illusion, as if he was never there as Holly sees him for the first time in a doorway when the light turns on and Harrys face is revealed, but when it turns off he vanishes, this shows he is enigmatic and that no one knows the real him.

I N T E RT E X UA L R E F E R E N C E S W I T H H A R RY L I M E
Harry Lime reminded me in his character and personality of the Joker out of The Dark Knight as both characters are seen to be careless and dont take reality seriously as they have a cool attitude towards everyone. Harry also reminds me off the Joker as they both play with peoples minds and also one off the other as they use them to get to the next, not caring what happens to them, and uses them

for the benefit of themselves.

The why so serious? impression in both of the characters that give the audience an idea that they are sly and sleek in being in situations involving themselves and others, for example, The Joker in Prison with Batman and Harry Lime being spotted can spiral off into chaos between the characters, but they dont seem bothered

THE USE OF ENIGMA WITH CHARACTERS.

Another generic convention that Reed uses is the use of enigma in the characters such as Anna and Harry Lime. These two characters are hard to read and are difficult to see the real them. This generic convention used to this causes the audience to wonder and think the true personality behind the character and wonder how and who they really are.

I N T E RT E X UA L R E F E R E N C E S B E T W E E N A N N A A N D H A R RY
Anna: - The way Anna is enigmatic and that you cant see who she really is/the personality within her, her character almost links to the Mona Lisa Smile painting as you cant tell the real meaning behind the painting and the smile. Harry: - Harry Lime however still links with the Joker as he is seen to be wearing a mask which hides the real him with his confident

personality.

ANNA AND THE MONA LISA SMILE

The un readable face

HARRY AND THE JOKER

The mask they both wear to hide their true emotions