Sequence Analysis of the Third Man

10/7/12 The terce Man Sequence Analysis In Carol Reeds The Third Man, the sequence in which the law and their bait, Holly, anxiously wait for the arrival of their tar shoot for, Harry, is full of suspense and displayed through over 25 soliduss in less than 3 minutes. The sequence appropriates the anxiousness and suspense experienced by all the characters through its ready(a) cuts of give up streets, destroyed buildings, and colorful natess. The score of this sequence heavily influences the mood and different thematic elements of the dead reckoning.Through this close silent (almost no dialogue) segment, Reed strikes the viewers into the scene through the perspectives of different characters surveying the empty, quiet and somber city of Vienna for the man they argon trying to capture, Harry Lime. The first shot of this sequence is a fade-in of the cafe in which Holly is settling down while waiting for Harry. The signature zither music picks up again to indicate the suspens e of patiently waiting to complete a set-up that will allow the police to arrest a criminal.It therefore cuts to at bottom the cafe where Holly anxiously sits and begins to look bring outside the window examining the ominous, empty streets of Vienna. This shot is a prime example of the unique askew camera placement used passim the entire ikon. In this shot, like several others, the frame is angled quite awkwardly. This technique embodies the creation of a dark, odd and intense world in which noir films took place. The next shot takes us outside with a large pan from left to right. This shot puts us in the perspective of Holly as he slowly scopes out an empty street.This zoomed in pan accurately conveys Hollys anxiety of Harrys arrival, as he attentively searches the street for any signs of Harry. This cuts sanction to Holly who is moving closer to the window in order to get a better look down the streets. Then a quick cut puts us back to Hollys perspective of the street and y et again we gain a vacant, dark street. However this shot is still and focuses on the Vienna statuary. The next cut is of a policeman hiding among these statues. The juxtaposition of these two shots is a prime example of Carol Reeds montage and genius editing choices.Holly tight looks at this landmark, which happens to be the polices hideout. This allows the viewer to see the elaborate plan the police start out created and be placed right in the middle of it. We are unable to see the police from the ad vantage point of the meetings location but once zoomed in we can see them hidden in the depths off the derrieres created by these large statues and columns. The shot of the policeman hidden on the statue cuts quickly to a shot of a still, dark street. The perspective thus switches to that of the policeman.The next cut shows some other policeman, this time zoomed in on his face. This shot has more than more light on the policemans face. It is a close up shot from a lower view point. This allows us to understand the different placements and hiding spots of these police incumbents that are waiting to capture their target. This then cuts again to this policemans view of the street. This rapid crosscutting of straight shots juxtaposed with angled shots of the policemen and their vantage points, alongside the portentous strumming of the zither creates a very ominous and suspenseful setting and mood.It places the viewer inside the set-up as if we too are silently and anxiously surveying the war-torn streets of Vienna for Harry Lime. This cuts to a shot that displays Reeds undeniable element of lightness. A police officer is placed in the center of the frame in profile. As he exhales, the low-key lighting picks up the fog created by his warm breath. This cuts again to the policemans vantage point down a dim alley. This cuts to another shot of a policeman with unique lighting. The lighting only allows the viewer to see the policemans nose and below.His eyes an d forehead are hidden by the shadow of his hat, until he moves his eyes. The lighting allows us to see the whites of his eyes as they move from right to left across the frame. further seeing his eyes as they move force us to follow his eyes and look into his vantage point that is seen in the next shot of another empty road. This cuts to a close up of another policemans face, where again the lighting picks up and reflects off of the fog. This quickly cuts to another empty street view, which then quickly cuts back to Holly.This shot of Holly is still angled awkwardly, only now we see Holly impatiently playing with his cup. The shot is important because it again shows us Hollys fickle feelings towards the situation he is in. end-to-end the film he has had difficulty deciding on whether or not to help the police bring in his friend Harry. This shot of Holly shows the internal debate he is experiencing in the mere three seconds it is seen. We then cut back to the first police officer i n the statuary. His shadow is beautifully cast on the column next to him and our eyes are drawn to it.We see his shadow move as he notices something. This cuts to his vantage point of a street that is finally no longer empty. A giant shadow is emerging alongside a building. The menacing shadow stands two stories high. This creates a strong feeling of intuition and fear, yielding an expectation by viewers and the police that the shadow will be Harry. The sight of a humongous shadow approaching sufficiently increases the suspense of the sequence. This cuts back to the policeman in what proves to be nonpareil of the most significant and well-filmed shots of the movie.It cuts to the same police officer who makes the first sound of the sequence a impartial pssst. This is to signal that Lime is approaching to someone below. The camera pans down below the officer, and zooms into a dark boxwood of the statuary covered by shadows. The lighting of this shot is incredible. As the shot zoom s in to its closest point, the lighting reveals the hiding Calloway and Paine as they merge from the shadowy depths of the statuary. Not only is this shot brilliantly lit, but it alike displays the films mise-en-scene of corruption.The two unscrupulous officers are standing underneath what was once beautiful religious statuary. Post-war Vienna is nothing like what it was and is now a depressing, crumbling, and corrupt city. Before the war, these officers would have been standing in beautiful religious architecture. Their emergence from the murky shadows represents the post-war ruin and corruption of the once beautiful city of Vienna. This then cuts back to the approaching giant shadow, as it closes in on the intersection, signifying the end of anticipation. The next shot is of a policeman leaning in to catch a view of to whom this shadow belongs.This quickly cuts to a absolutely shot of Holly also leaning in to try and get a glimpse. The shot reinforces the suspense and anxiety, a nd clean dilemma Holly is experiencing while waiting to set up his friend. As the shadow makes the final steps in the lead being revealed, the zither tone changes from the usual haunting strumming to a comical, upbeat, high-pitched progression. It is then revealed that this shadow is a simple balloon salesman. The sudden change in music completely rids all previous tension as the balloon vender makes his way around the corner.This shot symbolizes Reeds fantastic optic language. All of the shots leading up to this leave the viewer with nothing but certainty that this approaching shadow will be Lime. We have chased him down before through his shadows so there is no reason to believe that the camera is playing a hoax on us. The viewer undoubtedly trusts the visual storytelling, due to Reeds fantastic imagery and shots. Carol Reeds rapid crosscuts are a unique tactic that delays the plot of the film, solely to shift all focus to the increase in tension.The quick, oddly angled shots bring the viewer into the elaborate set-up, following each police officer and Holly, along with their respective vantage points of the streets of Vienna as if we too are searching for Lime. This sequence proves to be mighty and suspenseful, as well as a direct reflection of Carol Reeds brilliance. He is able to intensify the suspense of the film significantly through his elaborate camera work, montage, lighting, mise en scene and sound. This short sequence proves to be a noteworthy piece in the cinematic world, and embodies the genre of film noir in just two minutes.