The third Man Analysis
The Ferris wheel scene
Ideas:
The Ferris wheel scene is one of the most important and suspenseful scenes in The Third Man. The director Carol Reed, chose to have the characters of Holly Martins and Harry Lime discuss there endeavours on a large Ferris wheel. The scene involves Martins justifying his Illegal actions while Holly interrogates, the scene is brought to heated discussion that leaves Martins unsure of his old friend Lime. The scene involves a curious setting, dialogue, casting and canted angles
The setting of the scene is extremely coincidental for Holly as he has made his money by selling diluted penicillin to children and the fair grounds that should be flowing with children are actually deserted. The Ferris wheel is the most important part of this encapsulating setting as Martins and Lime confront each other alone in a tiny box, extremely high off the ground. This scene might escape the basic ‘Film Noir’ approach because its emphasis on lighting and darkness diminishes for this particular scene and the setting heightens that danger and mystery. The audience understands that Martins is uncomfortable when Lime delivers the threat that ‘I don’t think they’d look for a bullet after that fall.’ Martins’ holds the door frame of the cabin perhaps preparing for an attack from Lime. The Audience is relieved when Martins and Lime are able to step off the wheel when it has completed the full circle. This is the suspense that the setting created in the Audience and is important for the heated discussion between former friends.
The dialogue of the two characters is particularly disturbing for the audience as well as deeply suspenseful. That of Lime is confronting to the audience as this is the first time that the audience has had a chance to understand what he is actually like. Some of the dialogue that he uses is particularly shocking and he is immediately characterised by the audience. In reference to his penicillin racketeering he asks Martins if he would ‘really car if one of those dots stopped moving’, referring to the few children and parents that are enjoying the fair ground as he looks of the cabin of the Ferris wheel. The audience is shocked that Lime is so admitting to his horrible crime because Martins is the most honourable character and he once highly valued the friendship he had with Lime. Lime continues asking ‘would you calculate how many dots you could afford to spend’. The reader is made aware of Limes charisma and business sense as he resists calling the dots children or even human beings, making the terrible crimes that he has committed seem much less than they actually are. The true identity of Lime and his outlook is revealed when he expresses the ‘nobody thinks in terms of human beings, governments don’t, then why should I’. Lime is making an important point as in the terms of many governments in particular countries, they probably don’t think in terms of what is best for the people. This point then speaks to the audience outside of the context of the film which gives the film much more depth and an insight in Limes world.
The casting of the character depicted in the scene with Martins and Lime are kept very separate in there attire, mannerisms and facial expressions. Martins’ attire is much lighter than Limes and it creates different associations for the audience. For instance, the audience would associate Lime as a normal everyday man with non-threatening clothing while Lime has a very dark coat matched with a very dark hat. The distinction in clothing it the scene shows that Martins can be seen as a more regular person; while Lime looks like he has much more money and that he is much more dangerous due to his attire.
The use of anted angles is used frequently throughout the film however there are many canted angle shots condensed into the scene. The first shot where martins and Lime step into the cabin of the Ferris wheel is canted. This is ultimately there to disorientate the audience; however, the angle also appears as Martins fired his first few probing questions. In this instance the canted angle is used to show the confusion of Martins as he strives to find answers. Since the audience only has as much information as Martins, the canted angle is also for the confusion of the audience as at this point they want to understand more about him and if the admits to the allegations.
The scene is iconic in its design with the implementation of the Ferris wheel and the suspense of the height of the Ferris wheel. The use of the setting in general is extremely appropriate as the fairgrounds relate to Limes horrible crimes due to the amount of children that are at the fair ground. The dialogue is very suspenseful as this is the first time the audience sees Limes nature and ideas about life and included in that is Martins and his new found suspicion of Lime and until this point he has only set out to defend him. The camera angles in the scene reveal that Martins is confused to find his old friend involved in such a scandal and the canted angle shots are scatted throughout the scene to disorientate the audience and reveal Martins as an interrogator asking very confronting questions.

What about the use of music/sound effects in this scene - or the absence of…?