Film noir in the truest sense of the term, The Third Man crafts a breathtaking story out of chiaroscuro shadows both literally and figuratively. Never to my knowledge has the pulp detective thriller form been executed so elegantly, whether in the utterly sincere performances of some of the greatest actors ever to grace the screen, the brilliant manipulation of darkness both to obscure and reveal men and motives, and a script that takes seriously the thought lives both of its own characters and of its audience. The closing shot alone probably deserves some kind of honorary acclaim, and I would recommend the movie for that single moment even were the rest of it unmitigated trash.
The only marks on this otherwise flawless masterpiece are a distracting preponderance of Dutch angles (we get it, Reed - the perspectives are skewed) and a rather interminable chase sequence in the final act. As for the much-celebrated zither-only score, I cannot say I was overly impressed, nor was I in any way disappointed; apathetic would be a better word. These few preferential cavils, however, are hardly enough to mar this gem of cinema. The Third Man is a film for people who love films and who love to take them seriously. Hell, it's a film for everyone else, too.
Arbitrary Numerical Rating: 10/10
Satire doesn't get much sharper than this. Not only is Dr. Strangelove deeply, darkly, and disturbingly funny in its Cold War arms race parody, but it is every bit as starkly beautiful in its cinematography. Every scene is a testament to Kubrick's mastery of formalism, from the breathtaking opening aerial shot to the dizzying Dutch angles artfully employed in Sterling Hayden's ominous closeups.
It is impossible to avoid crediting (although Kubrick, true to egoistic form, did just that) Peter Sellers for his tremendous - some might say single-handed - contributions to the film's humor both through his script work and his performance as no fewer than *three* of the principal characters. While Dr. Strangelove is ironically the weakest of these and perhaps the most overtly farcical aspect of the film, Lionel Mandrake's riotous RAF unflappability in the face of nuclear war and President Muffley's deadpan insecurities account for two of the highest points of comic genius in Seller's career.
Thanks to Kubrick's detailed direction and Sellers' uncanny characterization, Dr. Strangelove is that rare comedy whose artistic merits easily match - and perhaps even outweigh - its simple laugh appeal.
Arbitrary Numerical Rating: 10/10
