The Third Man
“The Third Man” is a classic post-World War II film noir movie. In addition to being a great story and well acted, it is beautifully filmed in black and white. I’m not alone in thinking the cinematography is fantastic. The movie won an Oscar in 1951 for Cinematography (Black and White).
The movie serves as a bit of travelogue for Vienna. Anyone who has visited Vienna has no doubt seen many of the sites in the film. Some of the more significant sites, in my opinion, are:
- Zentralfriedhof (Vienna Central Cemetery) – the site of both of the funerals for Orson Welles’ character, Harry Lime.
- Palais Pallavicini – served as the Harry Lime’s apartment building
- Wiener Riesenrad (Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel) – where Harry Lime makes his famous spiel on Swiss cuckoo clocks.
- The Vienna Sewers – where one of the great cinematic chase scenes takes place
It wasn’t my intention to track down and photograph film locations. Sometimes, seeing them as they are now spoils the illusion and can be disappointing. For me, seeing these locations was just a nice happenstance. Of the four significant sites, I photographed 2, saw but did not photograph one, and didn’t have the opportunity to visit one.
Palais Pallavicini
The Palais Pallavicini was the first site from The Third Man that I photographed. However, I didn’t recognize the connection to The Third Man until after I took the shots. We were on a private walking tour passing through the Josefsplatz when I stopped to photograph the building. The beautiful caryatids flanking the door are what caught my eye. I knew they’d be a great BNW subject. The shadow detail contrasting with the white stone was just too inviting to pass up.
After I had taken the shot our guide complimented my on my “eye” noting that is was famous for it role in The Third Man. That’s when I made the connection. Knowing this just made it little bit more special.
Wiener Riesenrad
Wiener Riesenrad (Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel) is an engineering marvel. Built in 1897 to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Emperor Franz Josef I, it is the world’s oldest Ferris Wheel. For a long period of time it was also the world’s tallest wheel. Each gondola is is 5.4 meters long, 2.45 meters wide and 2.65 meters high.
I had remembered the Riesenrad from that famous scene in The Third Man and had it on my list to shoot. To be honest, it wasn’t high up on the list. The movie connection was nice but not a compelling factor for me. The real reason I ended up going to shoot it is because right next to it is Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien (WU). The WU campus is a simply amazing collection of beautiful and unique architecture. That was the true draw for me.
Still, the Riesenrad is worth shooting if you ever go to Vienna. If time permits take a walk through the Prater, the amusement park where the Riesenrad is located. It is a beautiful old-time park with plenty of photo ops.
The Sewers And The Cemetery
We did see the entrance to the sewers and its spiral staircase but did not go on the tour. I’m not concerned about not touring the sewers as I believe it would be a bit disappointing as a photo op. First, organized tours limit your ability to stop and take shots. Second, I expect the lighting was pretty bad. Sewers by their nature are not all that well lit. The dramatic chase scenes in the The Third Man no doubt benefited from temporary set lighting.
The Zentralfriedhof is a different story. I love old cemeteries. I would have loved to shoot there even if it wasn’t associated with the movie. But unfortunately, our time was limited and sometimes you have to make hard choices.
Bonus Tip
If you’re going to a city you’ve never visited before and wondering about good photo opportunities, Google the city to see if any major movies have been filmed there. If there were, watch the movie if you can. You just might see some excellent photo ops and/or new shooting angles to explore. If the film is significant enough, you can also Google shooting locations for the films to get the exact location. Major films hire professional location scouts, no reason you can’t use that valuable resource. Keep in mind major films might have access to particular areas that you simply cannot get into. If you are going somewhere a lot of movies have been made, e.g., New York City, narrow your search by genre, type (color/BNW) or a favorite director or cinematographer.
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