Film Noir History Orson Welles in The Third Man Lobby Photograph Archive Postwar Vienna 1949

Orson Welles The Third Man

Photograph

Selznick Releasing Organization, The Third Man, 1949, documents a landmark work in film noir and postwar cinema, directed by Carol Reed and based on a story by Graham Greene. Set in occupied Vienna, the film follows an American writer investigating the apparent death of his associate, uncovering black market corruption and moral ambiguity in the aftermath of World War II. Featuring Orson Welles as Harry Lime, the film supports research into noir aesthetics, postwar European conditions, and the visual representation of political and social dislocation in mid-20th-century cinema.

Archive of 6 original vintage silver gelatin photographs, most used as lobby display cards, each measuring approximately 8 x 10 inches in glossy black and white. The images depict key scenes including the pursuit of Harry Lime through Vienna’s sewer system and moments featuring Alida Valli undergoing document inspection, reflecting the film’s atmosphere of surveillance and uncertainty. Several photographs retain printed captions and production information in the lower margins, while versos bear distribution stamps from “Girosign Ltd., London,” indicating international circulation. One example functions as a press photograph, with editorial markings identifying crop areas and a caption affixed to the verso, evidencing its use in newspaper publication. The compositions emphasize dramatic lighting, angled framing, and urban ruin characteristic of the film’s visual style.

Produced in the immediate aftermath of World War II, The Third Man utilized bomb-damaged Viennese locations to construct a narrative grounded in geopolitical instability and moral fragmentation. Its use of expressionist cinematography, including stark contrasts and unconventional camera angles, contributed to the evolution of noir visual language, while Anton Karas’s zither score introduced a distinctive auditory element. The film’s enduring critical reputation, including recognition by the British Film Institute as a leading British film, underscores its significance in cinematic history. Light handling wear with minor edge wear; versos with stamps and annotations; images remain sharp and well-preserved; overall very good. A cohesive group of promotional and press materials from a defining postwar noir film.

Item #19738

Price: $680.00