I'll Die On This Hill: Citizen Kane Isn't Orson Welles' Best Movie

The Third Man is the best Orson Welles movie of all time, with the legendary film noir even outclassing the constantly celebrated Citizen Kane. Orson Welles passed away forty years ago, and yet his shadow remains ever-present over the history of film. Touted as a young genius when he made his debut in the world of entertainment, his career waned and waxed over the years. Along the way, Welles co-wrote, directed, produced, and starred in Citizen Kane, one of the most highly regarded films of all time. However, the sprawling drama about a publishing magnate wasn't actually his best movie.

That honor belongs to The Third Man, director Carol Reed's take on the film noir genre. Set in Allied-occupied Vienna in the years following World War II, the film follows a visiting American who becomes entangled in the hunt for his old friend turned accused criminal, Harry Lime. Welles plays Lime, delivering one of the best ever villainous performances in cinema history. A mix of subtle menace and undeniable swagger, Welles codified a villainous character balance that has been replicated in countless other movie antagonists. It's the best Orson Welles performance of all time and helps elevate The Third Man.

Orson Welles' Best Performance Is In The Third Man

Orson Welles Was Never Better In A Movie Than He Was As Harry Lime

Orson Welles gave his best ever performance in The Third Man, which is a far more entertaining and compelling film than his more famous movie, Citizen Kane. Orson Welles plays Harry Lime in The Third Man, who is initially believed to have been killed by a car before the events of the film. As his old friend Holly Martins arrives in Vienna to attend his funeral, he ends up involved in a winding mystery that leads him to discover his Lime had become a criminal mastermind — and is actually still alive, pulling the strings of the conspiracy from the shadows.

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Quietly brilliant, effortlessly ruthless, and surprisingly thoughtful, Lime's scenes with Holly are among the best in Welles' career. Welles plays Lime with a clear veneer of charisma that never lets the audience forget how heartless he can be. Lime casually admits to selling out his loving girlfriend and threatens to murder Holly but never becomes too broad. Welles finds the perfect balance to make Lime into a darkly compelling character, one who can unnerve people but always win them back. Even when his resolve breaks, Welles imbues him with a surprisingly realistic desperation and defeated resignation that keeps him grounded.

The Third Man's Story Is Better Then Citizen Kane

The Third Man Benefits From A Tighter Story And Better Character Focus Than Citizen Kane

Citizen Kane is an undeniably vital piece of cinematic history, a technical achievement at the time of release, and one of the most well-regarded films of all time. It's also somewhat overrated — all the inventive filmmaking tricks, strong performances and rich themes are hindered by a broad story that can lose sight of its emotional anchors as the story progresses. A Third Man isn't nearly as purposefully subjective, benefiting from the more consistent central narrative.Welles' performance in Citizen Kane, which is impressive in the way it evolves over time, can't help feel disjointed by time jumps and unreliable narrators.

The Third Man has similar strengths to Citizen Kane in exploring a terrible man people can't help but be drawn to. However, it benefits from a more focused and compelling central narrative for the characters. Welles gets a more straightforward character with Harry Lime, allowing him to fully dig into who the character is instead of trying to embody numerous different versions of the same person from across his entire life. Welles does amazing work with a potentially one-note character in Lime and keeps him human even while making him larger then life with nothing more than a cocky smile.

The Third Man Was Influenced By Welles But Free From His Faults

Welles' Influence Can Be Felt On The Third Man Even As It Stands On Its Own

Orson Welles didn't direct The Third Man, but his stature in cinematic history has left to speculation that he secretly helmed the film. While Welles did clarify that the film was Carol Reed's "picture," there are certain visual elements that feel very reflective of Welles' prior work. The Third Man embraced creative camera tricks like dutch angles, German expressionist designs, and utilized a black-and-white color palette to emphasize the pessimistic themes of The Third Man. Welles' films, like Citizen Kane, The Stranger, and The Lady from Shanghai, helped popularly establish the visual style that Reed embraced for The Third Man.

The Third Man takes the same subversive approach to the idea of a "great man" as Citizen Kane, but does so with a clearer portrait of the surrounding world.

Even if The Third Man has a visual connection to Welles' films, it's also free of the trappings that define his works. The screenplays of Welles' films can be needlessly wordy at times, in contrast to the clever dialogue of The Third Man. The Third Man takes the same subversive approach to the idea of a "great man" as Citizen Kane, but does so with a clearer portrait of the surrounding world. Citizen Kane constructs the life of the titular character, while The Third Man feels like a perfect exploration of a time and place where Harry Lime could thrive.

The Third Man Proves Welles' Versatility

The Third Man Highlights All The Depth Welles Can Bring To A Single Character

Orson Welles remains a titan in the world of film decades after he passed away. While his accomplishments as a director and writer are often among his most heralded attributes, he was also a fantastic actor. Even at his lowest professional moments, he could imbue films like The Transformers: The Movie with gravitas. The Third Man is the perfect example of that versatility, with Welles getting to play Harry Lime as a charmer, a criminal, and a cautionary tale. While Citizen Kane showcased Welles' capabilities, each of his versions of Kane purposefully felt like different people remembered by unreliable narrators.

The Third Man 75th Anniversary Collectors Edition is now available on 4K UHD/Blu-ray.

In The Third Man, Welles melds those contradictory elements into a single person. In the world of film noir, it's easy for characters to feel too driven by archetype. The Third Man doesn't fall to that trap, in part thanks to a great script but in large part due to the painfully human performances. Even amid a talented cast, Orson Welles' performance as Harry Lime remains the stand-out. It's a role that feels different from moment to moment in a painfully real but effortlessly entertaining way. That's one of the main reasons The Third Man is Orson Welles' best movie.