Carol Reed

*****
5/5

Developed by Graham Greene from an idea jotted down on the flap of an envelope, this virtually flawless feature is one of the best British films of all time. Set in postwar occupied Vienna, the plot is a corker, littered with memorable moments and played to perfection by an unforgettable cast, led with distinction by Orson Welles and Joseph Cotten. A master of place, angle and shade, director Carol Reed (helped by his Oscar-winning cinematographer Robert Krasker) fashions a city in which menace lurks around every corner, while Anton Karas' jaunty zither music echoes the wit and drama of this dark, yet daringly playful picture.
 

(1949)   
UK   B/W   99 mins