By A.A. Crayley
We’ve had an interesting discussion in our posts about differences between the characters of Holly Martins and Harry Lime in The Third Man. Holly: handsome yet comical and bumbling; kind and courageous yet outcompeted in his quest for love. Harry: seductive, malicious and the powerful winner of Anna’s heart; a master of Vienna’s chaos, able to work every situation to his favour. Harry’s contempt for the world is hidden beneath a veneer of civility; he sacrifices Anna in order to protect himself and his reputation but loses his soul in the process. In comparison, Holly speaks from his heart and sacrifices his own safety to ensure Anna’s wellbeing. He gains true life through love, even though it appears he has failed when Anna walks by him in the final scene.
The "Recordatio" Cinema Club 