History YMMV / TheThirdMan

* AwardSnub: Although the film took home a much-deserved UsefulNotes/AcademyAward win for Cinematography (as well as nominations for Director and Editing), neither Creator/OrsonWelles' performance nor the iconic zither score were nominated. It was also snubbed for Best Picture, while Creator/JosephCotten wasn't nominated for Best Actor and Creator/GrahamGreeneAuthor wasn't up for Adapted Screenplay.

* SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments: Of the meta variety. Creator/GrahamGreeneAuthor and Creator/CarolReed battled over how the film should end. Decades later, Greene admitted, "Carol Reed was right... he made a ''magnificent'' ending."

* CompleteMonster: [[spoiler:[[TheChessmaster Harry Lime]] is an amoral man who [[FakingTheDead fakes his death]] in order to escape the consequences of his misdeeds. Taking advantage of the scarcity of antibiotics, Lime steals penicillin from hospitals and [[WateringDown dilutes it]] before selling it to the highest bidder on the BlackMarket. Several patients die from the now-lethal medication; those that survive, a majority being children, are subject to illnesses. When Holly Martins confronts him, Lime attempts to [[HeKnowsTooMuch kill him]], only to relent when informed that the authorities knew that his death was faked. A chilling sociopath who views everyone around him as a pawn to exploit, Lime is willing to sentence several people to a painful death, as long as he benefits.]]

** Harry Lime turned out to be so popular that he got his own RadioDrama series (''The Lives of Harry Lime'') starring Creator/OrsonWelles himself. In the series, which was obviously set prior to the events of the film, Lime was more of a LovableRogue than a MagnificentBastard. And besides, EvilIsSexy when it's Creator/OrsonWelles.

* EvilIsSexy: You got a charming sociopath played by Orson Welles in his prime. Of course people are into him.

* CompleteMonster: [[spoiler:[[TheChessmaster Harry Lime]] is an amoral man who [[FakingTheDead fakes his death]] in order to escape the consequences of his misdeeds. Taking advantage of the scarcity of antibiotics, Lime steals penicillin from hospitals and dilutes it before selling it to the highest bidder on the BlackMarket. Several patients die from the now-lethal medication; those that survive, a majority being children, are subject to illnesses. When Holly Martins confronts him, Lime attempts to [[HeKnowsTooMuch kill him]], only to relent when informed that the authorities knew that his death was faked. A chilling sociopath who views everyone around him as a pawn to exploit, Lime is willing to sentence several people to a painful death, [[{{Greed}} as long as he benefits]]]].

* AwardSnub: Although the film took home a much-deserved Oscar win for Cinematography (as well as nominations for Director and Editing), neither Creator/OrsonWelles' performance nor the iconic zither score were nominated. It was also snubbed for Best Picture, while Creator/JosephCotten wasn't nominated for Best Actor and Creator/GrahamGreeneAuthor wasn't up for Adapted Screenplay.

* RetroactiveRecognition: Bernard Lee, who played Sergeant Paine, would be [[Franchise/JamesBond 007's "M"]] from the [[Film/DrNo first film]] up to [[Film/{{Moonraker}} 1979]].

* AwardSnub: Although the film took home a much-deserved Oscar win for Cinematography (as well as nominations for Director and Editing), neither Creator/OrsonWelles' performance nor the iconic zither score were nominated. It was also snubbed for Best Picture, while Creator/JosephCotten wasn't nominated for Best Actor.

* AwardSnub: Although the film took home a much-deserved Oscar win for Cinematography (as well as nominations for Director and Editing), neither Creator/OrsonWelles' performance nor the iconic zither score were nominated.

* OlderThanTheyThink:
** Only not ''that'' much older. The "cuckoo clock" speech quoted on the main page is the most famous line from the movie. What most people don't realize (even though it's [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]]) is that Harry Lime is actually ''quoting'' someone. "As the fella says..." Who's the "fella"? UsefulNotes/WinstonChurchill. (Yeah, not one of [[NobleBigot Churchill's]] more inspiring quotes.)

* SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments: Of the meta variety. Graham Greene and Carol Reed battled over how the film should end. Decades later, Greene admitted, "Carol Reed was right... he made a ''magnificent'' ending."