 |
| "The Third Man Theme" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Anton Karas | |
| Released | 1949 |
| Length | 2:06 |
| Label | Decca (UK) London (U.S.) |
| Songwriter(s) | Anton Karas |
"The Third Man Theme" (also written "3rd Man Theme" and known as "The Harry Lime Theme") is an instrumental written and performed by Anton Karas for the soundtrack to the 1949 film The Third Man .
The Third Man is a 1949 British film noir, directed by Carol Reed. [1] One night after a long day of filming The Third Man on location in Vienna, Reed and cast members Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli and Orson Welles had dinner and retired to a wine cellar. In the bistro, which retained the atmosphere of the pre-war days, they heard the zither music of Anton Karas, a 40-year-old musician who was playing there just for the tips. Reed immediately realized that this was the music he wanted for his film. Karas spoke only German, which no one in Reed's party spoke, but fellow customers translated Reed's offer to the musician that he compose and perform the soundtrack for The Third Man. Karas was reluctant since it meant traveling to England, but he finally accepted. Karas wrote and recorded the 40 minutes of music heard in The Third Man over a six-week period, after the entire film was translated for him at Shepperton Studios. [2] : 449–450
The composition that became famous as "The Third Man Theme" had long been in Karas's repertoire, but he had not played it in 15 years. "When you play in a café, nobody stops to listen," Karas said. "This tune takes a lot out of your fingers. I prefer playing 'Wien, Wien', the sort of thing one can play all night while eating sausages at the same time." [3] According to writer and critic Rudi Blesh, the tune is identical to the main theme of "Rags to Burn", a ragtime piano piece credited to Frank X. McFadden and published in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1899. [4]
The prominence of the "Third Man Theme" in the film developed gradually during its editing. Carol Reed initially envisioned Karas' music as being integrated with an orchestral score. The film's editor Oswald Hafenrichter ultimately prevailed in convincing Reed to weave Karas' unaccompanied theme throughout the film. [5] So prominent is "The Third Man Theme" that the image of its performance on the vibrating strings of the zither provides the background for the film's main title sequence. [6]
The full soundtrack album was ready for release when The Third Man came out, but there was not a lot of interest in it. Instead, labels focused on the catchy main theme and released it as a single. More than half a million copies of "The Third Man Theme" record were sold within weeks of the film's release. [2] : 450 The tune was originally released in the UK in 1949, where it was known as "The Harry Lime Theme". Following its release in the US in 1950, "The Third Man Theme" spent 11 weeks at number one on Billboard's US Best Sellers in Stores chart, from April 29 to July 8. [7] Its success led to a trend in releasing film theme music as singles.[ citation needed ] A guitar version by Guy Lombardo also sold strongly. Four other versions charted in the US during 1950. [8] According to Faber and Faber, the different versions of the theme have collectively sold an estimated forty million copies.
The zither-based Anton Karas version excerpted from the film soundtrack was released by Decca in 1949 across Europe with different catalog numbers. It was a 10-inch 78 rpm single with "The Harry Lime theme" on the A side and "The Cafe Mozart Waltz" on the B side. This became the most common version heard by European listeners.
Karas also performed "The Third Man Theme" and other zither music for the 1951–1952 syndicated radio series The Adventures of Harry Lime , a Third Man prequel produced in London. Orson Welles reprised his role as Harry Lime. [9] : 409 [10] "Whenever he entered a restaurant in those years, the band would strike up Anton Karas's "Third Man Theme", wrote Welles biographer Joseph McBride. [11] : 115
 | This section needs additional citations for verification .(September 2015) |
The original lyrics to the song, published under the name "The Zither Melody: song version of The Harry Lime Theme (The Third Man)", were written by Michael Carr and Jack Golden for the London film production (©1950, Chappell & Co., Ltd., London, Sydney & Paris).
Alternate lyrics to the song, published under the name "The Third Man Theme", were written by American author and historian Walter Lord (A Night to Remember, Incredible Victory,etc.) in 1950. Sheet music for the song was sold by Chappell & Co., and it was recorded by Don Cherry and The Victor Young Orchestra on May 5, 1950.
"The Third Man Theme" was used in a 1982 TV mail-order record collection, Aerobic Dancing [Parade LP 100A], with Sharon Barbano.
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The Third Man is a 1949 British film noir directed by Carol Reed, written by Graham Greene and starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles, and Trevor Howard. Set in postwar Vienna, the film centres on American Holly Martins (Cotten), who arrives in the city to accept a job with his friend Harry Lime (Welles), only to learn that Lime has died. Viewing his death as suspicious, Martins elects to stay in Vienna and investigate the matter.
Zithers are a class of stringed instruments. Historically, the name has been applied to any instrument of the psaltery family, or to an instrument consisting of many strings stretched across a thin, flat body. This article describes the latter variety.
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Anton Karl Karas was an Austrian zither player and composer, best known for his internationally famous 1948 soundtrack to Carol Reed's The Third Man. His association with the film came about as a result of a chance meeting with its director. The success of the film and the enduring popularity of its theme song changed Karas' life.
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And Carol Reed said to Oswald, 'You know, Ossie, it might be a good idea to use this tune whenever Harry Lime is on the screen.'
