--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: 'The Third Man,' directed by Carol Reed…" description: "\"'The Third Man,' directed by Carol Reed and written by Graham Greene, is, quite simply, one of the finest movies ever made.\" — Elvis Mitchell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3f/elvis-mitchell-2864_carol_the-third-man-directed-by-carol-reed-and_978474.jpg" --- # 'The Third Man,' directed by Carol Reed and written by… ![“'The Third Man,' directed by Carol Reed and written by Graham Greene, is, quite simply, one of the finest movies ever made.” quote by Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3f/elvis-mitchell-2864_carol_the-third-man-directed-by-carol-reed-and_978474.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3f/elvis-mitchell-2864_carol_the-third-man-directed-by-carol-reed-and_978474.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3f/elvis-mitchell-2864_carol_the-third-man-directed-by-carol-reed-and_978474.jpg) > “'The Third Man,' directed by Carol Reed and written by Graham Greene, is, quite simply, one of the finest movies ever made.” [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A film is praised as a masterpiece for its direction, writing, and overall quality. **In simple terms:** A highly regarded movie. Key Takeaway Appreciate classic cinema. Themes film criticism artistic excellence cinema history Mood admiring reflective Type critical appreciative When to use this quote - movie night - film studies - classic film appreciation Key Concepts Film noir directorial style screenwriting Questions to Reflect On - What makes a film a masterpiece? - How does direction influence a film's impact? A Different Perspective Subjective taste may differ; not everyone loves noir. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Carol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carol/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Finest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finest/) [Finest Movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finest-movies-1925843/) [Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graham/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graham-greene/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Man Directed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-directed-1925844/) [Movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movies/) [Reed Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reed-written-1925845/) [Simply Finest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simply-finest-1925846/) ## Related quotes > [As a precocious teen I dreamed of being Graham Greene. Well, as it turned out, I never wrote a great novel, sadly, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-burchill/as-a-precocious-teen-i-dreamed-of-being-graham-greene-well-as-it/) [Julie Burchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-burchill/) > [I stand on the shoulders of some unbelievable talent. Graham Greene and chief Dan George have been nominated for their performances by the Academy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-gladstone/i-stand-on-the-shoulders-of-some-unbelievable-talent-graham-greene/) [Lily Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-gladstone/) > [I wanted to write as well as I possibly could to deal with life-and-death problems in contemporary society. And the form of Wilkie Collins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-macdonald/i-wanted-to-write-as-well-as-i-possibly-could-to-deal-with-life-and/) [Ross Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-macdonald/) > [That's all you do in life: you find your perch, and if it suits you, just carry on. There's nothing Graham Greene about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-osborne/that-s-all-you-do-in-life-you-find-your-perch-and-if-it-suits-you/) [Lawrence Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-osborne/) > [Henry Miller, Jack Kerouac, Albert Camus, Graham Greene - they influenced my life to a profound extent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/henry-miller-jack-kerouac-albert-camus-graham-greene-they-influenced/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [After reading Graham Greene and Joseph Conrad when I was a student at Yale, I wanted to live in the world they captured in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-cockburn/after-reading-graham-greene-and-joseph-conrad-when-i-was-a-student-at/) [Leslie Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-cockburn/) > [For a while we were chasing a book by Graham Greene to do Brighton Rock as a musical. We didn't get the rights, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-tennant/for-a-while-we-were-chasing-a-book-by-graham-greene-to-do-brighton/) [Neil Tennant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-tennant/) > [My heroes were never scientists. They were Graham Greene and Christopher Isherwood, you know, good writers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-watson/my-heroes-were-never-scientists-they-were-graham-greene-and/) [James D. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-watson/) > [You have the older generation like Iris Murdoch and Angus Wilson who are not as old as Graham Greene, but still are coming on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/you-have-the-older-generation-like-iris-murdoch-and-angus-wilson-who/) [William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/) > [“So, what do you go for in a girl?” He crows, lifting a lager to his lips Gestures where his mate sits Downs his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-grist/so-what-do-you-go-for-in-a-girl-he-crows-lifting-a-lager-to-his-lips/) [Mark Grist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-grist/) > [My parents were interested in history and the world. My father read Graham Greene and Georges Simenon and was a strong trade unionist and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/my-parents-were-interested-in-history-and-the-world-my-father-read/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [I work every day until I do not have more to say. I learned from Graham Greene that a very good way is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/i-work-every-day-until-i-do-not-have-more-to-say-i-learned-from/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [Graham Greene at 82 years old was still writing, and I don't think anyone can deny the force, the expertise, and the unique quality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/graham-greene-at-82-years-old-was-still-writing-and-i-don-t-think/) [William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/) > [I'm kind of a mash-up of taste - Graham Greene and Jane Austen; W.G. Sebald and Alice Munro.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-waldman/i-m-kind-of-a-mash-up-of-taste-graham-greene-and-jane-austen-w-g/) [Amy Waldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-waldman/) > [From Graham Greene, I learnt how to be an accessible writer who grapples with our doubts as sentient individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-kennedy/from-graham-greene-i-learnt-how-to-be-an-accessible-writer-who/) [Douglas Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-kennedy/) ## More by Elvis Mitchell > [No actor has made a career of exerting determination to the extent that Matt Damon has. In the 'Bourne' movies, he burned himself down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/no-actor-has-made-a-career-of-exerting-determination-to-the-extent/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [There are storytelling traditions that come from Africa that are unique from anywhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/there-are-storytelling-traditions-that-come-from-africa-that-are/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [The world may not be ready yet for the film equivalent of books on tape, but this peculiar phenomenon has arrived in the form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/the-world-may-not-be-ready-yet-for-the-film-equivalent-of-books-on/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [What we're most aware of in 'Eight-Legged Freaks' is how similar it is to other movies, a recombinant mutated species itself, the product of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/what-we-re-most-aware-of-in-eight-legged-freaks-is-how-similar-it-is/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [Watching daring, high-tech criminals in action, I have the same thought that probably occurs to other moviegoers: if these guys just held on to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/watching-daring-high-tech-criminals-in-action-i-have-the-same-thought/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [The influence of John Hughes is fully felt in the melodrama 'Donnie Darko.' This first film written and directed by Richard Kelly is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/the-influence-of-john-hughes-is-fully-felt-in-the-melodrama-donnie/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [Some people bring their work home with them. You might suppose that Sid Mashburn is one of those guys - the man was born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/some-people-bring-their-work-home-with-them-you-might-suppose-that/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [In 'Requiem for a Dream,' the director Darren Aronofsky's adaptation of Hubert Selby Jr.'s lower-depths novel, Jared Leto has lost so much weight, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/in-requiem-for-a-dream-the-director-darren-aronofsky-s-adaptation-of/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [That's a part of success: figuring out what success means to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/that-s-a-part-of-success-figuring-out-what-success-means-to-you/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [Miramax seems to be showing the same faith in Roberto Benigni's 'Pinocchio' that the Republican Party showed in Trent Lott; the live-action version of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/miramax-seems-to-be-showing-the-same-faith-in-roberto-benigni-s/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [The Ebert thing just didn't work out. We just couldn't, like, come to an agreement. And 'Movieline', they obviously didn't want me, because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/the-ebert-thing-just-didn-t-work-out-we-just-couldn-t-like-come-to-an/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [I've been cheered by the reaction to what I've done with Film Independent at LACMA and the organizational support I've received in pursuing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/i-ve-been-cheered-by-the-reaction-to-what-i-ve-done-with-film/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [If Mr. Chan ever makes another movie like 'The Tuxedo,' it's American audiences that will see him in court. With 'Shanghai Knights,' he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/if-mr-chan-ever-makes-another-movie-like-the-tuxedo-it-s-american/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [In Moulin Rouge, Baz Luhrmann takes the most thrilling moments in a movie musical-the seconds before the actors are about to burst into song…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/in-moulin-rouge-baz-luhrmann-takes-the-most-thrilling-moments-in-a/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [The mission of '8 Mile' is essentially to garner sympathy for a white rapper involved in an old-school shootout - a rap contest. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/the-mission-of-8-mile-is-essentially-to-garner-sympathy-for-a-white/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) [Explore all 147 Elvis Mitchell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) ## More Carol quotes > [“My aunt Carol hasn’t heard her say a word in the whole six years and three months of Grace’s life—not a single syllable. Carol…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/my-aunt-carol-hasn-t-heard-her-say-a-word-in-the-whole-six-years-and/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [When I was 17, I read a profile of Carol Leifer. Since then, I wanted to be her. I still want to be her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-silverman/when-i-was-17-i-read-a-profile-of-carol-leifer-since-then-i-wanted-to/) [Sarah Silverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-silverman/) > [“Carol, I thought you didn't liked playing with the minds of normal people.” “Yes, but the press don't count as normal.” “She’s got you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-zakour/carol-i-thought-you-didn-t-liked-playing-with-the-minds-of-normal/) [John Zakour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-zakour/) > [For the first time in my life I actually feel sorry for Carol. I'm only seventeen years old, and I already know something she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/for-the-first-time-in-my-life-i-actually-feel-sorry-for-carol-i-m/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [I took my first acting class at age 6 because I found out that's what Carol Burnett was doing - acting. Also she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-lakin/i-took-my-first-acting-class-at-age-6-because-i-found-out-that-s-what/) [Christine Lakin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-lakin/) > [As a boy soprano in the high school choir, I later sang a solo during the carol service at Canterbury Cathedral, but I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamish-bowles/as-a-boy-soprano-in-the-high-school-choir-i-later-sang-a-solo-during/) [Hamish Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamish-bowles/) > [“Mary Connealy is a Carol Award winner and a RITA Award finalist. An author, journalist, and teacher, she lives on a ranch in eastern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-connealy/mary-connealy-is-a-carol-award-winner-and-a-rita-award-finalist-an/) [Mary Connealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-connealy/) > [“one of the kinder nuns had lauded Carol for how original she was in her sinfulness, as if God had yet to announce the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-j-sullivan/one-of-the-kinder-nuns-had-lauded-carol-for-how-original-she-was-in/) [Matthew J. Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-j-sullivan/) > [A Christmas Carol is such a fool-proof story you can't louse it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-maltin/a-christmas-carol-is-such-a-fool-proof-story-you-can-t-louse-it-up/) [Leonard Maltin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-maltin/) > [I'm very surprised at Carol didn't get a best picture. Todd Haynes is an Academy darling, his period pieces are nothing short of brilliant,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bun-b/i-m-very-surprised-at-carol-didn-t-get-a-best-picture-todd-haynes-is/) [Bun B](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bun-b/) > [Aspects of guilt or handwringing that one might expect in a film set in the '50s about women who discover their love for other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-haynes/aspects-of-guilt-or-handwringing-that-one-might-expect-in-a-film-set/) [Todd Haynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-haynes/) > [All I really want to be is boring. When people talk about me, I'd like them to say, Carol's basically a short Bill Bradley.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-moseley-braun/all-i-really-want-to-be-is-boring-when-people-talk-about-me-i-d-like/) [Carol Moseley Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-moseley-braun/) > [Making music on TV used to be as common as commercials. In the '60s and '70s, prime time was stuffed with variety shows headlined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/making-music-on-tv-used-to-be-as-common-as-commercials-in-the-60s-and/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [One of the greatest joys of doing 'Comic Book Men' - I was so thankful - was that my wife Carol was able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-perez/one-of-the-greatest-joys-of-doing-comic-book-men-i-was-so-thankful/) [George Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-perez/) > [So many people: Lucille Ball is the earliest incarnation of a woman I thought was funny, Joan Rivers, Roseanne, Carol Burnett, Gilda Radnor, down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-peretti/so-many-people-lucille-ball-is-the-earliest-incarnation-of-a-woman-i/) [Chelsea Peretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-peretti/) [Browse all 77 Carol quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carol/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "'The Third Man,' directed by Carol Reed and written by Graham Greene, is, quite simply, one of the finest movies ever made.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elvis Mitchell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/the-third-man-directed-by-carol-reed-and-written-by-graham-greene-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Carol" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/the-third-man-directed-by-carol-reed-and-written-by-graham-greene-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3f/elvis-mitchell-2864_carol_the-third-man-directed-by-carol-reed-and_978474.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3f/elvis-mitchell-2864_carol_the-third-man-directed-by-carol-reed-and_978474.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3f/elvis-mitchell-2864_carol_the-third-man-directed-by-carol-reed-and_978474.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“'The Third Man,' directed by Carol Reed and written by Graham Greene, is, quite simply, one of the finest…” — Elvis Mitchell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Elvis Mitchell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "'The Third Man,' directed by Carol...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/the-third-man-directed-by-carol-reed-and-written-by-graham-greene-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/the-third-man-directed-by-carol-reed-and-written-by-graham-greene-is/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```