75 years of The Third Man: Retrace Harry Lime’s steps through the city of Vienna

75 years on from its world premiere in London on 31^st August 1949, the indelible impact of the movie, The Third Man, can still be felt today. The film noir, written by Graham Greene and directed by Carol Reed, is widely considered to be one of the greatest British movies ever made. Set in post-war Vienna, the film is frequently praised for its stellar acting, memorable score and tension-building cinematography.

The city’s backdrop plays an integral role in the movie, with visitors to Vienna being able to retrace the steps of Holly Martins and Harry Lime through their real filming locations. Here are some of our favourite The Third Man experiences in Vienna, a must-visit for lovers of the Academy Award winning film:

Walk through the sewers from the iconic chase scene

Towards the end of The Third Man, Harry Lime tries to escape his pursuers via the city’s underbelly; the sewers. Fans of the film have the chance to retrace the steps of Orson Welles, with the Vienna sewer system open for tours between May and October in the 1st district.

The tour begins at the entrance that we see Harry Lime drop into, where visitors will enter one of the oldest parts of the Vienna sewage system and be greeted by the sewer guide who explains how some of the sewer management works today. Following this, visitors will move into the overflow chamber, where they can move along the same walkways used by the actors during the chase scene. The tour then proceeds to offer a subterranean view of the Wienfluss (River Wien), which disappears in an arched vault below the Naschmarkt.

Tickets for The Third Man Sewer Tour are available from €10 and can only be purchased on location at the ticket counter but can be reserved via the website here. 

Take a ride on the Giant Ferris Wheel in Prater amusement park

In arguably one of the most famous scenes of The Third Man, Harry Lime and Holly Martins are reunited properly for the first time in the Prater amusement park in the 2nd district, before taking a ride on the Giant Ferris Wheel to discuss Harry’s crimes and the value of human life.

The ride is the oldest working ferris wheel in the world, having been in operation since 1897. As well as being a well-known filming location for the movie, the Giant Ferris Wheel is also one of the key images conjured when people think of Vienna, with the unwritten rule for visitors to the city being that you haven’t really been to Vienna unless you’ve done a round on the wheel. At almost 65 metres tall, it provides breathtaking views of the Austrian capital.

As well as The Third Man, the Giant Ferris Wheel was also featured in the 1987 James Bond movie, The Living Daylights, and the 1995 romantic drama, Before Sunrise, further proving its celebrated status. Aside from the ferris wheel, Prater amusement park is home to around 250 attractions, so there’s no shortage of exhilarating activities for thrill seekers.

Be immersed in fascinating movie artefacts at The Third Man Museum

Located within the 4th district, The Third Man Museum is a project that was started by two enthusiasts, Gerhard Strassgschwandtner and Karin Höfler. The museum was lovingly made by the pair from scratch with no sponsor involvement and now has 15 rooms of more than 3,000 exhibits.

Items on display include original scripts, cameras that were used during the production and even the zither used by Anton Karas to record the film’s music. Visitors to the museum will also get to watch a screening of a scene from the movie, using a projector from the time period.

As well as providing an extensive insight into The Third Man, the museum also features a collection of artefacts that show what life was like in post-war Vienna. The museum is home to a number of original documents, letters, photographs and interviews that illustrate the impact of bombed buildings, hunger, the black market and demarcation lines.

On 10^th August, Gerhard and Karin from the museum will be publishing “the ultimate catalogue” on their museum project, which will feature 196 pages packed with pictures and information, exclusively for visitors to the museum, and described by Gerhard as the “apotheosis” of their project.

The Third Man Museum is open every Saturday from 2 – 6pm, with private tours available on other days. Tickets available from €12 and available to purchase here.

Attend a screening of The Third Man whilst in Vienna

If visiting the museum and filming locations isn’t enough, then fans of The Third Man also have the chance to watch the movie whilst in Vienna.

The digitally restored version of the film in 4K resolution shows three times a week in English at the Burgkino cinema in the 1st district, perfect for those who want a reminder of the film before enjoying any of the film attractions in the city.

For those wanting to have a copy of the iconic film for their homes, StudioCanal will reportedly be releasing a special limited-edition digipack of The Third Man in September, which will include a 4K Blu-ray disc and accompanying booklet.

Tickets for The Third Man screenings are available from €10.50. Screening times can be found online here.