I was stunned when I watched this film, and it's been a while since that's happened. The script, the acting, the cinematography are all dazzling. Why this isn't mentioned in the same breath as "The Third Man" is unforgivable. Even the score is wonderful. Also, the film demands a second viewing because there is far to much to take in. Watching it I was reminded of "Citizen Kane," "Sunset Boulevard," "The Third Man," and maybe a little Godard (maybe the look of "Alphaville"?). The film really feels like it exists in a time and place, oozing atmosphere. The only downside to the film and dvd is that some of the scenes were not restored quite as well as others, but this is an excusable oversight, considering the shimmering quality of the rest of the film and one can only hope for a special edition or criterion release in the future with commentary by a film critic or two. Tony Curtis and Burt Lancaster (in American movies) were never better.