post war vienna . a dangerous city and full of intrigue and crime and sudden death . notorious american racketeer harry lime start to cross a street . there be an accident and he be kill instantly . or be he . his body be carry to the sidewalk by two friend . or do another man assist them . if so and who be the third man and what do he know about lime suspicious death . such be the puzzle at the beginning of what many consider to be the great film ever make . it glory be so obvious that it be almost futile to pick out any for observation represent the marvelous sewer chase and the balloon man and the little boy with the ball and the giant wheel and the cuckoo clock speech and the long closing walk across the cemetery . all of these linger in the mind and become permanent resident of our cinematic subconscious . the entire cast be excellent represent joseph cotton a lime american friend try to piece together what have happen while trevor howard a the stalwart british major of police while gorgeous valli a harry faithful lover while bernard lee a the tragic police sergeant while wilfrid hyde white a a dither english cultural attaché . and then there orson welles . the character of harry lime and alive or dead and on screen or not and be one of cinema most fascinating villain . charming and deadly a any cobra and he attract and repels at the same moment . it be interest to note that bbc radio resurrect the character for the series the life of harry lime very shortly after the film release . harry be not allow to stay in his grave for long . three more item of note represent ( 1 ) the cinematography be first rate and make vienna by night look almost lunar . ( 2 ) orson welles first appearance on screen be a real dandy . ( 3 ) above and around and through everything be the famous zither music of anton karas and which become like a greek chorus and comment on the action . it complete silence during the sewer chase only underscore the starkness of the sequence .