La sfida del terzo uomo

Young man in 1860s Switzerland, working as a lowly dishwasher, longs to climbs The Citadel--the same treacherous mountain his beloved father died trying to scale. Live-action Disney film has colorful production, strong performances and a sincere script about following your dreams and overcoming the odds. Sturdy lad James MacArthur is well-cast in the leading role, and his shy manner and yet driven spirit is engaging; Janet Munro once again plays the proverbial Disney love-interest, but she's appealing here too, a feisty, devoted female. Based on James Ramsey Ullman's book "Banner In The Sky", and the inspiration for Disneyland's Matterhorn ride, this is a well-plotted family film that thoughtful kids should really enjoy. ***1/2 from ****

A young hotel dishwasher dreams of conquering the mountain that claimed the life of his father.

This is a strong (and at times exciting) entry into the Disney catalogue of live-action movies that combines excellent production values with a very good central character arc.

'Third Man On The Mountain' has a simple character-driven plot about the realisation of young person's ambition through a perilous adventure and his struggle for acceptance.

As you should expect with Disney, the central characters are well defined, with Rudi having a clear goal from the opening scene. Underpinning this are some great themes about being true to yourself and following your dreams in the face of adversity. At the same time it makes a point of showing that ambitions can be sacrificed in the right circumstance and highlights the greater importance of human life. Rudi's arc and the decisions he makes towards the climax of the movie are the high point.

It showcases some truly great action-adventure scenes. My heart was in my mouth watching the climbers attempt certain feats and for me this is the other great aspect of the movie. Considering it was shot in 1959 these sequences easily stand the test of time. My 5 year old daughter, who is accustomed to the spectacle of modern filmmaking, was genuinely thrilled by scenes of climbers tackling vertical or overhanging rock faces, crevasses, pinnacles, caving and their frequent brushes with death. All this is set to a beautiful alpine backdrop.

Unfortunately it suffers from uneven pacing, as the village scenes at times kill the momentum created by the suspense and excitement of the mountaineering. I think if the exchanges of dialogue between the villagers were shorter (or better) it would work, as these characters are not as interesting as Rudi's adventure.

That being said the look and feel of Kurtal is very well done. Production values are high with great sets, props, costuming and a reasonably authentic sense of period.

Performances for me are a mixed bag. James McArthur looks and acts the part of the caged young alpine adventurer. It feels almost like he's playing a version of Fritz from 'Swiss Family Robinson' in the days before they left for New Guinea. Michael Rennie has a natural charm and certain awe about him as a famous mountaineer. Janet Munro, James Donald and Herbert Lom are all good but, along with the remaining cast play relatively contrived caricatures that exist for the sake of Rudi's emotional journey.

Until I rented it on disc I'd never heard of 'Third Man On The Mountain' - and what a lovely surprise it was.

What's not to like? The alpine location photography, abetted by select matte paintings which, for a 1959 film, hold their own against all such in Cameron's 'Titanic,' is simply gorgeous. The solid cast gives rock-solid performances, making 'Third Man On The Mountain' a splendid Disney coming-of-age adventure animated with believable, earnest characters. Through the story's onward and upward progress Ken Annakin's gives sure-handed and sure-footed direction: he has a story to tell, and he orchestrates his actors and camera to tell it.

And, oh, I second what my Canadian cousin, "oldyale6," from up there in BC, said in his IMDb review about this film's rock-solid values (we used to call them ideals): this is most definitely a film children ought to enjoy and profit from. 'Third Man On The Mountain' is timeless worthy fare for all.

I was eight years old in 1970, when our primary school in Northern Ireland assembled all the students into the gymnasium to see "a film". The film was Third man on the Mountain. A quiet loner who detested the boredom of sports that chased an object around an enclosed playing field, I was captivated by this film, and knew that I wanted to climb. I am 43 years old now, and have spent my life climbing and enjoying the beauty of the mountains. I have just purchased this film on DVD but will wait until Christmas Eve, to see it for the first time in 35 years.

In an age where Hollywood gratifies violence, profanity, and promiscuity, caring parents would do well to, not only let their children see this great adventure story; but to sit with them and watch it as a family. As a teenager, I never once attended a 'house-party', drank, or engaged in the trash that often creates arrogant, ungrateful, and belligerent adolescents. The memory of this film never left my mind, and kept me focused in life. Honour, self discipline, respect for our elders and caring about what others think of us; as well as a great story of personal determination and effort, young people today need to be presented with the values that used to be 'normal' in society.

The real locations used in the filming provide a welcome relief from the slick, computer-animations and green-screen fakery of modern celluloid, and the climbing depictions are far, far superior to anything that has since been passed off by Hollywood, as 'mountaineering'. Having to EARN respect, working and striving for goals, personal sacrifice, and a good story: parents owe this film to their children.

Third Man on the Mountain ranks among the very best live-action films ever produced by Walt Disney. Period mountain-climbing film works as both a white-knuckle adventure thriller and compelling coming-of-age story. Highlights include sensational location photography and stunt work, strong character performances, terrific period detail, and a fine screenplay by Eleanore Griffin. Film takes its time establishing its characters, before building towards unusually gripping second half, where the human drama becomes as suspenseful as the high-altitude acrobatics.

Current DVD uses badly-worn elements for its source, with swarms of dirt, scratches, and ugly grain. It might, in fact, be the exact same transfer used in the 90's for the laserdisc release. Modern DVD resolution and large-screen televisions make the result unacceptable, especially for a film of this caliber. Disney Home Video needs to revisit this title and give it the respect it deserves.

Trivia: The Matterhorn ride at California's Disneyland theme park is based on the killer mountain seen in this film.