Again, I like the piece but it isn't that great when used within the movie. I bet someone could edit the audio in this movie very easily adding either traditional orchestral scoring or using popular music to make a better version of this movie.

Initially, the "quirky" zither tune was interesting and off-beat. But there were 2 factors that took it from "different" to "annoying". At critical points, it just seemed to go off the rails, and it sounded like they handed a ukulele to an orangutan and just pressed "RECORD".
Then there was the repetition. The same 37 notes. Over. And over. And over. And over. And over. And over. And.
I thought "Beyond Tomorrow" recurred a lot in "Serpico". That was nothing.
The zither refrain in "The Third Man" made me long for a relaxing session of root canal with Edith Bunker yelling in my ear.
I challenge anybody who enjoyed this to obtain the soundtrack to this movie, and play it in their car for 1 hour. I guarantee you will drive off a bridge or into a telephone pole in the first 15 minutes.

It's a stylistic choice designed to provide two things: first, an authentic Vienna atmosphere (the director found the composer playing zither in one of the bars seen in the film, actually); and second, to supplement the comedic and occasionally somewhat surreal elements and undertones used to offset the bleak story and themes. It fulfills its function incredibly well. Whether or not you like that function is a matter of personal choice. (For the record, I didn't really like it, but I'm a product of my time, just as is the film itself). But don't call it "stupid" or "a mistake." Doing so only shows that you're approaching the question superficially and without any thought or background research whatsoever.

It's a stylistic choice designed to provide two things: first, an authentic Vienna atmosphere (the director found the composer playing zither in one of the bars seen in the film, actually); and second, to supplement the comedic and occasionally somewhat surreal elements and undertones used to offset the bleak story and themes. It fulfills its function incredibly well. Whether or not you like that function is a matter of personal choice. (For the record, I didn't really like it, but I'm a product of my time, just as is the film itself). But don't call it "stupid" or "a mistake." Doing so only shows that you're approaching the question superficially and without any thought or background research whatsoever.

The soundtrack of the Third Man is perfect. But here is is what you do. You do your own cut, dubbing in music from whatever little teen-age dance band was topping the charts when you were in high-school (The Rolling Stones, Nirvana, NIN, etc., depending on how old you are) because I'm sure that the only kind of music you;re capable of understanding. Whatever you do, don't watch Bergman's Trollflotte.

I thought the music was great.

Oxhan, you're naturally entitled to your opinion of the music in this movie. Yet it is such a rare one that it's akin to people who say they enjoy classical music but can't stand any of the German composers from Bach to Brahms.

I think the score is probably the best thing about this wonderful film.
http://letterboxd.com/guccipix/list/my-top-100-favorite-films/

I'm picking option number 3. I really like the opening musical piece but I found the zither music jarring in other scenes.

After a while, I was (mostly) able to tune the "music" out, since it was so very repetitive, but I found it to be mostly hideous, out-of-place, and quite appalling.
Watched it for the first time last night on PBS (horrible print) and enjoyed it, obviously (or I wouldn't be here). It seems the film has been restored; I was hoping the restoration would ditch the crappy "soundtrack" (can a single tune be called a "soundtrack"?).
Cotton was suitably clueless, Valli achingly beautiful, Welles perfectly charming and creepy at the same time, and it was nice to see Trevor Howard and Bernard Lee in their early days!
Karas was no-doubt well-loved in Vienna, but it's clear from his listing here he got no other meaningful work from this Third Man effort.

Thank You!

The ancient Romans had a proverb, "De gustibus non est disputandem," i.e., "There's no arguing over taste." Someone who loves Wagner might despise Stravinsky, and vice-versa, but there's no point disputing who's right or wr ong. HOWEVER, the vast majority of people who know film scores have pointed to this one as being among the most creative and brilliantly evocative in the history of cinema, all accomplished with one table-held instrument. I'm in their camp.

I disagree. I think it was masterful and whenever I hear zither music I think of this film.
Schrodinger's cat walks into a bar, and / or doesn't.

I too, thought that the zither music was out of place and annoying.

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Agree - loved the movie, really disliked the music

The zither music in this film has the insidious quality of being jolly until it is evil.
And it's as identifiable to Austria and Bavaria as the steel guitar is to Nashville.
It's use serves purpose and is brilliant in conveying the forced joviality of Viennese charm that was hiding deception and fear in post-war Austria.
The frenetic turns that the music takes, sound as wound up as the undercurrent of taut suspense in the film.
You don't have to start buying zither music, but as the film goes, go with it and appreciate what it's doing and how well it fits.

If Karas had bothered to write maybe a secondary theme the score wouldn't be as hard to swallow. But as it is, it's the most repetitive thing I've ever heard and to me it ruins the whole movie despite how popular the theme was in the 50's.

Music was terrific to me. Loved it!
It's a matter of taste, but generally people really enjoyed this score and it's one of the reasons this film is considered one of the best ever made. From Wiki:
"The Third Man Theme" topped the international music charts in 1950, bringing the then-unknown performer international fame.

Music is very subjective and all genres have their devotees and people who dislike particular ones. Personally I think the music in the Third Man works very well and I quite like it. I'm not sure that I would listen to it on its own without the movie playing like I can with other movie themes though.

I loved the music. It's so distinctive and quirky.
A bird sings and the mountain's silence deepens.

Ukulele? It's a zither you ignoramus.I am guessing you must be American.The zither is a popular folk instrument in Europe and is entirely appropriate to the film.

Totally agree with you, mate. Just watched the film and this stupid ukulele or something almost ruined it for me. It felt like I was at Bikini Bottom for God's sake.

Bad Form, mate!!