The ending to The Third Man

The Third Man is one of my favorite movies. What I find to be most unique about this film is it's ending. Not the ending to the plot... but the ending to the entire movie.

Harry Lime's girlfriend... or ex-girlfriend... is leaving the theater. Harry's friend, Holly Martin, is seen standing by his car obviously waiting for Anna. Yet, Anna does not care about Holly. She does not understand the complexity of the situation. When she gets close to Holly's car she ignores him, doesn't even acknowledge that he is there, and walks right by.  Carol Reed was having an awful time trying to decide what to do for the final shot. Someone on the set, besides Carol Reed.... I forget exactly what his name was... suggested that the final scene be a long shot from Anna walking from Harry's funeral past Holly. It's a very long shot... almost uncomfortably long. Carol Reed was very insecure with that shot, but it ended up being a great ending (though it differs from the ending in the book). As Orson Welles would say... long shots are what separate the men from the boys.

I consider the final scene in The Third Man to be one of my favorite endings.