Third Man on the Mountain

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.