Talking Disney Podcast Movie Night - "Third Man on the Mountain" (1959)

Welcome to the Talking Disney Podcast Movie Night! We love movies here at the Talking Disney Podcast, we watched and talked about each of the Disney animated feature films on podcast episodes #51 (“The One That Started It All”) through #124 (“Strange World Is The End Of Our Journey”). We are bringing some of that movie-watching magic to the website. We will still talk about some movies on the podcast occasionally. We aim to watch one movie a week (lofty goals!), share some details, and publish our thoughts as often as we can. Some weeks, we may have comments from all three hosts, sometimes two, and sometimes just one.

The movies will be picked at random, and for now, to make it easier on us, we will choose movies that are currently on Disney+.

So, without further ado, here is the next movie in the Talking Disney Podcast Movie Night series - “Third Man on the Mountain.”

“Third Man on the Mountain” was released on November 10, 1959. A Walt Disney Productions and distributed by Buena Vista Film Distribution Co, Inc.

Spoiler Warning - There may be spoilers ahead, so if you haven’t seen the film, check it out first. If you have seen it or don’t care about spoilers, then, by all means, click “Read more >>”.

“Third Man on the Mountain” is set in 1865 in the Swiss Alps during the golden age of Alpinism, it follows Rudi Matt (James MacArthur), a young man from the village of Kurtal who dreams of climbing the Citadel, a fictional stand-in for the Matterhorn, the mountain that claimed his father’s life 16 years earlier. Rudi’s father, a renowned guide, died in an avalanche, leaving Rudi’s mother and uncle, Franz Lerner (James Donald), determined to keep him safe by confining him to a dishwashing job at a local hotel. Despite their efforts, Rudi’s passion for climbing drives him to sneak away and practice on smaller peaks, encouraged by his spirited girlfriend, Lizbeth Hempel (Janet Munro), the hotel owner’s daughter.

While climbing one day, Rudi rescues Captain John Winter (Michael Rennie), a famous English mountaineer trapped in a crevasse. Winter, who knew Rudi’s father, is in Kurtal to conquer the Citadel, a peak no one has summited. Impressed by Rudi’s skill and bravery, Winter recruits him as an apprentice, against Franz’s wishes. Rudi’s initial recklessness nearly causes a disaster during a training climb, prompting Winter to seek a seasoned guide, Emil Saxo (Herbert Lom), from a rival village. Meanwhile, Rudi trains rigorously under Teo Zurbriggen (Laurence Naismith), his father’s old partner and the hotel cook, learning discipline and the importance of teamwork over personal glory.

As Winter and Saxo begin their ascent of the Citadel, Rudi, determined to prove himself and honor his father’s legacy, joins them, becoming the mysterious “third man” spotted by villagers through a telescope. The climb is fraught with peril—steep cliffs, crumbling rock, and treacherous weather—but Rudi’s knowledge of a secret route, possibly discovered by his father, guides the party. In a climactic moment, Winter is injured, and Rudi must choose between summiting alone or ensuring the team’s safety. Opting for selflessness, he helps Winter and Saxo descend, earning respect as a true mountaineer. Though he doesn’t reach the top, Rudi’s journey transforms him from an impulsive dreamer into a mature climber, fulfilling his father’s spirit in a deeper way.

Based on the 1954 novel “Banner in the Sky” by James Ramsey Ullman. The novel was based on the real-life first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865. The character of Captain John Winter was based on Edward Whymper and the character of Rudi Matt was entirely fictional. The difficulty of making this movie was highlighted in the ‘Perilous Assignments’ episode of Walt Disney Presents.

The musical score for the movie was composed by William Alwyn and featured the original song “Climb the Mountain” by Franklyn Marks.

Cast and Crew

Director: Ken Annakin
Writer(s): Eleanore Griffin and James Ramsey Ullman
Cast: Nora Swinburne, Walter Fitzgerald, James Donald, Laurence Naismith, James MacArthur, Ferdy Mayne, Lee Patterson, Janet Munro, Herbert Lom, Michael Rennie
Producer(s): Bill Anderson, Alan Jaggs, Walt Disney
Composer: William Alwyn
Cinematographer: Harry Waxman
Editor: Peter Boita

Film Technical Specifications

Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family, Live-Action | Rating: G | Runtime: 1 hour and 47 minutes (107 minutes) | Sound Mix: Mono (RCA Sound Recording) | Color: Color (Technicolor) | Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1. 

Box Office 

Budget: $2,000,000 (estimated)
Opening Weekend (U.S. & Canada): Unknown
Gross (U.S. & Canada): $1,700,000 
Gross (Worldwide): Unknown

Jason's Thoughts

I was excited when this movie came up randomly as I’ve never seen it. I knew the significance as far as the Matterhorn (called Citadel in the movie) being the inspiration for the Matterhorn Bobsleds attraction at Disneyland (see Fun Facts). To be honest my excitement was a little drained as I started watching it and my expectations were extremely lowered. I decided to stick it out, and I’m glad I did. I stopped about halfway through and came across an old Walt Disney Presents television show called “Perilous Assignments” that aired on November 6, 1959, and is a making-of-the-movie-type episode about ‘Third Man on the Mountain.’ Shot on location in Switzerland, the amount of work to make it as realistic as possible was amazing. Cast and crew learned how to climb and they had to carry all the equipment (cameras, film, etc.) up the mountain, filming as they went up. So when I started the movie back up to finish it, I had much more appreciation for what I was watching. “Third Man on the Mountain” gets a score of 65.00 (out of 100) from me.

James' Thoughts

I thought I had seen this movie before, but I couldn’t remember any details about it. As I started watching it, I quickly realized that I hadn’t seen it. I have enjoyed a lot of the live-action movies that Disney put out in the 50s and 60s and was looking forward to seeing this one. I love that this is based on a true story and that it features the Matterhorn. Although I think the movie had some slow spots in it, I really did enjoy watching it. The scenery is perfect, and I think all the actors do a really good job with their characters. I think the story was great, and I was a little surprised when it didn’t end quite the way I thought it would. It may not be one of my favorite movies moving forward, but I did enjoy it, and I wouldn’t mind watching it again. On a scale of 0-100, my rating for this film is 79. 

Talking Disney Podcast Score: 72.00

“Third Man on the Mountain” Fun Fact(s)

Shot on location in Zermatt, Switzerland, with breathtaking Matterhorn footage, the film blends stunning visuals with a heartfelt coming-of-age tale. It inspired Disneyland’s Matterhorn Bobsleds, which opened on June 14, 1959, cementing its legacy despite modest box-office success.

Have you seen “Third Man on the Mountain?” What are your thoughts on the movie? Share in the comments below, we'd love to hear them.