It was because she considered him directly responsible for Lime's demise (after her having not long prior learned he was still alive after all), she still being in love with and feeling loyalty to him (Lime). I don't think she actually was ever in love with Holly, though seemingly, for a time, did have quite a fondness for him.

I, too, really like Valli's looks and way, and her performance in this. I've only ever seen her in this, The Miracle of the Bells (1948), and The Paradine Case. She did those movies three in a row (Paradine, then Miracle, then Third Man).

She seems unlikely to be willing to "come around" anytime soon, though perhaps after 2-3 years she would.

True. At the same time, she seems so extremely stubborn, and genuinely resentful of Holly, that I think she'd probably opt for someone other than him, even after some cool-down time.

Meanwhile, a thing to Anna's advantage is that she's beautiful, so she could, to at least some extent, have her pick of willing guys.

That would be interesting, Anna marrying Holly and going to America with him. Having said that, I wonder how long he'll actually remain in Vienna (or Europe in general), now that Harry's dead and Anna has rejected him. He no longer has any actual reason to be there, or any known employment prospects (meanwhile, in America, he does have family/friends and a publisher).

Anna would need to warm back up to him quickly, assuming he decides to head back home either immediately or within a week (which is what I see him choosing to do, is to head home within hours or days). I presume that Major Calloway's offer of the free ticket back to America still stands, as Holly has gone above and beyond to assist him.

Yes: The cinematography in this movie certainly is tremendous. Definitely the city, in its own right, is one of the film's key characters. That tree-lined lane along the cemetery makes for a wonderful final scene. So much is "said" in that final shot, without there being a single word spoken.

By the way, don't quote me on this, as I may be misremembering, but I'm pretty sure the Anna character is supposed to be Czech (however I believe using a forged Russian passport).

@genplant29 said:

By the way, don't quote me on this, as I may be misremembering, but I'm pretty sure the Anna character is supposed to be Czech (however I believe using a forged Russian passport).

Exactly right genplant

Indeed, the former Czechoslovakia (today two separate countries, the Czech Republic and Slovakia) was Russia/Soviet-controlled for decades, beginning in 1948. (By the way, I visited Czechoslovakia during the year following its historic "Velvet Revolution" of late '89 and absolutely loved it. Prague, in particular, is amazing - a marvelous true feast for the eyes.)

Although it would be wonderful for Holly and Anna to wind up together (and I think that's what viewers - self included - have a natural tendency to root for), there's something "right" seeming about how the movie ends - like Anna's presenting almost a challenge (via aloofly walking past Holly like he's invisible and nothing to her). It leaves things somewhat open to continuing possibilities, as she's never actually said "I hate you and never want to lay eyes on you again," or slapped him across the face, or spat on him. Thus she, seeming like a both sensible and practical type, who could maybe snap to her senses sooner rather than later (though of course it may never happen), the ending doesn't necessarily slam shut the door with total finality, instead leaves some glimmer of possibility.