THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM -- Otto Preminger

©1955
Studio: Delta
Production Company: Carlyle Productions
Dir: Otto Preminger
Cast: Frank Sinatra, Eleanor Parker, Kim Novak, Arnold Stang, Darren McGavin, Robert Strauss, John Conte
B&W

Frankie Machine has just gotten out of detox and jail and is determined to go straight, with hopes of auditioning as a drummer for area big bands. His heroin addiction catches up to him, as well as his former career as a dealer for illegal card games.

This was a fascinating movie to watch. There was so much to enjoy here. Sinatra does a great job in the role of Frankie Machine, the man with the golden arm (I love the double meaning of the title -- the arm of the dealer, and the arm shot full of heroin). The withdrawl scene is very well done, and certainly must have caused a stir in its day (the report is that the Hollywood Production Code would not give it a seal of approval because of the portrayal of drug use).

Kim Novak is sexy, strong, and bright. You ache for her to get Frankie from the very first moment you see her.

Eleanor Parker is quite good as Frankie's wife, who happens to be lying about her disability because she knows Frankie would leave her in a heartbeat if he didn't think he owed it to her to be there. this part of the story is under-developed, and I don't think it's prominent enough to see that she's making the scrap-book in order to keep the memory of the car wreck right in Frankie's face.

The biggest down-side to this movie is the very distracting shadows that keep popping up. Shadows of the camera across people's chests. Shadows of the boom across the wall. Shadows of crew people moving in a scene, even when the actors are holding still!

I'll sadly admit that I'm not real familiar with Otto Preminger, but his name is recognizable, and I'm surprised that a director of any merit would let this much "wrong" lighting/shadows occur.

Still, it's a movie worth watching if you've never seen it before.