The Man with the Golden Arm (1955)

Director:

Otto Preminger

Writers:

Walter Newman (screenplay) and
Lewis Meltzer (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

16 January 1956 (Brazil)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Strung-out junkie deals with daily demoralizing drug addiction while crippled wife and card sharks continue to pull him down.

Plot Keywords:

Drugs | Card Dealer | Heroin | Drug Addiction | Drug Dealer

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Frank Sinatra	...	Frankie Machine
Eleanor Parker	...	Zosch Machine
Kim Novak	...	Molly
Arnold Stang	...	Sparrow
Darren McGavin	...	Louie
Robert Strauss	...	Schwiefka
John Conte	...	Drunky
Doro Merande	...	Vi
George E. Stone	...	Sam Markette
George Mathews	...	Williams
Leonid Kinskey	...	Dominiwski
Emile Meyer	...	Detective Bednar
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jered Barclay	...	Junkie in Lock-Up (uncredited)
Leonard Bremen	...	Cabbie in Lock-Yp (uncredited)
Paul E. Burns	...	Suspenders in Lock-Up (uncredited)
Pete Candoli	...	Jazz Musician (uncredited)
Harold 'Tommy' Hart	...	Officer Kvorka (uncredited)
Mike Lally	...	Club Safari Bartender (uncredited)
Shelly Manne	...	Himself (uncredited)
Frank Marlowe	...	Yantek (uncredited)
Joe McTurk	...	Meter-Reader (uncredited)
Frank Mills	...	Street Vagrant (uncredited)
Gordon Mitchell	...	(uncredited)
Jack Mulhall	...	Turnkey (uncredited)
Ralph Neff	...	Chester (uncredited)
'Snub' Pollard	...	Street Vagrant (uncredited)
Ernest Raboff	...	Bird-Dog (uncredited)
Frank Richards	...	Blind Barfly (uncredited)
Suzanne Ridgeway	...	Brunette in Window (uncredited)
Shorty Rogers	...	Himself (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	Club Safari Patron (uncredited)
Charles Seel	...	Proprietor (uncredited)
Martha Wentworth	...	Vangie (uncredited)
Will Wright	...	Harry Lane (uncredited)

Directed by
Otto Preminger

Writing credits
Walter Newman		(screenplay) and
Lewis Meltzer		(screenplay)
Nelson Algren		(from the novel by)
Ben Hecht		uncredited

Produced by
Otto Preminger	....	producer

Original Music by
Elmer Bernstein

Cinematography by
Sam Leavitt		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Louis R. Loeffler

Production Design by
Joseph C. Wright		(as Joe Wright)

Set Decoration by
Darrell Silvera

Makeup Department
Hazel Keats	....	hair stylist
Ben Lane	....	makeup artist
Helene Parrish	....	hair stylist
Bernard Ponedel	....	makeup artist
Jack Stone	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Jack McEdward	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James Engle	....	assistant director
Horace Hough	....	assistant director

Art Department
Saul Bass	....	poster designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jack Solomon	....	sound engineer

Stunts
Paul Baxley	....	stunts (uncredited)
Martha Crawford	....	stunt double: Eleanor Parker (uncredited)
Helen Thurston	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
James Almond	....	lighting technician
Albert Myers	....	camera operator
Morris Rosen	....	head grip
Eugene Kornman	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Val O'Malley	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Robert Willoughby	....	special still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joe King	....	wardrobe: men
Mary Ann Nyberg	....	costume supervisor
Adele Parmenter	....	wardrobe: women

Editorial Department
Tony de Zarraga	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Leon Birnbaum	....	music editor
Shorty Rogers	....	musician: jazz sequences
Shorty Rogers and His Giants	....	musician: jazz sequences (as Shorty Rogers and his Giants)
Elmer Bernstein	....	conductor (uncredited)
Jack Hayes	....	arranger (uncredited)
Shelly Manne	....	musician (uncredited)
Leo Shuken	....	arranger (uncredited)
Fred Steiner	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Saul Bass	....	title designer
Kathleen Fagan	....	script supervisor
Otto Preminger	....	presenter
Max Slater	....	assistant to producer (as Maximilian Slater)
Jack Entratter	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
David Haft	....	assistant to producer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Otto Preminger Films
• Carlyle Productions

Distributors

• United Artists (1955) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1967) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Warner Home Video (1994) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• United American Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Delta Expedition (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Passport International Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• GMVS (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Kabaya Foods (2004) (Japan) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2004) (worldwide) (video)
• Reel Media International (2005) (worldwide) (TV)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Punto Zero (2008) (Italy) (DVD)
• National Cinematic Artist (NCA) (2010) (worldwide) (DVD)
• Cosmopol-Filmverleih- und Vertriebs-K.G. (1956) (Austria) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Video (1980s) (USA) (video) (CED Videodisc)
• Brenno Rossi (Brazil) (VHS)
• Congress Video Group (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Continental Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Diamond Entertainment (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Koch Media (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
• Viacom (1972) (USA) (TV)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:X (original rating) | Argentina:13 | USA:Approved (PCA #17011) | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:PG | UK:15 (video rating) | France:U | USA:TV-14 | West Germany:16 (f) | Australia:M (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

RKO Studios - 780 Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Otto Preminger Films

Trivia:

Frank Sinatra is mentioned twice in Nelson Algren's 1949 novel on which the film is based.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the first scene between Frankie and Zosch the shadow of the camera is frequently visible as it moves around the set.

Quotes:

Sparrow:You all right... you know?
Frankie Machine:The monkey's gone.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Espion(s) (2009)

Soundtrack:

Jazz sequences

"C'mon, One Hustler To Another."

The Man With a Golden Arm was one of a trio of great films around that same time that dealt with drug addiction. The other two were Monkey On My Back and A Hatful of Rain. But I think of the three this one is the best.

Maybe if Otto Preminger had shot the thing in the real Chicago instead of those obvious studio sets the film might have been better yet. Who knows, maybe Preminger couldn't get enough money to pay for the location. It's the only flaw I find in the film.

Frank Sinatra is a heroin addicted card dealer who was busted for covering for his boss Robert Strauss when the game was raided. He took the cure while in jail and wants a new life as a jazz drummer. But a whole lot of people are conspiring against him.

First Bob Strauss who wants him back dealing, especially because a couple of heavyweight gamblers are in town. He uses a few underhanded methods to get Sinatra's services back. Secondly Darren McGavin is the local dope dealer who wants Sinatra good and hooked as a customer again. And finally Eleanor Parker his clinging wife who's working a con game to beat all, just to keep him around.

Frank Sinatra got a nomination for Best Actor for this film, but lost to Ernest Borgnine in Marty. Sinatra might have won for this one if he hadn't won for From Here to Eternity in the Supporting Actor category a few years back and that Marty was such an acclaimed film in that year. His scenes going through withdrawal locked up in Kim Novak's apartment will leave you shaken.

Eleanor Parker does not get enough credit for her role. She's really something as the crazy scheming wife who wants Sinatra tied to her no matter what the cost. If she had not been nominated that same year for Interrupted Melody, she might have been nominated for this. 1955 marked the high point of her career.

Darren McGavin got his first real notice as the very serpentine drug peddler. His performance is guaranteed to make your flesh crawl.

Elmer Bernstein contributed a great jazz score to accentuate the general dinginess of the bleak Chicago neighborhood the characters live in. Not a place you'd want to bring up your family.