The Police Lt. Leonard Diamond (Cornel Wilde) of the 93 Precinct is obsessed to find evidences against the hoodlum Mr. Brown (Richard Conte) and unsuccessfully exceeds the budget after four years of investigation with his partner, Detective Sam Hill (Jay Adler). Police Capt. Peterson (Robert Middleton) orders him to stop the investigation, telling that his obsession is personal since he has fallen in love with Brown's mistress Susan Lowell (Jean Wallace). But Susan tries to commit suicide and Diamond convinces his chief to follow one last lead, the name Alicia babbled by Susan in the hospital.
The powerful Mr. Brown is mad with Diamond's investigation and sends his gangsters Joe McClure (Brian Donlevy), Fante (Lee Van Cleef) and Mingo (Earl Holliman) to try to stop Diamond. But the reluctant lieutenant insists in his pursue and the criminals decide to kill him. However they murder Diamond's lover Rita (Helene Stanton) by mistake. Now the obsession of Diamond becomes revenge and he will not stop until Mr. Brown is sent to justice.
"The Big Combo" is a great film-noir by Joseph H. Lewis with a sleaze story of obsession that becomes revenge in the end. The duel between the characters performed by Cornel Wilde and Richard Conte is amazing, very well supported by Jean Wallace, Brian Donlevy, Lee Van Cleef and Earl Holliman. The top-notch cinematography in black and white uses lights, shades and fog to create the perfect environment for this bleak story. The "friendship" of Fante and Mingo is very suspicious, indicating that the two gangsters are more than best friends. My vote is eight.
Title (Brazil): "Império do Crime" (Empire of the Crime")
Note: On 23 July 2018 I saw this film again.
