The Man with the Golden Arm (1955)

Directed by Otto Preminger. Starring Frank Sinatra, Eleanor Parker, Darren McGavin, Arnold Stang, Kim Novak, Robert Strauss, John Conte, Doro Merande, George E. Stone, Emile Meyer.

Sinatra’s bravura portrayal of an agonized heroin slave and Elmer Bernstein’s jittery jazz score propel this dramatization of Nelson Algren’s novel, one of the least outdated addiction pictures of the era. The titular card dealer and aspiring drummer is newly loosed from a federal rehab and heads back to the Chicago slums he calls home, but it’s not long before he’s using again, pulled apart like taffy by the authority of the fix, his wheelchair-bound liar of a wife (Parker), his former dealer (McGavin), and others. Good character drama, played out with desperation and daring, tough-minded direction from Preminger. Also notable for hammering a few cracks into the condemnatory production code (it was initially released without their seal of approval, yet many large theater chains exhibited the film anyway)—but the picture still suffers a bit from dry cleaning, where the word “heroin” isn’t even uttered. Memorably stylish titles by Saul Bass, grueling depiction of the screams of withdrawal and cold turkey detox. Per Sinatra’s son, the hands dealing cards in close-up belong to Milton Berle!

81/100