L'homme au bras d'or

A strung-out junkie (Frank Sinatra) deals with daily demoralizing drug addiction while crippled wife (Eleanor Parker) and card sharks continue to pull him down.

While this is not the first film to deal with drugs, it is probably the first to deal with them in a very serious manner. "Reefer Madness" and "Cocaine Fiends", for example, can be written off as humorous nostalgia. This film, on the other hand, is decades ahead of "Trainspotting" and "Requiem For a Dream". (Did you even know heroin addiction was prominent in the 1950s?)

Variety called the film "a gripping, fascinating film, expertly produced and directed and performed with marked conviction by Frank Sinatra as the drug slave." I agree for the most part, though I really did not enjoy Sinatra's acting as much as many others did, I think. Otto Preminger is a first-rate director, and I hope this film gets the respect it deserves over the long run (I found the 50th anniversary release to be not nearly cleaned up enough).

While the focus is heroin and addiction, one could also make a case about this film being about love. Frankie's wife brings him down, encourages him to go back to his old habits, turns him away from his dreams. Molly (Kim Novak) does just the opposite. Divorce and adultery are hardly ever positive topics, but in this film you almost hope that Frankie goes that route.

This great movie brought out into the open the horrors of heroin addiction. It captured the struggle of a man, Frankie Machine, with a "monkey on his back". Frank Sinatra did his homework, well. The acting is superb, the score is first rate and the actors all gave above average performances. Frank gave one of his best performances. This movie has much to offer.

A solid drama to begin with, "The Man With the Golden Arm" is particularly worthwhile for Frank Sinatra's performance as Frankie Machine. The movie was well-conceived, and it would probably have been worth seeing with any decent lead, but Sinatra makes it even better. The story is interesting and at times compelling, as Frankie struggles against himself and his circumstances.

The story is told from the viewpoint of its era, yet the basic elements are timeless enough that the story still holds up very well. The details of Frankie's situation are less important than the general themes of him battling his own desires while also contending against "friends" who simply want to use him for their own purposes.

Sinatra was good at this kind of role, as a character with his own inner demons who must also face hostile surroundings. He channels his nervous energy into expressions and gestures that convey well what is going on inside him. The actor Sinatra deserves to be remembered for roles like this one and his roles in "The Manchurian Candidate" and "From Here to Eternity", rather than for the insubstantial 'Rat Pack' features.

The supporting cast have simpler roles, but they do their jobs satisfactorily. The story moves at a good pace, and it is complemented by an Elmer Bernstein score which, though sometimes jarring, is appropriate. The combination works well as a whole.

I loved that this movie takes place on an imaginary block of an imaginary city. You could say the streets represents a state of mind just like the title of

Chinatown did two decades later. Here degeneracy and addiction are the

norm. This place sucks you in and wont let go. It's here that Sinatra must face his demons when he returns home after getting clean at a rehab clinic. The film ends up being just as much about moving on from the past as it does about drug addiction.

Sinatra's junky is a bit amorphous, we never really learn whether he grew up here or what led him to his addictions. However, the story is strong and told with a nice brisk pace. There are some real memorable moments (the Gambling

sequence, Frankie coming off smack, etc). Preminger's direction is great, some subtle camera work adds a lot to a number of scenes. Elmer Berstein's score

and Saul Bass' titles perfectly set the mood. Overall, an endearing film you should check out.

I am willling to BET very few of You have seen this amazing mid-50´s CLASSIC! I am particularly anxious to share my impressions and thoughts about it with You readers....

Those of You who remember seeing Frank Sinatra in this film at a movie theater during the first year of its release surely must be in Your 80´s or 90´s... How did I manage to see it thusly when I am now ONLY 75?¿? I will share that with You in a moment....

....But FIRST: Let us FOCUS on the Title's CONTENT and CONTEXT:

If you're under 80, there's probably no way you can remember how controversial and cutting edge MAN WITH The GOLDEN ARM was when it was released in 1955! Fortunately for me, my parents were very liberal in permitting me to see films and even took me to see it just after turning Eight.

WOW! What a tremendous impact it had on me. It was the first "Grown-up" film that clearly made me realize there was more to cinema than just Sci-Fi/Horror, Westerns and Kids' movies!

Mainstream cinema had NEVER touched the subjects of drug addiction and heroin withdrawal, which were considered taboo topics, even at the dinner table, let alone as the focus of a movie to be shown in public! The MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) refused to give its seal of approval to GOLDEN ARM, forcing Producer/Director Otto Preminger and Distributor United Artists to release it without the MPAA's seal. This decision, of course, contributed greatly to both the films commercial and critical success! It also opened the door to new ways of making, distributing and classifying films.

Before my recent third viewing, I had only seen it once at age 8, mentioned above, and again, in my late teens (Perhaps the 10th Anniversary Re-Release?). Despite some of the production elements and dialog that do date the film considerably, the last half of GOLDEN ARM had me in a virtual headlock!

The acting, Bernstein music, photography and editing all contribute to the mood of the movie, precisely as Otto Preminger intended! The scene where Machine (Sinatra) undergoes withdrawal pains is still unbelievably hard-hitting today.

In general, Sinatra's performance is quite surprising. His Oscar nomination was very well deserved. When you consider this performance in conjunction with Sinatra's role in MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE and FROM HERE to ETERNITY, you begin to appreciate just how underrated OLD BLUE EYES was as an ACTOR! 9* STARS*

..... ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA!

Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en ESPAÑOL,, are most welcome!