"The Man with the Golden Arm" is a rare example of a film deliberately made in defiance of the Production Code. The film rights to Nelson Algren's novel were first acquired by John Garfield in 1949, but Joseph Breen, the head of the Production Code Authority, informed him that the story's subject-matter, dealing with drug dealing and drug addiction, would be unacceptable. Otto Preminger, who acquired the rights after Garfield's death, was determined to make the film in the teeth of Breen's opposition, believing that this was a story which should be told. (Ironically, the plot of the film as eventually made is very different from that of the novel. Preminger initially hired Algren as screenwriter, but Algren was fired after the two quarrelled and Preminger brought in a new writer, Walter Newman. Algren so hated the changes Newman made that he virtually disowned the finished movie).The central character is Frankie Machine. (That appears to be his genuine surname, not a nickname). As the film opens, Frankie has recently been released from prison. Before going inside he was a dealer in illegal poker games and a drug addict. In prison he has got rid of his drug habit and learned to play the drums, and is hoping to earn a legitimate living as a drummer in a band, but finds that going straight is not as easy as he thought. The film tells the story of how Frankie slips back into his old job as a dealer and his old drug habit and of how he struggles to get clean again.The film also deals with Frankie's complicated love-life. His wife Zosh has supposedly been crippled ever since being injured in a car crash some years ago; in fact she has recovered from her injuries and can now walk again, but she pretends to be wheelchair-bound in order to play upon Frankie's guilt feelings about the accident. (He was driving at the time). Zosh realises that Frankie does not love her and that it is only guilt which prevents him from leaving her. The real love of Frankie's life is his ex-girlfriend Molly, who is unhappily married to an alcoholic husband.When the film was released in 1955 the Production Code Authority, objecting to its drug-related theme, predictably refused to grant it a seal of approval, despite Preminger's argument that it condemned rather than condoned drug use. At one time such a refusal would have been the kiss of death for any American film, but in this case many cinema chains defied the PCA and agreed to screen it. Perhaps equally predictably, the controversy had precisely the opposite effect to the one the PCA were hoping for, and the film turned out to be a box-office success.Its success, however, was not solely due the controversy, because it contains elements which are excellent in their own right, including the acting. Kim Novak as Molly is perhaps a bit bland, although she looks stunning, but Frank Sinatra gives one of his best performances as the tormented Frankie, desperate to escape from the world of drugs and crime yet seemingly trapped in it. He won a well-deserved the Oscar nomination for "Best Actor". The other great performance comes from Eleanor Parker as the equally tormented Zosh, whose strange name and accent suggest that she is a foreign immigrant. In some ways she is a selfish and despicable character, but in others a pitiable one. She is desperately in love with Frankie, but so terrified of losing him to a younger, more attractive woman that her love has turned to obsession and her whole system of values has become distorted. Her return to health after her injury, which should be a cause for joy and celebration, becomes instead something she feels constrained to hide from the world.Another excellent feature is the jazz-based musical score, for which Elmer Bernstein also received an Oscar nomination. Preminger tells the story of using the expressionistic film noir style which was popular for crime dramas in the fifties. The film is remembered as one of the first serious treatments of a then-taboo subject, but it also deserves to be remembered as a fine human drama. 8/10

I haven't seen this film since 1971, but then it made e such an impression, that it stuck for life, and I felt no need to see it again, as the memory of it was sharp enough. Just for curiosity, I decided to renew its acquaintance after 44 years just to see what would happen, - and the impact was repeated and as good as new. This is probably the best junkie film ever made, in its naturalistic and actually horrific realism, with Frank Sinatra (100 years just the other day) in his best performance in the lead as the junkie with a crippled wife in a wheel- chair (Eleanor Parker, splendid acting on her part too,) and Kim Novak as the saving angel - it stands clear from the beginning that only she can save him, and she does, in also one of her best performances, actually better than in "Vertigo". The triumph however is the direction combined with the music by Elmer Bernstein. It's asphalt jungle music all the way, hard and merciless in its ruthlessly importuning rough disharmonics and nightmare style (with a few exceptions for a change), and Sinatra is even convincing as a failed drummer. Otto Preminger stands for the direction, one of many original films of his, and they are many, but this black-and-white social documentary naturalistic gutter nightmare is perhaps the one most sticking out - you recognize much of this half slum humdrum environment as he returns to it in "Porgy and Bess" three years later. In brief, it's a triumph of a film, completely naked in shocking social realism with as perfectly convincing and natural performances as in any Italian neo-realistic masterpiece. It was a perfectly enjoyable nightmare to see it again after 44 years to observe it had lost nothing of its timeless actuality - this could happen to you.

This sleeper film is great classic.Starring singer frank Sinatra as "Frankie machine"Also starring Eleanor parker as Frankie's wife.Kim novak play molly.Beautiful as always is Kim.Considered controversial in it's portrayal of addiction upon it's release in 1955.Shot in black and white.Produced and directed by Otto Preminger.This movie shows how one individual struggles to change his life situation.How his past nearly destroys his future.As this film show we can overcome our demons and let someone help us on our life pathway to recovery.This film is available on DVD and VHS.I really think frank Sinatra was and still is unrated as an actor.watch these following films,Manchurian candidate,from here to eternity,lady in cement,and a little gem of a film "Suddenly".Hope my review helped.

This is a unique film whose story and origin marked the evolution of Frank Sinatra as an entertainer and elevated the status of its director, Otto Preminger, one of the most respected masters in Hollywood in the golden years. The Man with the Golden Arm is based on the controversial novel of the same name by Nelson Algren who had already tried previously to take his work to the silver screen. His attempt came to naught owing to its tough storyline and the harshness of some parts. The text by Algren was regarded by some literary critics as "a pessimist, negative novel", rating it as a "bitter, squalid chronicle of a heroin addict who goes back to his area after six months rehabilitation". When the first draft of the story was submitted, the text failed to get past the censors, arguing that the hyper-realistic recreation of heroin addiction was excessive for a movie filmed in Hollywood. John Garfield had bought the rights to the book, but owing to his decease he could not take the novel to the cinema. That's where Otto Preminger came in, interested in directing and producing the cinematographic adaptation of the novel by Algren. Preminger acquired the rights to the work and through his own producer Otto Preminger Films he started production of the film in association with Carlyle Productions with whom he had produced his previous film, Carmen Jones (1954) and with whom he would stay until 1960, the year in which Preminger shot the wonderful Exodus. United Artists agreed to distribute the film, lending the right amount of trust and seriousness required to successfully complete a production of this magnitude.After winning an Oscar for his supporting role in From here to Eternity (1953), Frank Sinatra fell into a deep depression owing to problems with his voice and the termination of his contracts with several musical producers. The star was not having a good time of it and he needed a shot in the arm, something to drive him forward, motivating him to shine again as brightly as in days of yore. At that time Sinatra was married to Ava Gardner and she was the one who spurred him on to prepare the role of Frankie Machine, a role which would help him re-emerge and hit the heights again. With Sinatra leading the cast, the name of the actresses who would accompany him throughout the film was yet to be decided, his disabled wife and his understanding lover. Otto Preminger chose two actresses with strong characters, very attractive and effective, namely Eleanor Parker, who had just triumphed in the amazing The Naked Jungle and Kim Novak, the star of Picnic.Frank Sinatra plays the part of Frankie Machine, a former drug addict who returns to his beloved Chicago after spending a spell at a detox center. Frankie comes back with one set idea: to join a jazz band as a percussionist. The doctors who treated him congratulated him on his progress and even Frankie himself is proud to have kicked the habit. His good friend Sparrow (Arnold Stang) celebrates his return and spurs him on to dedicate himself to jazz professionally, helping him in all he can. Sparrow will remain by his side, spurring him on so Frankie is happy. At the other end of the spectrum is Zosch Machine (Eleanor Parker), Frankie's bitter wife, confined to a wheelchair because of an accident. Zosch tries to convince Frankie to give up his musical dreams and devote himself to a more profitable occupation such as going back to his former profession as a high-stake poker croupier (hence the title, the "golden arm" dealing out the cards). Frankie still thinks his future lies in jazz and not in cards and he bitterly comments on the total lack of communication between him and his wife.Frankie is still dreaming about becoming the drummer with a big jazz band and during his efforts he re-encounters a former flame Molly (Kim Novak). To turn up for an audition he asks his friend Sparrow to get him a suit and good old Sparrow gets it roughly and readily, stealing it in the hope he won't be found out. Unluckily for them both, not everyone agrees that Frankie should be professionally dedicated to music and the police soon find out about the theft and Frankie and Sparrow end up in jail. His former employer Schwiefka (Robert Strauss), the organizer of underground poker games, takes advantage of the situation and offers to pay his bail if he works for him on a major poker game he is organizing. The Man with the Golden Arm, (Frankie's nickname as a croupier) has no other choice but to accept unless he wants his dreams to vanish overnight. After working days and nights long enveloped in smoke and alcohol, surrounded by characters of dubious morality, Frankie starts feeling the need to take heroin again and he doesn't feel confident of his skills unless he is under the influence of drugs. Beside himself, he attacks an old acquaintance, the drugs dealer Louie (Darren McGavin) and then goes on the run. The dealer recovers from the attack and goes out to look for Frankie to get his revenge. In his quest he ends up at Frankie's apartment and by chance discovers that his wife, Zosch, has been faking disability all along, and the latter, having been revealed, is obliged to act, triggering a series of dramatic events which will force Frankie to go back to a detox center, overcoming his addiction by abstinence and suffering.