The Man With the Golden Arm

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The Man With the Golden Arm

1955

1h 59m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

81%

Tomatometer

58 Reviews

83%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

When illegal card dealer and recovering heroin addict Frankie Machine gets out of prison, he decides to straighten up. Armed with nothing but an old drum set, Frankie tries to get honest work as a drummer. But when his former employer, small-time con man Schwiefka, and Frankie's old drug dealer, Louie, re-enter his life, Frankie finds it hard to stay clean and eventually finds himself succumbing to his old habits.

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Critics Consensus

The Man with the Golden Arm is a difficult watch, but it's held together by Frank Sinatra's impressively committed work in the title role.

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Marjory Adams

Boston Globe

Dec 23, 2020

The scene in which Sinatra writhes and screams in pain and delirium is one of the most shocking I have ever seen on the screen. But it is strong and effective, and, I believe, justifiable.

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Mildred Martin

Philadelphia Inquirer

Dec 23, 2020

This dramatization of Nelson Algren's novel provides a sometimes revolting, sometimes dreary excursion into the lives of a full set of American lower-depths characters.

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James Morgan

Sight & Sound

Dec 23, 2020

Saul Bass's credit titles are as brilliant as one might expect after Carmen Jones but this is an unattractive film: not because the subject is painful, but because [Preminger], with his thorough skill, shows himself so profoundly insensitive to its pain.

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André Bazin

L'Éducation Nationale

Dec 7, 2021

These weaknesses can be ignored thanks to the admirable verisimilitude and powerful originality of the main character, wonderfully interpreted by Frank Sinatra.

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Hortense Morton (Screen Scout)

San Francisco Examiner

Dec 23, 2020

Producer-director Premlnger is one of Holly wood's most intelligent film makers. It is to be regretted that his artistic gifts were not channeled into a more uplifting drama.

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Robert Hatch

The Nation

Dec 23, 2020

Forgetting for a moment the contempt Otto Preminger has shown for the spirit of Algren's novel, he has committed the commercial sin of producing and directing a dull movie.

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Drew M

@Stonehands211 Sep 25, 2026

The filmmaking felt as groundbreaking as its subject matter.

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David S

@Kzoostag Aug 31, 2026

Great film. Powerful and often difficult to watch, but a compelling story, well-written and well-acted.

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Justin S

@RT05890335 Sep 2, 2025

I enjoyed The Man With The Golden Arm. I really felt for the main character in the film.

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Russ G

@RT78760655 Jan 8, 2025

Miss Novak smolders as the eye candy and it was probably controversial in the day for its depiction of drug addiction, but take out the Frankie-Goes-Cold-Turkey scene and there really isn't much here.

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r96 s

@RT00952237 May 29, 2024

Bit of a slow-moving picture, one that might've ended sooner, though I do class 'The Man with the Golden Arm' as something rather quite good. Frank Sinatra and Kim Novak keep events moving along with strong showings, Sinatra especially. Eleanor Parker is, though, the person onscreen that I appreciated most whilst watching, there's just something about her performance that puts her ahead of her co-stars; I'd even say she overacts in parts, yet it absolutely still worked for me. The story does go round the houses a little, but even with that being the case it didn't actually affect my personal enjoyment all that much - it just totally could've been trimmed and we probably wouldn't have missed anything. Elsewhere, the score is excellent - especially the theme for when Frankie desires his habbits. I'd have to be in the right mood to revisit this. Nonetheless, it do be a very good film from 1955 - ahead of its time, that's for sure.

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Leaburn

@RT35452347 Jan 8, 2023

This film was average 🤏

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Otto Preminger

Director

Frank Sinatra

Frankie Machine

Eleanor Parker

Zosch Machine

Kim Novak

Molly

Arnold Stang

Sparrow

Darren McGavin

Louie

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Synopsis

When illegal card dealer and recovering heroin addict Frankie Machine gets out of prison, he decides to straighten up. Armed with nothing but an old drum set, Frankie tries to get honest work as a drummer. But when his former employer, small-time con man Schwiefka, and Frankie's old drug dealer, Louie, re-enter his life, Frankie finds it hard to stay clean and eventually finds himself succumbing to his old habits.

Director: Otto Preminger
Producer: Otto Preminger
Screenwriter: Nelson Algren, Walter Newman, Lewis Meltzer, Ben Hecht
Distributor: United Artists, Reel Media International [us]
Production Co: Carlyle Productions
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 14, 1955, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2008
Runtime: 1h 59m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm

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