Fresh
The film is a pretty good picture show, as we used to say, but anyone who has read Nelson Algren's wonderfully poetic novel is likely to make invidious comparisons and be otherwise distracted.
Delmore Schwartz, The New Republic
The Man with the Golden Arm
An 'untouchable' theme… an unusual motion picture!
1955 · 1h 59m · Approved
Crime, Drama
Directed by
Otto Preminger
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The Man with the Golden Arm
Overview
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 and his old drug dealer re-enter his life, Frankie finds it hard to stay clean and eventually finds himself succumbing to his old habits.
Director and cast
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
81%
Tomatometer
Fresh
A gripping, fascinating film, expertly produced and directed and performed with marked conviction by Frank Sinatra as the drug slave.
Variety Staff, Variety
Rotten
Frank Sinatra, as the drug-addicted poker dealer, plays a reasonably naturalistic character, but he's surrounded by a collection of bizarre archetypes.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
Rotten
In short, for all the delicacy of the subject and for all the pathological shivers in a couple of scenes, there is nothing very surprising or exciting about The Man With the Golden Arm.
Bosley Crowther, New York Times
Fresh
There are some great scenes, though, notably Sinatra's audition for a make-or-break drumming job, and the later scene where he suffers cold turkey in Novak's apartment.
Time Out
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