Frank Sinatra's iconic song "My Way" has long been a symbol of defiance and liberation, inspiring individuals and nations to break free from oppression and assert their newfound freedoms. Interestingly, Sinatra himself played a pivotal role in a similar crusade in Hollywood, courtesy of his titular performance in The Man with the Golden Arm, a 1955 drama produced and directed by Otto Preminger. This film marked a turning point in the history of American cinema, as it became the first major Hollywood production to explicitly tackle the taboo subject of drug addiction.
Based on Nelson Algren's 1949 novel of the same name, the story revolves around Frankie “Dealer” Machine (played by Sinatra), man who earned his living as a dealer in illegal gambling dens of North Side of Chicago. Following police raid, Frankie ended being six months behind bars, but this proved to be a blessing, because incarceration helped him kick heroin habit. Although warned by prison doctors that the return to old neighbourhood risks bringing him back to same path, Frankie feels bound to take care of Sophia “Zosh” Machine (played by Eleanor Parker), wheelchair-bound and mentally unbalanced woman whom he married after causing traffic accident responsible for her state. Local criminals, like his old boss Zero Schwiefka (played by Robert Strauss) want him to start dealing cards again, but he dreams of becoming professional drummer instead. Local drug peddler “Nifty Louie” Fomorowski (played by Darren McGavin) patiently waits for Frankie to slip and again becomes his regular customer. In the meantime, Frankie considers rekindling relationship with Molly “Molly-O” Novotny (played by Kim Novak), strip club hostess who appears to show genuine concern for his well-being.
During the production of The Man with the Golden Arm, Hollywood was still under the strict control of the Motion Picture Association of America's Production Code. This censorship regime prohibited any depiction or reference to drug abuse and addiction. Preminger, however, was no stranger to defying the Code. Two years earlier, he had clashed with the Production Code Authority over the allegedly immoral and sexually suggestive content in his comedy The Moon Is Blue. Disgusted by the hypocrisy of the censors, Preminger decided to take a stand and successfully convinced United Artists, the most progressive of the major studios, to distribute that film without PCA approval.
Two years later, PCA refused to give The Man with the Golden Man their seal of approval, arguing that the depiction of addiction was a danger to impressionable minds. However, using the precedent set by The Moon Is Blue, United Artists sided with Preminger, and the film was released in big cities. Thanks to Sinatra's immense popularity, the gamble paid off, as The Man with the Golden Arm became a major hit, earning four Oscar nominations in the process. The success of the film dealt a blow to the authority of the Code, and in 1961, the PCA finally relented, granting the film a certificate for television distribution. This marked the beginning of a new era in Hollywood, as the more liberal censorship standards allowed previously taboo subjects to appear on the silver screen. In this sense, The Man with the Golden Arm can be seen as a pivotal film in the history of cinema, paving the way for more honest and realistic portrayals of the human condition.
Despite its historic importance, The Man with the Golden Arm is hardly a perfect film. Nelson Algren shared the same opinion and complained about the script by Walter Newman, Lewis Meltzer, and (uncredited) Ben Hecht, which changed the story and characters beyond recognition. Their interventions even included the ultimate fate of the main character, replacing the tragic finale with something more like a happy ending.
Some of the more perceptive modern-day viewers might look at the 1955 film as slightly dated, mainly because Preminger, known for his perfectionism and desire for absolute control on the set, had an entire Chicago neighbourhood reconstructed in the studio, with the result that the film looks a little bit stagey. Even worse is the over-melodramatic and all-too-convenient ending provided by character Zosh, played by Eleanor Parker, who is hammying it up. Kim Novak, in one of her first major roles, is more subdued and convincing, but the script doesn't properly explain her being attracted to Frankie nor the proper nature of their relationship.
However, many of these flaws are, however, compensated by a very strong performance by Frank Sinatra. Thanks to his Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in From Here to Eternity, Sinatra had already established himself as a successful actor. Although he couldn't have expected to repeat such success nor compete with Ray Milland, who had played a similar role of an alcoholic in Lost Weekend a decade earlier, he had met the challenge with plenty of effort. Sinatra spent some time in psychiatric institutions to study drug addicts going through withdrawals in order to play similar scenes. The result is what is often considered the best acting performance of Sinatra's career, whom Sinatra himself considered his favourite.
Sinatra's work is complemented by a number of supporting actors who play various colourful characters from the North Side of Chicago. Darren McGavin, future television star, shines as the slimy, intelligent, and seductive drug dealer. Even more important is the jazzy and atmospheric score by Elmer Bernstein, one of the first major film works in the composer's career.
Despite its flaws, The Man with the Golden Arm remains a significant and compelling film, thanks to Sinatra's powerful performance and the groundbreaking subject matter.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
Blog in Croatian https://draxblog.com
Blog in English https://draxreview.wordpress.com/
InLeo blog @drax.leo
Hiveonboard: https://hiveonboard.com?ref=drax
Rising Star game: https://www.risingstargame.com?referrer=drax
1Inch: https://1inch.exchange/#/r/0x83823d8CCB74F828148258BB4457642124b1328e
BTC donations: 1EWxiMiP6iiG9rger3NuUSd6HByaxQWafG
ETH donations: 0xB305F144323b99e6f8b1d66f5D7DE78B498C32A7
BCH donations: qpvxw0jax79lhmvlgcldkzpqanf03r9cjv8y6gtmk9