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DVD The Man with the Golden Arm (50th Anniversary Edition)
When Frankie Machine (Frank Sinatra) comes back to the old neighborhood after a spell in the big house, he wants to stay straight and become a drummer. But his old life--as a poker dealer and heroin addict--comes rushing back to meet him. The subject matter of Nelson Algren's novel was still shocking in 1955, and The Man with the Golden Arm was released without the seal of approval from Hollywood's Production Code. The director, Otto Preminger, used the controversy to whip up interest in the film, and his championing of non-Code pictures such as The Moon Is Blue and The Man with the Golden Arm helped end the influence of the restrictive policy. For Frank Sinatra, the role was a high point; his performance is searching, honest, and (in long scenes of going cold turkey to kick the habit) frighteningly naked. He's touchingly matched with Kim Novak, in one of her best performances; adding a bit of method-acting madness is Eleanor Parker as Frankie's hysterical wife. Sinatra was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar, but lost to Ernest Borgnine--the same guy who beat him senseless in From Here to Eternity. The propulsive jazz score is by Elmer Bernstein. Even the credits sequence staked out new territory: the mod images created by Saul Bass were among his first in a long-standing collaboration with Preminger, and were highly influential on other designers. --Robert Horton
Review(s): DVD The Man with the Golden Arm (50th Anniversary Edition)
Is this another Bomb?
I've just received this DVD . Should I open it or send it back for a refund. Please let all viewers know if this is a quality release or just another film slapped on DVD.
Disappointing DVD release
I've not seen another release of this film; but I received it today, and I am highly disappointed. The transfer is awful, apparent right from the start. Titles are blurry. Scratches and dust are visible. The video compression is muddy. Speed seems off. Dolby 5.1 is okay at best. Strange green colors are visible, most likely from compression. It's odd to see green patches on clothing, etc., in a black and white film. The main discs is only 5.7 GB, so there was clearly no need for 2 discs. All of the remaining extras would have fit. The 2 disc edition is clearly, a marketing gimmic. Avoid purchasing. May be worth renting just for some of the limited extras.
A remarkable performance by Frank Sinatra
"The Man with the Golden Arm" is Frankie Machine (Frank Sinatra), just out of jail and back home in skid row. Frankie was arrested for being a dealer in an illegal card game, but beat his heroin habit in jail and vows to get a good job and stay clean. He returns to his clingy wife (Eleanor Parker), although he still carries a torch for his old girlfriend (Kim Novak). Lack of money and hope soon send Frankie back to dealing for the neighborhood boss (Darren McGavin) and to his old drug habit.
This cautionary tale of the horrors of drug abuse was the first to deal with the subject of addiction and was considered rather shocking when it was released in 1955. Compared to current films it is quite sanitized (the word "heroin" is never mentioned, Frankie beats his addiction in just a few hours, the street scenes are filmed on a set). But this is a terrific movie, thanks to the honest and touching performance of Frank Sinatra; he is simply wonderful in the role, which earned an Oscar nomination. We see him clean and hopeful and suffering the agony of withdrawal. The lovely Kim Novak is also memorable, giving her floozy character real depth with a heart and soul. This is a must-see for Sinatra fans; he gives one of his best screen performances.
Kona
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