The Man with the Golden Arm official wallpaper
The Man with the Golden Arm poster

The Man with the Golden Arm

  • 7.3 /10

  • 231

  • 81%

Plot

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.

Cast

Frank Sinatra as Frankie Machine
Frank Sinatra

as Frankie Machine

Eleanor Parker as Zosch Machine
Eleanor Parker

as Zosch Machine

Kim Novak as Molly
Kim Novak

as Molly

Arnold Stang as Sparrow
Arnold Stang

as Sparrow

Darren McGavin as Louie
Darren McGavin

as Louie

Robert Strauss as Schwiefka
Robert Strauss

as Schwiefka

John Conte as Drunky
John Conte

as Drunky

Doro Merande as Vi
George E. Stone as Sam Markette
George E. Stone

as Sam Markette

George Mathews as Williams
George Mathews

as Williams

Movie Facts

Rated

  • Approved

Status

  • Released

Release Date

  • December 26, 1955

Production Companies

  • Carlyle Productions

Production Countries

  • United States of America

Spoken Language

  • English

Budget

  • $1,000,000.00

Revenue

  • $4,350,000.00

Runtime

  • 1.98 hrs

Links

Gallery

Reviews

This story has quite a well trodden feel to it. Frank Sinatra's "Frankie" is released from a stint in prison and heads straight back to the drug-infused melting pot from whence he came. Initially intent on staying clean, soon peer pressures and his struggle to survive, with his high-maintenance wife "Zosh" (Eleanor Parker) have him back at square one. It might just be that his salvation can come …

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 ahe…