"[14], Critics have compared the quality of The Big Combo to Fritz Lang's The Big Heat as one of the great film noir detective classics in terms of style. The Big Combo (1955) - (Crime, Drama, Film-Noir) A police lt. is ordered to stop investigating deadly crime boss Mr. Brown, because he hasn't been able to get any hard evidence against him. comment. It’s rather telling that it begins and ends with silhouettes, figures basking in the dark which underlies a perpetual state of bleakness. This leads Diamond to suspect Brown did not kill Alicia but his boss Grazzi instead. Police Lt. Diamond is told to close his surveillance of suspected mob boss Mr. Brown because it's costing the department too much money with no results. Like Gun Crazy, released by the same director five years earlier, The Big Combo offers a non-stop explosion of violence and corruption, leaving the viewer feeling more than a little soiled by exposure. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. [citation needed], 1955 American film noir crime film by Joseph H. Lewis, List of films in the public domain in the United States, index of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Big_Combo&oldid=1000700341, Films about organized crime in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 16 January 2021, at 07:59. The disc has The Big Combo original screenplay as a PDF file and the package offers reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Scott Saslow for all films and a hardback book featuring new writing on all the films by noir experts and critics including Michael Brooke, Andrew Spicer, David Cairns and Tony Rayns and others. The Big Combo Movie Lover: Stone Wallace from Winnipeg, Canada-- October, 1, 2005. Shine that spotlight, girl! plus-circle Add Review. Two disturbed young people release their fascination with guns through a crime spree. Meanwhile, Brown's right-hand man, McClure, wants to take over. And, with the wizardly John Alton behind the camera, it kicks film noir's distinctive look up into another, rarefied dimension (Alton must have been emulating the Dutch Masters – spare traceries of light limn almost abstract patterns on the screen's primordial blackness). Crime. The Big Combo. Conte's casting meant the start date for another film Cry Vengeance had to be pushed back. Conte was born in New Jersey in 1910. The Big Combo [DVD] [1955] SKU: 28842567. The_Big_Combo_1955 Run time 1:27:28 Sound sound Year 1955 . However, when his gunmen Fante and Mingo go to Diamond's apartment, they mistakenly shoot and kill Diamond's burlesque dancer girlfriend Rita instead. USA. The Big Combo Cornel Wilde (Actor), Richard Conte (Actor), Joseph H. Lewis (Director) His main objective as a detective is to uncover what happened to a woman called "Alicia" from the crime boss's past. • Uncompressed mono 1.0 PCM audio soundtrack. Alicia is able to help Diamond figure out that Brown took Susan to a private airport where he intends to board his getaway plane. “The Big Combo” is a lesson in film noir style, and it kicks off our 5 th annual Mob Movie March in a truly unique way. Directed by Joseph H. Lewis. The story, too, stays a primal one of obsession, lust and revenge. Susan finally confronts Brown about his wife and is told she is still alive in Sicily, living with Grazzi. With Cornel Wilde, Richard Conte, Jean Wallace, Brian Donlevy. Directed by Joseph H. Lewis. [8], Jack Palance was originally cast opposite Wilde. It's especially instructive as an example of a movie with a visual surface that completely hides its low budget origin. In contrast, The Big Combo is one of few that has a brass (trumpets, etc.) Reviews Reviewer: Timothy Edison - favorite favorite favorite favorite - October 11, 2020 Subject: Lee Van Cleefe . Add the first question. Great movie Conte is wonderful in this. What a great movie. Dreyer denies involvement and does not want to disclose anything to Diamond, but is nonetheless murdered by McClure shortly after leaving his shop later that day. Diamond sees an up-to-date photo of Alicia but realizes it wasn't taken in Sicily (since there's snow on the ground). The Big Combo is in many aspects a police procedural, but there are so many noir aspects sneaking in at the sides, that it rises over that genre. With a title that makes it sound like an episode of Dragnet, The Big Combo may on initial inspection seem a run-of-the-mill gangster picture. This crime gem features an amazing performance of unbridled sadism by the great Richard Conte as syndicate head Mr. Brown. His grudge against his boss makes him reckless, placing the whole `combination,' or combo, in jeopardy. [15], The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 92% of critics gave the film a positive review, based on 13 reviews, with a weighted average of 7.04/10.[16]. [5] The script was reportedly in great demand with Yordan apparently turning down offers of $75,000. Palance dropped out of the film, claiming he wanted a week off after finishing The Silver Chalice (1954). Joseph H. Lewis’ The Big Combo is an exciting, hard-boiled urban noir that loves lurking in the shadows. Iin a performance brimming with cool menace, Conte is fond of saying `First is first and second is nobody.' Kling Studios, Los Angeles, California, USA. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Use the HTML below. Ninety-six-fifty-a-week cop Wilde lives in a cheap flat across from a burlesque house, one of whose headliners (Helene Stanton) he occasionally `sees.' Much is always made of this chiaroscuro aspect of film noir, although the "art" is always an issue of economy, and the fact that this is how it was done in live theatre production. Release Date: 07/09/2015. Diamond is able to track Alicia to a sanitarium, where she is staying under another name. Brown shoots Diamond's partner, Sam, and kidnaps Susan, planning to fly away to safety. One of my favorite B noir films is The Big Combo (1955). “It’ll make everything simpler.”. Cast. But when they fail to prevent her overdosing on pills, she falls into Wilde's hands at hospital and starts to babble about a woman called Alicia.Another wild card is Conte's lieutenant Brian Donleavy, over the hill and hard of hearing, who chafes at playing second fiddle; he saw himself as heir to the organization when unseen capo Grazzi `retired' to Sicily. "[13], Film critic Ed Gonzalez lauded the film in his review, writing, "Shadows and lies are the stars of The Big Combo, a spellbinding black-and-white chiaroscuro with the segmented texture of a spider's web ... John Alton's lush camera work is so dominant here you wouldn't know Joseph H. Lewis was also behind the camera. 84 min. 4.3 (3 Reviews) Price Match Guarantee. A war veteran turned truck driver attempts to avenge the crippling and robbing of his father at the hands of an amoral produce scofflaw. He then goes after Brown's girlfriend who despises him, for information instead. The Big Combo isn’t as wild or daring as either film—though Lee Van Cleef and Earl Holliman do play toughs in a thinly coded gay relationship—but it’s an unrelentingly tough film, and toughly played by all involved. A unfaithful wife plots with her lover to kill her husband, but the lover is accidentally killed instead. The Big Combo, an independent film noir, is one of them. Innovative and striking, The Big Combo comes as close as any film in the noir cycle to being an art-house triumph; it consolidates Lewis' reputation as an erratic director who was nonetheless capable – here, and with his Gun Crazy – of pulling off something unexpected yet extraordinary. 95 of 106 people found this review helpful. The Big Combo Titles & main theme, composed by David Raksin The Big Combo is a 1955 American film noir crime film directed by Joseph H. Lewis and photographed by cinematographer John Alton, with music by David Raksin. Wilde also harbors half-admitted fantasies of riding to the rescue of Conte's remote and unwilling mistress (Jean Wallace, Wilde's off-screen wife). "[11], The staff at Variety magazine liked the film's direction, music and photography, despite "a rambling, not-too-credible plot." Cast. Norman L Cook . It’s sadistic, and is dramatically lit with emphasis on the dark and the light. Need some help finding the best things to watch on Netflix? Find trailers, reviews, synopsis, awards and cast information for The Big Combo (1955) - Joseph H. Lewis on AllMovie - Police Lt. Leonard Diamond (Cornel Wilde) is… The Big Combo (1955) Richard Conte played Mr. Brown, a sinister driven gangster. [4] Sperling tried to cast Spencer Tracy for the lead. The Big Combo by Grant Tracey: The Big Combo (1955), Allied Artists' seedy B-noir directed by Joseph H. Lewis and photographed exquisitely by John Alton, opens with Susan Lowell (Jean Wallace) splashed in slanting shadows as she runs through tunnels along a boxing ring. A small-time grifter and nightclub tout takes advantage of some fortuitous circumstances and tries to become a big-time player as a wrestling promoter. Written by The Big Combo is a rewarding thriller with a good handle on the hardboiled crime saga circa 1955. The Big Combo is considered her best film and along with you, I look forward to seeing it. Big Combo, The (1955) -- (Movie Clip) Hate Is The Word First appearance by the much-discussed "Mr. Brown" (Richard Conte), abusing his ex-boss turned employee McClure (Brian Donlevy), then fighter Benny (Steve Mitchell), early in Joseph H. Lewis' The Big Combo, 1955. The Big Combo (1955) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. The Big Combo is a 1955 American film noir crime film directed by Joseph H. Lewis and photographed by cinematographer John Alton, with music by David Raksin.[3]. (1955). • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing • Commentary by noirchaeologist Eddie Muller. Richard Conte. Jean Wallace. Sourced from www.GlamourGirlsoftheSilverScreen.com and IMDb. However, Brown's plane does not show up and the film climaxes in a foggy hangar shootout. Title: Conte was one of cinema's best yet underrated tough guys, and in "The Big Combo" he really shines. There's a streak of sadism in the casting, too: Both Wallace's attempted suicide and Walker's dissipation bring to mind the actresses' private troubles. Through a fluke circumstance, a ruthless woman stumbles across a suitcase filled with $60,000, and is determined to hold onto it even if it means murder. Big_Combo_1955 Run time 1:23:42 Sound sound Year 1955 . The film was released on Blu-ray in a new HD restoration in 2019 by Arrow Films in the UK and Eire. Lt. Leonard Diamond (Cornel Wilde) of the Los Angeles Police Department has been on the hunt for the elusive Mr. Brown (Richard Conte) for over a year already. Introduction by Caren Feldman. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Police Lt. Leonard Diamond is on a personal crusade to bring down the sadistic gangster Mr. Brown. He plots with Fante and Mingo to ambush Mr. Brown, but they betray and murder him. Low-key photography by John Alton, one of his best,[12] and a jazz-derived score by David Raksin with solo piano by Jacob Gimpel are in keeping with the film's tough mood. This FAQ is empty. Let our editors help you find what's trending and what's worth your time. It was originally going to be directed by Hugo Frugonese for producer Milton Sperling. Among the young filmmakers who frequented Club 57, Steve Brown was also an active programmer with a particular interest in the work of macho auteurs like Sam Fuller and Nicholas Ray and noir directors such as Lewis. Rating: User rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars with 3 reviews. He asks for her help. 1955. The Big Combo (1955) – Joseph H. Lewis (Niall McArdle) A stubborn police lieutenant is determined to break up a crime syndicate ruled by a vicious gangster. The Big Combo is a 1955 film noir that follows a tormented police lieutenant, who is on a personal crusade to bring down a sadistic gangster. Another source says he was unhappy his wife was not cast in the second female lead. However, Mingo survived the assassination attempt by Brown, and he confesses to Diamond that Brown was behind all the murders while sobbing over the body of his cohort. The accomplice suspects that Alicia was sent away to Sicily with former mob boss Grazzi, then murdered, tied to the boat's anchor and permanently submerged. The Big Combo, from director Joseph H. Lewis, released in the waning years of film noir’s popularity, is an example of the latter. He then goes after Brown's girlfriend who despises him, for information instead. At one point, Brown advises one of his heavies to shoot himself in the head if caught. Brown also takes a big stash of "money" to Fante and Mingo while they are hiding out from the police, but the box turns out to contain a bomb that apparently kills both of them. Wilde, meantime, has tracked down elusive Alicia, Conte's supposedly murdered wife (Helen Walker, the duplicitous psychiatrist in Nightmare Alley, in her last screen appearance); only she knows where the bodies are buried and can write her husband's death warrant....The Big Combo counts as one of the more sadistic instalments in the cycle, but the mayhem and executions are played as big set-pieces, as flourishes; Lewis draws on Alton's full fetch of tricks (and in one memorable instance, on the sound editor's) to highlight but at the same time soften their nastiness. Brown orders a hit on Diamond. An armored truck driver and his ex-wife conspire with a gang to have his own truck robbed on the route. The story doesn't have any of the he-she psychosexual politicking that juices the director's Gun Crazy, but that's no loss given this film's richer returns. Reviews Reviewer: Kentworth - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - September 8, 2014 Subject: Mr. Brown, Mr. Big . Diamond questions a Swede named Dreyer, who was the skipper of that boat but now operates an antiques store as a front, bankrolled by Brown. Most film noir movies feature scores that are orchestral (strings). How ‘Mank’ Shot Day for Night, and in Hi-Dynamic Range Black-and-White, Amazon Prime Video schedule: Here’s what is coming in April 2020, Amazon Prime Video New Releases: April 2020, Older cold film noir loser gone wild feel movies (modern asian noir will be in modern cinema list)... (maybe, you have not watched them yet). An unethical lawyer, with an older brother he wants to help, becomes a partner with a client in the numbers racket. A doomed female hitchhiker pulls Mike Hammer into a deadly whirlpool of intrigue, revolving around a mysterious "great whatsit". He's also dangerously obsessed with Brown's girlfriend, his captive lover. Diamond makes one last attempt to uncover evidence against Brown by going to Brown's girlfriend, Susan Lowell. Created in 1955, “The Big Combo” was written by the controversial Philip Yordan, and directed by Joseph H. Lewis, and serves as a perfect example of the 1950s era crime caper story, complete with enviable fedoras and genuine old school dames. score. Certificate: Passed The last scene shows the silhouetted figures of Diamond and Susan in the fog, considered to be one of the iconic images of film noir. He is also dangerously obsessed with Brown's girlfriend, the suicidal Susan Lowell. But his only passion is for nailing suave but savage crime boss Richard Conte. A police lt. is ordered to stop investigating deadly crime boss Mr. Brown, because he hasn't been able to get any hard evidence against him. The film stars Cornel Wilde, Richard Conte and Brian Donlevy, as well as Jean Wallace, who was Wilde's wife at the time. Stars Lee Van Cleefe of Sergio Leone's Western trilogy . Doctors Jo Wilson, April Kepner, and Andrew DeLuca share the episodes they think are essential to understanding their characters. The husband stays in hiding, and lets his wife be charged with conspiracy. Diamond eventually learns through one of Brown's past accomplices that Alicia was actually Brown's wife. SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS. This leads to stage work in 1935 after he was spotted by Elia Kazan and John Garfield. It also included the final screen appearance of actress Helen Walker. Diamond tries to persuade Susan to leave Brown and admits he might be in love with her. Mr. Brown, his second-in-command McClure and thugs Fante and Mingo kidnap and torture the lieutenant, then pour a bottle of alcohol-based hair tonic down his throat before letting him go. Frank Bigelow, told he's been poisoned and has only a few days to live, tries to find out who killed him and why. The Big Combo comment. full public domain film see also: http://noiroftheweek.blogspot.com/2005/10/big-combo-1955-10242005.html The set-pieces are fierce, as is the Casablanca tweak of the last shot, and Wallace's performance—a sad spectacle of a hurting creature caught between light and dark, good and evil—is one of noir's great unheralded triumphs. The Big Combo This is another saga of the honest cop who lets nothing sway him from the self-appointed task of smashing a crime syndicate and its leader. The Big Combo. Anonymous 9:03 PM, February 03, 2016. He then goes after Brown's girlfriend who despises him, for information instead. What a classic noir thriller! At police headquarters, Brown shows up with a writ of habeas corpus, effectively preventing Alicia testifying against her husband. Was this review helpful to you? Conte's so possessive that he assigns an intimate twosome of torpedoes (Lee Van Cleef and Earl Holliman) as her full-time bodyguards (since they're gay, he trusts them to serve as eunuchs). Photographically The Big Combo is theatre, where the landscape is pure illusion, shaped by light and shadow. This film-noir piece, told in semi-documentary style, follows police on the hunt for a resourceful criminal who shoots and kills a cop. THE BIG COMBO, by the way, is the Bolemac Corporation, run by Brown and the unseen Grazzi. plus-circle Add Review. Chris Dashiell on the website CineScene finds the dialogue "run of the mill" but praises the film's director, writing that "Lewis had a remarkable ability to infuse poetry into the most banal material, and The Big Combo is one of his best efforts... it's not as startlingly inventive as Lewis's best film, Gun Crazy (1949), but it's a quality B-film, satisfying and dark. It … One of the jobs he had was a singing waiter in Connecticut. Reply Delete. Coming late in the noir cycle and directed by Joseph Lewis, it seized a position as one of its most innovative and stylish titles. The film was initially called The Hoodlum based on a story by Philip Yordan. Van Cleef & Earl Holliman shine as the henchmen. Film noir about a police lieutenant who comes under pressure from a gang headed by a vicious thug. Big Combo can be found in a cheap DVD edition at oldies.com; but it deserves the full Criterion treatment. [6], Eventually the film was a co production between Theodora, the production company of Cornel Wilde and Jean Wallace, and Security, a company of Phil Yordan and Sidney Harmon. A police lt. is ordered to stop investigating deadly crime boss Mr. Brown, because he hasn't been able to get any hard evidence against him. Directed by Joseph H. Lewis. They wrote, "Performances are in keeping with the bare-knuckle direction by Joseph Lewis and, on that score, are good. Diamond makes one last attempt to uncover evidence against Brown by going to Brown's girlfriend, Susan Lowell. [10], Reviews of the movie today are mostly positive. It has a tough tone and the hero is so flawed as to be near villainous — certainly he has an unhealthy obsession. [9] He was replaced by Richard Conte. With Cornel Wilde, Jean Wallace, Richard Conte, Brian Donlevy. Filming was brought forward to start September 7, because of studio space availability. It could've been formulaic and forgettable if it was not for his main actors, Cornel Wilde as Leonard Diamond and Richard Conte as Mr. Brown, the latter piercing the screen. Susan shines the fog lamp from Brown's car in his eyes, effectively blinding him, allowing Diamond to arrest him. and woodwinds (saxophones, etc.) He shows her a photo of Brown, Alicia and Grazzi together on the boat. Police Lt. Diamond is told to close his surveillance of suspected mob boss Mr. Brown because it's costing the department too much money with no results. Chance events trap hitchhiking nightclub pianist Al Roberts in a tightening net of death, deception and blackmail. An ex-con trying to go straight is framed for a million dollar armored car robbery and must go to Mexico in order to unmask the real culprits. • High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation transferred from original film elements. [7] Wilde changed the title to "The Big Combination" and Jean Wallace suggested it be shortened to "The Big Combo". View production, box office, & company info. The Big Combo may be the only film noir ever plugged on the I Love Lucy show (Cornel Wilde guest-starred in the episode which aired April 18, 1955). Few films so convincingly seem to be Somewhere … We have over 15,000 titles available for licensing to VOD platforms.

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