Frank Sinatra received an Academy Award nomination for his Frankie Machine role in this film. Eleanor Parker didn't receive a nomination for her role as Zosh Machine. Yet she stole every scene in which she appeared in "The Man with the Golden Arm." Parker is one of those very good – perhaps "great" Hollywood actresses who never won an Oscar. She turned in some great performances and was nominated three times. She should have received a nomination for this film, as she did for "Interrupted Melody" of the same year.
Sinatra's performance was very good. Critics and reviewers especially liked his scenes of withdrawal from cocaine. This was a groundbreaking film by Otto Preminger, a director who liked to break ground and challenge the industry. No one before had shown scenes of heavy drug addiction. So, it was new to most audiences then. Of course, since that time, we've seen many more depictions of drug addiction, its effects, treatment, withdrawal and recovery. Withdrawal differs between substances and among individuals. Alcohol and heroin addiction withdrawal often have delirium tremens (DTs), but Cocaine withdrawal doesn't. More people today have experiences of drug and alcohol addiction and withdrawal. Compared to later films (e.g., "Days of Wine and Roses" in 1962), the withdrawal scenes in this film seem almost tame. Still, it was a good performance for a first public airing of drug use.
All of the cast are very good. Parker's role is so good as the self- centered, deceitful schizophrenic that viewers learn to hate her when we find out her secret; then to pity her. Darren McGavin is so good as Louie that we despise him immediately. Arnold Stang is excellent as Sparrow, Robert Strauss is very good as Schiefka, and Kim Novak is perfect as the other girl – the one who cares about Frankie and his recovery and who won't enable his addiction.
It's a good, if mild and cleaned up look at the underworld of drug use. And, this is one that has a happy ending – well, for most.
Sinatra's performance was very good. Critics and reviewers especially liked his scenes of withdrawal from cocaine. This was a groundbreaking film by Otto Preminger, a director who liked to break ground and challenge the industry. No one before had shown scenes of heavy drug addiction. So, it was new to most audiences then. Of course, since that time, we've seen many more depictions of drug addiction, its effects, treatment, withdrawal and recovery. Withdrawal differs between substances and among individuals. Alcohol and heroin addiction withdrawal often have delirium tremens (DTs), but Cocaine withdrawal doesn't. More people today have experiences of drug and alcohol addiction and withdrawal. Compared to later films (e.g., "Days of Wine and Roses" in 1962), the withdrawal scenes in this film seem almost tame. Still, it was a good performance for a first public airing of drug use.
All of the cast are very good. Parker's role is so good as the self- centered, deceitful schizophrenic that viewers learn to hate her when we find out her secret; then to pity her. Darren McGavin is so good as Louie that we despise him immediately. Arnold Stang is excellent as Sparrow, Robert Strauss is very good as Schiefka, and Kim Novak is perfect as the other girl – the one who cares about Frankie and his recovery and who won't enable his addiction.
It's a good, if mild and cleaned up look at the underworld of drug use. And, this is one that has a happy ending – well, for most.