The Man with the Golden Arm
Dir: Otto Preminger
1955
*****
An American Classic made by a true Hollywood genius. Sure, it's a little dated in the way it depicts drug addiction, especially with Heroin (the most addictive of all) being the drug but it has all that greatness that all those classic 1950s films have. It also took risks, the subject matter being more than a little taboo at the time. Frank Sinatra was very well cast and puts in a great performance, he is let down ever so slightly by an overacting supporting cast but it's all forgivable, especially as that cast includes the beautiful Kim Novak and personal favourite of mine, Arnold Stang. I feel that Otto Preminger is often overlooked and forgotten when people look at great American film makers, okay, so he wasn't American himself but his films certainly were.