just getting released from a six month drug rehabilitation program and having served his time for dealing cards in illegal gambling card games and frankie machine (frank sinatra) has high hopes for going clean and finding a new life as a big band drummer. however upon returning to his old crime ridden chicago neighborhood and he soon finds the pressure mounting from those around him and including his wheelchair ridden wife zosch (eleanor parker) and to return to the old money making dealer lifestyle that first got him started on the path of self destruction that is being an heroin addict. it very rare that a film has so many great character performances as this one does. frank sinatra is superb as frankie machine and and realistically portrays the symptoms of a drug addict going through withdrawal arguably better than anyone else had ever been done before him. sinatra seems to possess a keen understanding and awareness of his character here and expresses the constant battle for control over his own life that is forever going on inside the heart of the man that is frankie machine. parker as his crippled wife zosch wants to possess frankie forever and to have him deal to make good money so as to take care of her and pay her ever mounting medical bills. she seems terrified by anything she sees as a threat to her control over him and such as the freedom the life of a drummer might offer and or anything that might change the status quo between them. onlooker molly (kim novak) and a girl who lives in the same building and seems to possess real and strong genuine feelings for frankie and having no desire to control him but only to help him proves the best thing frankie has going for him in the world if he can just stay straight long enough to wake up and realize it. darren mcgavin as the heroin drug peddler louie however is always there just waiting in the wings knowing just the right buttons to push and just the thing to say and to get a former addict to revert back to that old habit and one profitable to louie but deadly for the addict. the setting too seems to take on a life of its own and constantly dark and gritty and seedy and crime ridden with nowhere near enough positive things to look forward to in life and a place where it all too easy to escape via a bottle or drugs and a quick fix that truly no fix at all but only works to keep one in the dark away from the daylight and all the bright prospects the world might have to offer. it a neat touch that when frankie is on the right track and the setting always seems brighter than when he headed down the wrong road. while some argue it is a bit dated and to me this is a gritty film featuring a realistic inner war within a man for control over his own fate and one that features very strong character performances by all involved. given that and the man with the golden arm gets my highest possible recommendation. 
just getting released from a six month drug rehabilitation program and having served his time for dealing cards in illegal gambling card games and frankie machine (frank sinatra) has high hopes for going clean and finding a new life as a big band drummer. however upon returning to his old crime ridden chicago neighborhood and he soon finds the pressure mounting from those around him and including his wheelchair ridden wife zosch (eleanor parker) and to return to the old money making dealer lifestyle that first got him started on the path of self destruction that is being an heroin addict. it very rare that a film has so many great character performances as this one does. frank sinatra is superb as frankie machine and and realistically portrays the symptoms of a drug addict going through withdrawal arguably better than anyone else had ever been done before him. sinatra seems to possess a keen understanding and awareness of his character here and expresses the constant battle for control over his own life that is forever going on inside the heart of the man that is frankie machine. parker as his crippled wife zosch wants to possess frankie forever and to have him deal to make good money so as to take care of her and pay her ever mounting medical bills. she seems terrified by anything she sees as a threat to her control over him and such as the freedom the life of a drummer might offer and or anything that might change the status quo between them. onlooker molly (kim novak) and a girl who lives in the same building and seems to possess real and strong genuine feelings for frankie and having no desire to control him but only to help him proves the best thing frankie has going for him in the world if he can just stay straight long enough to wake up and realize it. darren mcgavin as the heroin drug peddler louie however is always there just waiting in the wings knowing just the right buttons to push and just the thing to say and to get a former addict to revert back to that old habit and one profitable to louie but deadly for the addict. the setting too seems to take on a life of its own and constantly dark and gritty and seedy and crime ridden with nowhere near enough positive things to look forward to in life and a place where it all too easy to escape via a bottle or drugs and a quick fix that truly no fix at all but only works to keep one in the dark away from the daylight and all the bright prospects the world might have to offer. it a neat touch that when frankie is on the right track and the setting always seems brighter than when he headed down the wrong road. while some argue it is a bit dated and to me this is a gritty film featuring a realistic inner war within a man for control over his own fate and one that features very strong character performances by all involved. given that and the man with the golden arm gets my highest possible recommendation. ---------------------------------Answer Question Below----------------------------------

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