THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM (1955)



Dramatic noir from Otto Preminger.
Frank Sinatra plays Frankie Machine, fresh out of prison and back home in Chicago.
He got clean in jail, from an unspecified drug. (In the Algren book it was morphine, but it's obvious it's heroin)
He wants to start a new life as a musician, but those hopes get dashed when he gets hooked again.
His wife Zosh is in a wheelchair, but she's faking it and unstable.
He has an old flame (Kim Novak) who is more supportive of his drumming plans.
He also moonlights as a shady card dealer.
This movie is merely ok, it's Sinatra as a junkie, how exciting is that?
He's not a terrible actor, but this role isn't juicy enough.
The scene of him going thru withdrawals was good, but nothing amazing.