Episode 16: The Man with the Golden Arm (1955)

Frank Sinatra had just won an Oscar before he signed up to star in Otto Preminger's The Man with the Golden Arm, but who knew he could really act?  In a day when films about [insert drug name here] addiction and abuse seem like a dime a dozen, Sinatra delivers a top notch performance that has aged like a fine wine after 60 years. Performances aside, Preminger delivers the goods with the film, which was arguably part of his crusade snubbing the Hollywood production code which would never permit mainstream studios to release a picture about drugs.  Indeed, the chemistry between Sinatra and Preminger, two Hollywood celebrities who everyone predicted would never bond, is part of the magic of this production. Have a comment or question for the host?  Email Sean at [email protected] and follow him in Twitter via @1001moviespc.