The Man With The Golden Arm

An Otto Preminger Film

Frankie Machine returns from rehab flush with hope and ambition of a new career. He's determined to become a drummer, but his wife, old boss, and his former pusher have other plans. Frank Sinatra earned an Oscar nomination for this moving portrayal of a man whose inability to escape his past nearly destroys his future. Eleanor Parker co-stars as the conniving wife and Kim Novak as the sweetheart who helps Frankie survive to pursue his dreams.

The film's action is highlighted by the jazzy score of Elmer Bernstein, who was nominated for an Oscar for his efforts. The film also helped launch the career of Saul Bass, whose mod title sequences for The Man With the Golden Arm caught the attention of Alfred Hitchcock, who subsequently enlisted Bass' help in creating famous shower sequences in Psycho. Bass is now known as the most influential title designer in the history of film.