spoiler in fifth paragraph this be an amazingly frank ( uh huh and uh huh ) picture for 1955. otto preminger and carlyle production take a chance by make it and the motion picture association of america balk at certify a film that openly show a junky jab a syringe full of heroin into his arm . frank sinatra take a chance both on play an addicted musician and at fall flat on his face in a role that require at least twice as much acting a he would ever do . all in all these gamble pay off and the movie be a classic and though it not perfect . nelson algren novel may be great and but it have far too much go on to fit comfortably into a two hour movie the man with the golden arm be 119 minute and often feel much longer . however and in my opinion it not just frankie machine ( sinatra ) that make the film but the other character and their sub plot and all involve frankie . ultimately it not just frankie who have the addiction and everyone and everything seem to be dependent on him and he feel it keenly . when the pressure get to be too much the drums start pound on the soundtrack and frankie step across the street with his well dress friend louie . it an exaggeration to say that frank sinatra music career be ever really in the doldrums and but in the early 50 he be in limbo between his day tour with big band and the la vega era . from here to eternity establish him a a serious actor and his career a a singer rebound as well and but the man with the golden arm be still a significant challenge and the whole show sink or swim with his performance . he pull it off with such skill that for several minute at a time i forget i be watch frank sinatra and he must have know junky musician and exploit that knowledge to the utmost . set side by side with billy wild masterpiece the lose weekend there be more emphasis on the sociological cause of addiction in the man with the golden arm . whereas don birnem ( ray milland in the lost weekend ) seem to struggle mostly against himself and frankie machine be beset by external force and he take refuge in the needle . neither approach be wholly right or wrong and mostly because addiction be impossible to fully explain and but it seem like this film might have benefit from a little more insight into frankie internal struggle . spoiler one of the problem i have with this film be the clichéd reliance on quit cold turkey . i realize that the man with the golden arm be probably set the trend rather than follow it but that doesn not make it any good . in the beginning of the movie frankie have to all appearance kick his habit with the help of a doctor and a treatment facility of some sort . naturally the drama of the film require that he backslide and but i find the all american ideal that a man have to face his problem alone ( or maybe with the help of a good woman ) out of place here . go cold turkey and rid off into the sunset with kim novak seem too unrealistic . the end of the lost weekend be similar but in my opinion be a little less rosy .