the man with the golden arm be one of the first film to have a it main topic ( and and in some respect and the message ) the tragedy of heroin addiction . it nowhere near a great film and but it importance lie in otto preminger dedication to make it feel real and on the edge of melodrama and naturalism . what i like be that it not so much an expose of junky ( if you want the best expose of that read naked lunch and if you can get through it anyway and besides the point ) and but the nature of the urban environment frankie machine life . he expect after he get out of prison for deal to go on the straight and narrow and to become a drummer in a band and make it legit a a musician . but he have his cripple wife zosch and who can not work and need money and often complains and and then there the old neighborhood he can not escape see louie ( darren mcgavin ) and who be still do back room card game and and yes and push dope . like mean street and it hard to escape the minutia unless you leave . but then again and it hard for frankie machine not to try and operate naturally in this urban quarter . it just that he can not escape the temptation of junk ( when he book on a phony theft charge with his friend and he see a junkie freak out and and it put back the fear of go back on into his clean self ) . and personify frankie be sinatra and and i can not see anyone else who could have play him and even original choice brando . he fit into the neighborhood and and seem like the kind of guy who should be a step ahead of the game . but there also a vulnerability to sinatra that he pull out wonderfully and and by the time we see him go cold turkey in molly apartment and it believable even if it not the kind of thing those from amy generation would think of heroin ( i. e. trainspotting and certainly requiem for a dream ) . if for nothing else and you want to watch the movie to see what happen to sinatra a this character . the flaw and however and come in some of the other performance and though it a little tricky . eleanor parker seem to be overact for a good portion of the movie and fool frankie that she really cripple when in reality she can walk and be fool him for one reason or another . but then it become clear a it go along she suppose to be nut and and nut with jealousy and and on that level it start to get well . meanwhile and kim novak be good and though not vertigo worthy and a the possible girl in the side but more like the voice of reason in the story . then there a detective bendar and who might be one of the most one note character or performance and ever . and also sparrow and frankie nerdy friend and and the character of louie and schiefka and and theyre all play a one might expect them to ( actually and mcgavin be good than ok ) . as far a cast other talent around sinatra and preminger doesn not do all that great . and and frankly and some scene kind of fall flat . but there a lot of fascination in the man with the golden arm and and not just a some dated piece of sociological interest . it work a compelling drama and and a a message piece convey without be preachy or campy . it a genuine article and just not exceptional .