frank sinatra have one of his best role a a reformed heroin addict come back to his chicago neighborhood after an extensive stay in a clinic . he plan to stay off the drug and find work a a drummer and but he can not avoid run into his old friend . he have be arrest originally not for any drug relate charge and but because he be catch deal in an illegal poker game . his skill at poker have earn him the nickname of the man with the golden arm and and the men who run the game and one of them be his former heroin connection and want him to deal again . meanwhile and frank have to take care of a woman whom he injure in a car accident and zosch ( eleanor parker ) and and make up with his old girlfriend and molly ( kim novak ) . the film be great at put u in sinatra mental state . when he feel sure of himself at the beginning of the film and i felt good for him . but and when a promise phone call doesn not come one day and he descend into depression and go back on the smack . later and when he finally get to audition and he arrive completely string out . his embarrassment when he can not play the correct beat be devastate . he have such big dream and and the other musician do not even pay him a bit of attention a he rush out of the room . the film move quickly and it show frank drug problem in a realistic light without turn into a social message picture . the actor be uniformly fine . elmer bernstein score be one of the best of it time . the only thing i do not like about the film be the end . spoilersalthough i really like the character of zosch and parker be very good in the film and they could have do a little more to fill in her backstory . the end be a little too pat . while there be surely pathos that will remain with the character after the film close and zosch death tie up all the loose end a bit too neatly . frank be free to love molly and he would not go to jail . also and his dealer be dead and so at least the immediate threat be go . well and i guess in hollywood there always a desire to tie everything up in a neat little package . it harm the film a little and but and a it stand and it still one of the best and most adult movie about drug addiction i can think of . positive .