Frank Sinatra is Frankie Machine, a hustler and recovering drug addict. Frankie decides to go straight and pursue his dream of becoming a musician, but the more time he spends on the outside the harder it becomes to resist the temptation of the needle. The Man with the Golden Arm is the darkest noir gets, bolstered by Otto Preminger’s unflinching direction and Sam Leavitt’s cinematography, which renders every moment of Frankie’s sobriety a claustrophobic nightmare. The real highlight of the film, however, is Sinatra’s Oscar-nominated performance. He’s remarkable as the weak-willed drummer, utilizing his slight physique and baby-blue eyes to haunting effect. Featuring Eleanor Parker and Kim Novak as the devil and angel, respectively, on Frankie’s shoulders.

Restored by the Academy Film Archive with funding from The Film Foundation and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.