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The Big Combo (1955) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.6/10   1,566 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 6% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Joseph H. Lewis
Writer:
Philip Yordan (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Big Combo on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
13 February 1955 (USA) more
Genre:
Film-Noir | Crime | Drama more
Tagline:
The Most Startling Story The Screen Has Ever Dared Reveal!
Plot:
Police Lt. Diamond is told to close his surveillance of suspected mob boss Mr. Brown because it's costing... more | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
User Comments:
THE BIG COMBO (Joseph H. Lewis, 1955) *** more (39 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Cornel Wilde ... Police Lt. Leonard Diamond
Richard Conte ... Mr. Brown

Brian Donlevy ... Joe McClure

Jean Wallace ... Susan Lowell
Robert Middleton ... Police Capt. Peterson
Lee Van Cleef ... Fante
Earl Holliman ... Mingo
Helen Walker ... Alicia Brown
Jay Adler ... Detective Sam Hill
John Hoyt ... Nils Dreyer
Ted de Corsia ... Ralph Bettini
Helene Stanton ... Rita
Roy Gordon ... Audubon
Whit Bissell ... Doctor (scenes deleted) (as Whit Bissel)
Steve Mitchell ... Bennie Smith, Boxer
Baynes Barron ... Young detective
James McCallion ... Frank - Lab technician
Tony Michaels ... Photo technician
Brian O'Hara ... Attorney Malloy
Rita Gould ... Nurse
Bruce Sharpe ... Detective
Michael Mark ... Fred (hotel clerk)
Philip Van Zandt ... Mr. Jones (scenes deleted)
Donna Drew ... Miss Hartleby
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jack Chefe ... Waiter (uncredited)
James Conaty ... Dance Extra at Club (uncredited)
Jakob Gimpel ... Pianist (uncredited)
Herbert Lytton ... Waiter (uncredited)
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Directed by
Joseph H. Lewis  (as Joseph Lewis)
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
Philip Yordan  writer

Produced by
Sidney Harmon .... producer
 
Original Music by
David Raksin 
 
Cinematography by
John Alton 
 
Film Editing by
Robert S. Eisen  (as Robert Eisen)
 
Production Design by
Rudi Feld 
 
Set Decoration by
Jack McConaghy 
 
Makeup Department
Larry Butterworth .... makeup artist
Carla Hadley .... hair stylist
 
Production Management
George Moskov .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert H. Justman .... assistant director (as Robert Justman)
Mack V. Wright .... assistant director (as Mack Wright)
 
Sound Department
Earl Snyder .... sound
 
Special Effects by
Louis DeWitt .... special photographic effects
Jack Rabin .... special photographic effects
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Harry Sundby .... lighting technician
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Don Loper .... costumes: Jean Wallace
 
Music Department
Jakob Gimpel .... musician: piano solo (as Jacob Gimpel)
Robert Tracy .... music editor
 
Other crew
Mary Chaffee .... set continuity
 

Production CompaniesDistributors
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
USA:84 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA)
Certification:
West Germany:16 (nf) | France:-16 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15
Company:
Security Pictures more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The names 'Fante' and 'Mingo' were later used by writer-director Joss Whedon for two characters - twin brothers - that the Serenity crew meet in the movie Serenity (2005). more
Goofs:
Continuity: When John Hoyt as Dreyer reaches into his desk for a gun, the contents of the desk on the insert close-up do not match the contents on the master shot. more
Quotes:
Mr. Brown: I think Mr. Diamond needs a drink. Got any liquor?
Fante: How about some paint thinner?
Mr. Brown: No, that'll kill him. Anything else?
Fante: Hair tonic, 40% alcohol.
Mr. Brown: Fine.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Serenity (2005) more

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
9 out of 13 people found the following comment useful.
THE BIG COMBO (Joseph H. Lewis, 1955) ***, 20 February 2006
7/10
Author: MARIO GAUCI (marrod@melita.com) from Naxxar, Malta

Despite a bland title, this is a top-notch film noir, one of Lewis' best in fact, with a first-rate cast (Cornel Wilde, Richard Conte, Brian Donlevy, Lee Van Cleef, Earl Holliman, Ted De Corsia, Robert Middleton, Jay Adler, John Hoyt, etc.), a typically hard-boiled script courtesy of Philip Yordan and some memorably violent scenes for its time (police officer Wilde's torture at the hands of gangster Conte, Donlevy's "silent" demise by Conte's henchmen Van Cleef and Holliman, Conte punching his moll, Jean Wallace, in the face, etc.); cinematographer John Alton and composer David Raksin lend their expert support. I had first seen this one some 15 years ago when I caught it one afternoon, quite by accident, on Italian TV and was very impressed by it; I'm glad that my re-acquaintance with it via Alpha's DVD proved to be equally satisfying.

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