The Big Clock (1948)

Note des utilisateurs:

7.8/10   

Réalisateur:

John Farrow

Writers:

Kenneth Fearing (novel)
Jonathan Latimer (screenplay)

Release Date:

9 avril 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drame | Film-Noir | Mystery | Thriller

Accroche:

The strangest and most savage manhunt in history!

Plot:

A career oriented magazine editor finds himself on the run when he discovers his boss is framing him for murder.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Magazine | Editor | Tycoon | Amateur Detective

Awards:

1 nomination

Avis des utilisateurs:

"The Big Clock" delivers BIG suspense

Ensemble

Ray Milland	...	George Stroud
Charles Laughton	...	Earl Janoth
Maureen O'Sullivan	...	Georgette Stroud
George Macready	...	Steve Hagen
Rita Johnson	...	Pauline York
Elsa Lanchester	...	Louise Patterson
Harold Vermilyea	...	Don Klausmeyer
Dan Tobin	...	Ray Cordette
Harry Morgan	...	Bill Womack
Richard Webb	...	Nat Sperling
Elaine Riley	...	Lily Gold
Luis Van Rooten	...	Edwin Orlin
Lloyd Corrigan	...	Colonel Jefferson Randolph aka McKinley
Frank Orth	...	Burt
Margaret Field	...	Second Secretary

Autre(s) titre(s):

L'horloge fatale (Belgium: French title) [fr]
La grande horloge (France) [fr]

Durée:

95 min

Pays:

USA

Langue:

Anglais

Couleur:

Noir et Blanc

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Son:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Classification:

Australia:G | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #12438)

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Anecdotes:

A 'fin' is $5 in American slang.

Guillemet:

Don Klausmeyer: I'm Don Klausmeyer, from Artways magazine.
Louise Patterson: Yes.
[giggles]
Louise Patterson: Oh, yes. Didn't you review my show in '41?
Don Klausmeyer: I think I did.
Louise Patterson: Oh, come in, Mr. Klausmann.
Don Klausmeyer: KlausMEYER.
Louise Patterson: [laughs gleefully] I've been planning to kill you for years.

Movie Connections:

Version of No Way Out (1987)

Soundtrack:

Wearin' of the Green

"The Big Clock" delivers BIG suspense

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. I'm not sure I would categorize it a noir as much as I would a Mystery/suspense film. But whatever you call it, I call it a great way to spend 95 minutes. I can't recall a film that does a better job of building the suspense as this one. I was on the edge of my seat for the entire last half of the film.

The film makes great use of irony to help achieve this - in that the lead character, George Stroud (Ray Milland), is called upon to search for a wanted man - who turns out to be himself. He is mistakenly believed to be the killer of his boss' mistress, when in reality, it is the boss, Earl Janoth (Charles Laughton), who is the guilty party. It is a classic cat and mouse game - except that instead of searching for the "Randolph" character, Stroud is actually trying to find the real killer so as to clear his own name.

Stroud is literally surrounded on all sides by people who could identify him as the man who was with the murdered mistress on the night she was killed. He is running for his life within his own office building trying to avoid being identified. I love how the painting and the artist are used in the story. Elsa Lanchester was a true gem and quite a funny character. It's interesting to note that she was married to Charles Laughton. They certainly make an odd pair - especially in light of the fact of his known homosexuality.

Another married couple from the film was actress Maureen O'Sullivan, who played Stroud's wife, and Director John Farrow. They were married for 27 years (until his death) and had 7 children together, including Mia Farrow. Maureen and Mia appeared together in HANNAH AND HER SISTERS (1986).

Overall, a very good movie with a talented cast.