The Big Heat

Droog811

Fantastic film noir from Fritz Lang. Glenn Ford is excellent as a cop assigned to a suicide case but what he unearths leads to the murder of his wife and the loss of his job. All hell breaks loose as he tries to track down the murderer any way he can. Gloria Grahame is great as slimy Lee Marvin's gun moll girlfriend as is Marvin in an early role.

Ashley Spendlove

A much more subtle film than it initially appears. At first it seems a standard noir which sets up a Manichean contrast between Bannion's domestic bliss and moral heroism versus the depravity and evil of the mob. As it progresses however, those lines become increasingly blurred and the film develops into a darker exploration of the individual's and society's capacity for evil, both active and complicit.

agger

Made in 1953 and it hasn't aged. The theatrical, blood-less deaths are rarely shown, yet remain shudder-inducing a couple of times, without titillation. The female characters play as much of a role as the male ones, and Debbie is probably one of my favourite femmes fatales who should never have been underestimated. The soft-focus close-ups are a thing to behold, but it's Fritz Lang so it's pretty much a given.

Huey McEvoy

Fabulous, dirty, double-crossing noir. Two plot points are so shocking and unexpected that, unusually for a noir, the viewer becomes emotionally invested in the characters, and the story really kicks in for modern audiences. Gloria Grahame steals the show as the classic moll done wrong - very, very wrong. (4.5)

bernardovazdecastro

This film is one of my truly obsessions and will never forget the magnificence of Gloria Grahame.

Ghostman

Great film noir, evil loses at great costs. One could say it was all Glenn Ford's fault in a way.

Scottie Ferguson

My first Lang is arguably the greatest meditation on the destructive consequences of revenge that I've come across. Gloria Grahame is fantastic and Lee Marvin is shockingly evil, especially given when this was made. One of the best and darkest noirs I've ever seen.

Michael Harbour

A noir noir. Dark, that is. Dirty cops. Corrupt politicians. Tough women. Death and violence and innocent victims. And a one man trying to see justice done whatever the cost.