Product: The Big Combo [VHS] (1955)
Rating: 3.0
Film Noir At Its Toughest
This is one of the few classic films that was so rough, so hard-edged, I got rid of it after several viewings....but now wish I had it back. One thing for sure: this is film noir at its darkest. I got very uncomfortable watching several scenes, frankly. However, it's interesting and I always appreciate John Alton's photography.****spoilers**** There is a scene in which a cop (Cornel Wilde) is tortured by the head mob boss (Richard Conte) and his goons. Wilde is given a hearing aid and forced to hear loud music through it, louder and louder piercing his ear drums. Then, they make him drink hair tonic that has 40 percent alcohol in it so that when someone finds him, they will think he's drunk.You see what I mean? This is one nasty movie.Conte's character is brutal, killing anyone who poses a threat to him. The female lead, played by Jean Wallace, has a pretty face but that can't overshadow all the mean-spirited or sadistic people who dominate this movie. If you're in a bad mood, this would be a good film to watch!