The Big Combo (1955)

Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

After the revolutionary "Gun Crazy", "The Big Combo" is the second and last real masterpiece directed by Joseph H. Lewis. A strong revenge love story, with violent and shocking scenes shadowed ingeniously by John Alton, definitely master of film noir photography. Richard Conte is outstanding as a sadistic gangster. And try to see the interview of Joseph H. Lewis explaining the very special scene between Richard Conte and Jean Wallace. Cheers Joseph H. Lewis.

We expect much from director Joseph H. Lewis, writer Philip Yordan and photographer John Alton, and this trio of talented movie-makers certainly doesn't disappoint their fans with their moody, highly atmospheric The Big Combo. The actors are first-class too. For once in a film noir, the women have major and important roles as well as the men. Jean Wallace is especially effective as the frightened heroine who disguises her fear by adopting a semblance of bravado, while Helen Walker plays most effectively as the long awaited Alicia. Cornel Wilde has one of his best roles as the persuasive hero, while Richard Conte does the incredibly evil bad guy proud. Even the smaller roles are brilliantly characterized and played. You really have to see the movie twice to fully appreciate all the startling effects and characterizations it has to offer. Available on a really excellent Geneon DVD which has no censor cuts – unlike the movie I saw in the cinema way back on February 28, 1957, when it ran two weeks at the local Palace.

Conell Wilde, Richard Conte, and Lee Van Cleef and others speak volumes for the talent in this cast. Writer Philip Yordan wrote a great script and with talent like this in front of the camera, this movie is a must see.While this sums up the plot -"A police Lt. is ordered to stop investigating deadly crime boss Mr. Brown, because he hasn't been able to get any hard evidence against him," it does not say how many twists and turns this one goes through.There are also some ladies along the way to keep things going. It is all a matter of getting the evidence that leads Police Lt. Leonard Diamond (Cornel Wilde) through a film noir maze of intrigue. Is it worth the trip for the viewer? You bet it is.

The Big Combo is one of those film noirs that's built on clichés. By 1955, everything in the genre had been done, so what does The Big Combo have to offer that sets it apart from the other movies of its kind? It has the look of every other film noir, it has the pacing of every other film noir, it has the characters of every other film noir; so what makes this one so special? I would have to say the hero/villain relationship. Out of all the film noirs out there, this movie has the best rivalry between protagonist and antagonist I've ever seen. The film has all the genre clichés, but the outstanding performances by Cornel Wilde and Richard Conte really make this movie so much stronger. Lt. Diamond is a great character, and very complex. I love how he's a good cop, but at times he lets his emotions get the better of him. I like Diamond a lot, but it's Mr. Brown who steals the show (for me). He's just a perfect villain. It's one of those characters that you love and hate at the same time. I love how suave he is, I love how egotistical he is, I love evil he is and how much he loves it; he's just an amazing character. I really love villains that are extremely full of themselves. Watching these two play cat and mouse with each other is the highlight of the film. One's good, and one's evil; but they go above and beyond the average hero and villain. The Big Combo really surprised me. At first I thought it was going to be an average detective movie, but then it really picked up and through a lot of curveballs. It got much darker than I expected, and it ended up actually being unpredictable. And even though the film is built on clichés, it's still a great movie. Some of the shots are just amazing (especially the last one), and the side characters are great and memorable as well. This is a very underrated film, and I think it should be more well known. It may be cliché, but it sure is awesome.