The Man with the Golden Arm

Synopsis: Frankie Machine is a skilled card dealer and one-time heroin addict. When he returns home from jail, he struggles to find a new livelihood and to avoid slipping back into addiction.
Director(s): Otto Preminger
Production: United Artists
  Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 5 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.5
Rotten Tomatoes:
86%
PASSED
Year:
1955
119 min
736 Views


- Hi Frankie.

- Hello.

(Man in background) Get in there.

(Traffic noise)

(Men's laughter)

Nothing like that first drink of the

day. Go on drink up enjoy it.

Hey, what he do or what? Huh?

Say they tell me your some dancer.

Well how about a little dance anyway?

No?

Hey, gimme back. Who's horsing

around? What's the big idea?

Frankie!

Frankie, Frankie when

did you get back? How are you?

You alright? You know...

The monkey's gone.

Let me look at you. Let me look at you.

Not even a postie card.

- You can't read anyway.

- Well, you could have drawed pictures.

Hey, you goofy punk.

How's the lost dog business?

Soon as they see me hanging around,

people start locking up their mutts.

I tell you folks just don't have that

trust in their fellow man anymore.

Know what I mean?

(Sound of laughter)

Hey Antek, look who's out.

Hey Frankie. You alright? Clean?

- Yep.

- Good kid.

- Enough already, buy me a drink.

- Sure.

Look what the cat dragged in.

Frankie, Honey!

You gone so long I thought

maybe you was made warden.

Hey you're lookin' good, dealer.

Put on 6 Ibs.

Wow, 6 Ibs.

He's gone so long I thought

maybe he's made warden.

How was it down there, Frankie?

Greatest place you ever see, Nancy.

She means Lexington.

I'm telling you, ball games, great food.

I even learned how to play the drums.

You make it sound

as if I missed something

by not going to jail years ago.

It's a prison, no?

More a hospital, kind of.

Let me show you something.

Oh, the federal pens

is always best, ask anybody.

(Nancy ) Oh, I know.

He's gone so long

I think he's made warden.

Ever see anything so pretty?

Don't touch.

Hey, how'd you sneak them out,

Frankie?

The guys give me em' up

there in the band.

They let you have a band?

Yeah, I was in it. And they chipped

in and bought me these when I left.

Wow!

Long time dealer.

How was it there, bad, huh?

It was alright.

Six months, you can hardly wait I bet.

Come over my place. C'mon.

No thanks, Louie.

You broke. Now ain't yer

being stupid, it's for free.

I don't need it, is all. I kicked it.

Oh. Kicked it. One of them.

- I mean it.

- Sure.

I'll be around.

Frankie don't do it. Don't start up

with that peddler again.

Me, I'd rather chop my arm off

before I let him touch it.

This Dr. Lennox who took care of me

down at the hospital. A real good guy.

He told me at least ten times.

He said,

"Frankie when you get out of here,

you take even one fix,

you're hooked again. "

Don't worry about me, buddy boy.

Let's get out of here.

Thanks Antek.

Antek, take care of this asset for me.

I got a customer coming to get it.

Ok. Sparrow.

Don't let him give you no gas.

Him? I ain't gonna' be around here

long enough to let him bother me.

I'm gonna' get me a job

in a big name band.

You're kiddin'?

What do you think I'm strengthening

my wrist for, Buddy-O?

The guy teaches me drumming

down there, says that I'm a natural.

Can't miss, he says.

Arms made of pure gold.

You mean a job whanging these drums.

I got everything planned too.

I'm gonna' call myself Jack Duvall.

Golly, I ain't gonna' see you

around so much then, huh?

Yeah, maybe I can set

somethin' up for you.

Carrying the instruments or somethin'.

Wow!

Travellin' around the country.

High type nightclubs.

How's that sound to you, punk?

When is it gonna' be? When?

Right away today. I'm the kinda' guy,

boy when I move, watch my smoke.

But I'm gonna' need

some good clothes, though.

Oh, well you go on up.

I'm gonna' find you some.

- Yeah, yeah. Size 39 get.

- 39.

- Stripes.

- Stripes.

Somethin' nice.

(Loud crashing noises,

coming from an apartment)

(Landlord). You stop that noise!

You and husband,

or I throw you both out.

You hear!

(Vi)

I'll make all the noise I want.

(Landlord) Who is landlord?

Me! You do like I say.

You're mother's icebox,

I'll do like you say.

Frankie Machine! Ah, you look great.

How are you feelin', Frankie? I mean...

Fine, Vi, just fine. Hiya landlord.

Mad. She and husband fight

all the time. Holler, throw things.

Nothing changes.

(Landlord) This is respectable

house and I am respectable man.

(Vi) Respectable, my eye.

Go on get out you're late

for the paroleboard.

Frankie!

Oh, Frankie.

Zosh.

Oh, Frankie I love you so much...

I've missed you so... I've missed you...

I've been so lonely Frankie without you.

SSh.

So lonely without you.

Zosh stop crying.

Zosh let me look at you.

My eyes are gonna' be all red.

No, you look fine, Zosh.

Honest? Has the cold sore gone?

No, you look real good.

I had this cold sore. I want to look real

nice for you when you came back

and I was afraid it would'nt be gone,

so I put this goofy salve on to dry it.

Oh Francis.

No, Zosh,

everything's gonna' be alright.

Oh, you didn't see it. Look Vi got the

cake by the bakery, but the sign I made.

It's sorta' like for a welcome home.

Gee it's like a real party or somethin'.

It's real nice Zosh.

How are you Frankie?

I'm clean.

Sure?

I kicked it for keeps.

Did it hurt? How was it there for you?

Oh, they treated me fine down there.

There was this Dr. This Dr. Lennox.

He was real good to me.

Frankie, Frankie did you miss me?

Of course I missed you Zosh.

What kind of silly question is that?

Of course I missed you,

honest no kiddin'.

What have you got there?

You'll see.

Oh, I brought you somethin'.

There.

Oh, it's an exquisite thing.

You like it? I made it myself,

out of cigarette wrappers.

It's just an exquisite thing, is all.

You made it?

Yeah, for a hobby like. See part

of the cure is to keep yourself busy

doing things you enjoy. Like for instance

I wanted to learn to drum and music.

Doctor Lennox got them

to help me do it.

During the day I was kept busy enough,

but sometimes at night,

I get restless I wanted to keep my

mind of the craving. I made that.

There's somethin' important

I gotta' tell you.

What?

I forget right now.

(Zosh whistles )

A whistle?

Oh, I was scared sometimes

being alone. So Vi got it for me,

I should blow for her when I wanted her.

Go on you were telling me.

Oh, well the first thing you do

when you get there,

you talk to a doctor for about two hours.

Oh, know. I know what it is.

I know what I had to tell you.

Vi took me to this movie and the

girl's kid brother had a friend in it.

Now who do you think he looked like?

Who?

You! Oh, it was a good movie.

The stage show was real good too.

We owe Vi eighty cents

for the movie, I was broke.

We owe her for the cake too.

How come you don't have any money?

Schwiefka didn't kick in regular?

No.

Well he was supposed to.

It was his joint they raided not mine.

I was just the dealer. I kept

my mouth shut and took the rap.

If he didn't send fifty a month

regular, how much did he?

Well he sent fifty but not regular. You

see Vi had to kick in for me sometimes.

She took good care of you?

Had fun with her?

Yeah, but not like when you're here.

It was terrible being alone Frankie.

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Walter Newman

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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