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CrimeThriller

The Big Clock

- The Strangest and Most Savage Manhunt in History!

Stroud, a crime magazine's crusading editor has to post-pone a vacation with his wife, again, when a glamorous blonde is murdered and he is assigned by his publishing boss Janoth to find the killer. As the investigation proceeds to its conclusion, Stroud must try to disrupt his ordinarily brilliant investigative team as they increasingly build evidence (albeit wrong) that he is the killer.

Release Date : 1948-03-18

Language :EnglishItalian

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Paramount Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Ray Milland

Character Name : George Stroud

Original Name : Ray Milland

Gender : Male

Charles Laughton

Character Name : Earl Janoth

Original Name : Charles Laughton

Gender : Male

Maureen O'Sullivan

Character Name : Georgette Stroud

Original Name : Maureen O'Sullivan

Gender : Female

George Macready

Character Name : Steve Hagen

Original Name : George Macready

Gender : Male

Rita Johnson

Character Name : Pauline York

Original Name : Rita Johnson

Gender : Female

Elsa Lanchester

Character Name : Louise Patterson

Original Name : Elsa Lanchester

Gender : Female

Harold Vermilyea

Character Name : Don Klausmeyer

Original Name : Harold Vermilyea

Gender : Male

Dan Tobin

Character Name : Roy Cordette

Original Name : Dan Tobin

Gender : Male

Harry Morgan

Character Name : Bill Womack

Original Name : Harry Morgan

Gender : Male

Richard Webb

Character Name : Nat Sperling

Original Name : Richard Webb

Gender : Male

Elaine Riley

Character Name : Lily Gold

Original Name : Elaine Riley

Gender : Female

Luis van Rooten

Character Name : Edwin Orlin

Original Name : Luis van Rooten

Gender : Male

Lloyd Corrigan

Character Name : McKinley

Original Name : Lloyd Corrigan

Gender : Male

Frank Orth

Character Name : Burt

Original Name : Frank Orth

Gender : Male

Margaret Field

Character Name : Second Secretary

Original Name : Margaret Field

Gender : Female

Philip Van Zandt

Character Name : Sidney Kislav

Original Name : Philip Van Zandt

Gender : Male

Henri Letondal

Character Name : Antique Dealer

Original Name : Henri Letondal

Gender : Male

Douglas Spencer

Character Name : Bert Finch

Original Name : Douglas Spencer

Gender : Male

Bobby Watson

Character Name : Morton Spalding

Original Name : Bobby Watson

Gender : Male

B.G. Norman

Character Name : George Jr.

Original Name : B.G. Norman

Gender : Male

Joey Ray

Character Name : Joe Talbot

Original Name : Joey Ray

Gender : Male

Frances Morris

Character Name : Grace Adams

Original Name : Frances Morris

Gender : Female

Harry Rosenthal

Character Name : Charlie

Original Name : Harry Rosenthal

Gender : Male

Ernö Verebes

Character Name : Waiter

Original Name : Ernö Verebes

Gender : Male

James Burke

Character Name : O'Brien

Original Name : James Burke

Gender : Male

Lucille Barkley

Character Name : Hatcheck Girl

Original Name : Lucille Barkley

Gender : Female

Bess Flowers

Character Name : Woman in Conference Room (uncredited)

Original Name : Bess Flowers

Gender : Female

Noel Neill

Character Name : Elevator Operator (uncredited)

Original Name : Noel Neill

Gender : Female

Julia Faye

Character Name : Secretary (uncredited)

Original Name : Julia Faye

Gender : Female

Theresa Harris

Character Name : Daisy (uncredited)

Original Name : Theresa Harris

Gender : Female

Lucy Knoch

Character Name : Secretary (uncredited)

Original Name : Lucy Knoch

Gender : Male

Judy Nugent

Character Name : Penelope Patterson (uncredited)

Original Name : Judy Nugent

Gender : Female

Ruth Roman

Character Name : Secretary at Meeting (uncredited)

Original Name : Ruth Roman

Gender : Female

Bea Allen

Character Name : Betty (uncredited)

Original Name : Bea Allen

Gender : Female

Franklyn Farnum

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Franklyn Farnum

Gender : Male

Chuck Hamilton

Character Name : Guard at Janoth Building (uncredited)

Original Name : Chuck Hamilton

Gender : Male

Bert Moorhouse

Character Name : Editor at Conference Table (uncredited)

Original Name : Bert Moorhouse

Gender : Male

Harry Anderson

Character Name : Guard (uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Anderson

Gender : Male

James Carlisle

Character Name : Van Spove (uncredited)

Original Name : James Carlisle

Gender : Male

Al Ferguson

Character Name : Guard at Janoth Building (uncredited)

Original Name : Al Ferguson

Gender : Male

Frank Hagney

Character Name : Ice Man (uncredited)

Original Name : Frank Hagney

Gender : Male

Norman Leavitt

Character Name : Tourist (uncredited)

Original Name : Norman Leavitt

Gender : Male

Lee Miller

Character Name : Man from 'Airways' in Elevator (uncredited)

Original Name : Lee Miller

Gender : Male

Dick Gordon

Character Name : Minor Role (uncredited)

Original Name : Dick Gordon

Gender : Male

Barry Norton

Character Name : Man at Van Barth's (uncredited)

Original Name : Barry Norton

Gender : Male

Lester Dorr

Character Name : Cabby (uncredited)

Original Name : Lester Dorr

Gender : Male

Reviews

J

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

How did I get into this rat race? Egomaniac publisher Earl Janoth (Charles Laughton) murders his mistress in a fit of temper. He then uses all his power and connections to pin the crime on another man seen close to the crime. George Stroud (Ray Milland), editor of Janoth's own Crimeways magazine, is put in charge of tracing the mystery man. Which is fine until he finds that as he digs deeper, all the evidence points to he himself being the fall guy! Ostensibly film noir it may be, but The Big Clock still has something to offer even the most casual of cinema goer. Directed by the still criminally undervalued John Farrow, The Big Clock has a touch of the Alfred Hitchcock "wrong man" theme about it. Based on a novel written by Kenneth Fearing, Farrow and his writer, Jonathan Latimer, have managed to craft a piece that is both twisty and unique in its execution. With both things working towards a quite clever and suspenseful ending. As with the best of film noir, The Big Clock has an intricate plot that's awash with dubious characters and sexual ambiguity. Headed by Laughton's tyrannical philandering Janoth (apparently based on real life publisher Henry Luce), the piece boasts what maybe a gay scar-faced right hand man? (George Macready) and a butch masseur henchman (Harry Morgan playing against type). Only in the wonderful world of film noir can such characters not only exist, but also be so riveting within the film's structure. The piece is also very funny, particularly when Elsa Lanchester's batty artist Louise Patterson is on the screen. I almost fell off my chair laughing during one scene as she hands in a sketch of the wanted man, Picasso would have been proud! But ultimately it's the story and Ray Milland's ability to see it through that wins the day. Even with the odd little problem, such as the underusing of Maureen O' Sullivan as Stroud's wife, Georgette, thus the domestic strife feels like filler. The Big Clock still finishes as an excellently constructed picture containing interesting thematics on time (this will be down to the individual viewer) that's cunningly set in amongst a media empire environment. Remade with some success in 1987 as a political thriller (No Way Out), The Big Clock still remains the essential film to see. Crime, mystery, drama, comedy and a thriller, it has a little for everyone, even if it is basically a film noir treat. 9/10