The Big Combo (1955)

Description

Generally considered to be one of cinematographer John Alton’s finest achievements, this is a terrific gangster Film-Noir. Police Lt. Leonard Diamond is on a personal crusade to bring down the sadistic gangster Mr. Brown. This is despite the fact he has been told to close his surveillance of the suspected mob boss because it’s costing the department too much money with no results. Diamond is also dangerously obsessed with Brown’s girlfriend, the suicidal Susan Lowell. His main objective is to uncover what happened to a woman called “Alicia” from the crime boss’s past and to have one last attempt to uncover evidence against Brown. Big Combo has become a cult classic – not just because it is a vibrant thriller but also because it was considered very daring for its time and broke new ground. Nearly three quarters of a century after its first release, it still has a PG certificate.