Watched: 11/09/2026
Format: BluRay
Viewing: Unknown
One of the most used and indelible images of the
noir era was the picture above from the finale of
The Big Combo (1955). It was probably because of this image, seen in a book or online, that I decided to watch this movie for the first time 26 or more years ago, beginning my own dive into the genre.
At the time, I didn't know
Richard Conte or
Cornell Wilde.
Lee Van Cleef was the only actor I recognized. And I don't know that I was prepared for the banal cruelty of what Conte's Mr. Brown would bring to the screen, or the coded sexuality of the film.
But
The Big Combo will ruin you for a lot of other movies if you think all of noir will look this good - and I rank
The Big Combo as an all-timer for its noir visual appeal. Lensed by
John Alton, one of the best of the era, it's a beautifully crafted
chiaroscuro, cutting shapes in the shadows and a last gasp against what was coming as studios lightened movies up for later replay on the TV's of the era. But it's not just the look, it's shot selection and angles. Maybe it cost a bit more as set-ups would have been a bit tougher, but it pays off in spades.
The story is a mix of
melodrama and
tough crime. Wilde plays a cop pursuing mob boss "Mister Brown" (Conte). Wilde has started tracking Brown's girl, Susan (
Jean Wallace), and over time begun to develop feelings for this girl who is vaguely aware of his existence. Even Wilde's boss knows it.
He wants to get Susan out, but she's in deep - caught in a web of physical, psychological and sexual control (the movie has one of the most discussed shots in
Breen Office history as Conte drops out of frame suggesting an, ahem, intimate act).
Brown is surrounded by a small group - just his two toughs, one of which is Van Cleef, and
Brian Donlevy, his former boss in the mob.
Wilde gets a lead - that Brown killed his wife a few years back at sea, and when Diamond pulls on that thread, things really do begin to unravel. People are shot, bodies pile up fast.
I don't want to spoil it. I think you should check it out for Alton's work if nothing else.
Special bonus points for
Helene Stanton who plays Rita, the burlesque dancer Wilde treats like shit. You were the better choice, Rita! He did you wrong! You have great teeth! Wilde not seeing how awesome Rita is has always been my biggest gripe with this movie, even if I totally get it from a plot perspective.
