The Man with the Golden Arm
“An 'untouchable' theme… an unusual motion picture!”
Synopsis
When illegal card dealer and recovering heroin addict Frankie Machine gets out of prison, he decides to straighten up. Armed with nothing but an old drum set, Frankie tries to get honest work as a drummer. But when his former employer and his old drug dealer re-enter his life, Frankie finds it hard to stay clean and eventually finds himself succumbing to his old habits.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Man with the Golden Arm, TheOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2014-02-20
Top Cast
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Frank Sinatra
Frankie Machine
Eleanor Parker
Zosh Machine
Kim Novak
Molly
Arnold Stang
Sparrow
Darren McGavin
Louie
Robert Strauss
Schwiefka
John Conte
Drunky
Doro Merande
Vi
George E. Stone
Sam Markette
George Mathews
Williams
Leonid Kinskey
Dominiwski
Emile Meyer
Detective Bednar
Shorty Rogers
Band Leader
Shelly Manne
Drummer
Herschel Graham
Club Safari Patron (uncredited)
Frank Mills
Street Vagrant (uncredited)
Harry 'Snub' Pollard
Street Vagrant (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre
Club Safari Patron (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
New York City, New York
Festival / Special Debut
December 26, 1955
Wide Cinema Exhibition
January 1, 1985
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$1M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$4.3M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
4.35x
+$3.4M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Otto Preminger
- Screenplay & Story
- Walter Newman, Lewis Meltzer
- Original Score
- Elmer Bernstein
- Original Title
- The Man with the Golden Arm
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 59m
- Production Budget
- $1M
- Worldwide Gross
- $4.3M
- Production Studios
- Carlyle Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Otto Preminger
Walter Newman, Lewis Meltzer, Nelson Algren
Elmer Bernstein
Sam Leavitt
Louis R. Loeffler
Otto Preminger
Department Leadership Roster
Otto Preminger
Director
Walter Newman
Screenplay
Sam Leavitt
Director of Photography
Joseph C. Wright
Production Design
Elmer Bernstein
Original Music Composer
Louis R. Loeffler
Editor
Otto Preminger
Producer
Lewis Meltzer
Screenplay
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Man with the Golden Arm.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Man with the Golden Arm.
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:40:36 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Man with the Golden Arm
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Man with the Golden Arm about?
When illegal card dealer and recovering heroin addict Frankie Machine gets out of prison, he decides to straighten up. Armed with nothing but an old drum set, Frankie tries to get honest work as a drummer. But when his former employer and his old drug dealer re-enter his life, Frankie finds it hard to stay clean and eventually finds himself succumbing to his old habits.
Who directed The Man with the Golden Arm?
The Man with the Golden Arm was directed by Otto Preminger.
Who stars in The Man with the Golden Arm?
The principal cast of The Man with the Golden Arm includes Frank Sinatra, Eleanor Parker, Kim Novak, Arnold Stang, Darren McGavin.
When was The Man with the Golden Arm released and how long is it?
The Man with the Golden Arm was released in 1955 with a total runtime of 1h 59m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Man with the Golden Arm?
The Man with the Golden Arm had a reported production budget of $1M and grossed $4.3M at the worldwide box office (4.35 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for The Man with the Golden Arm?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Man with the Golden Arm was composed by Elmer Bernstein.
Is The Man with the Golden Arm based on a book or true story?
The Man with the Golden Arm is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Nelson Algren".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Man with the Golden Arm?
The Man with the Golden Arm holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); CA: 14A; DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).