Very well executed

Good concept, poorly executed.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

This is ultimately a movie about the very bad things that can happen when we don't address our unease, when we just try to brush it off, whether that's to fit in or to preserve our self-image.

Michael Neumann offers a very concise summary ("hard-boiled crime melodrama", Michael Neumann from United States, 7 November 2010) that is all a person needs before deciding to see it. In addition, ChristophCinema discusses the villain/protagonist relationship and says this is why the Big Combo works ("Should not be overlooked", ChristophCinema from United States, 19 December 2012) .I also enjoyed Robert Temple's background on (erratic) Jean Wallace ("Quite a combo", robert-temple-1 from United Kingdom, 13 September 2012). And, don't miss Terrell-4's praise of the exquisite cinematography ("John Alton's cinematography is a classic noir example...", Terrell-4 from San Antonio, Texas, 2 February 2008).Even by contemporary standards, The Big Combo (1955, directed by Joseph H. Lewis), achieves a level of tension that makes it essential viewing for fans of the film noir canon. This is a "B movie" with rather minimalist direction, but is very interesting to look at because of the skillful lighting. (Lewis is content to set up an establishing shot and hold it at length. This requires the actors to directly face the audience at length, which they often do here. If it weren't for the excellent lighting, it is doubtful this visual approach would have succeeded.) Cornell Wilde plays the obsessed and hardboiled police Lieutenant Diamond who spends most of his waking hours trying to bring down a mob kingpin. (Yes, it is hard to imagine police this dedicated today.) Richard Conte is the sadistic, misogynist and slick-talking mobster Mr. Brown. Despite their nearly limitless mutual loathing, there are strong narrative parallels between the detective and the mobster. One could say they are alter-egos.Jean Wallace (Susan Lowell) is very good as Mr. Brown's depressed girl who is on the verge of a nervous breakdown her entire time on the screen. Mr. Brown's three henchmen are all very interesting. Brian Donlevy is washed-up, shoulda-been-boss Joe McClure who tries to take over the gang. Lee Van Cleef (Fante) and Earl Holliman (Mingo) are vicious but not terribly bright hit men. (Cultural warning: There is a scene where both say lines that are such obvious references to homosexuality it is unintentionally funny today.) "First is first, and second is nobody". Mr. Brown says this repeatedly. His axiom of power resonates in these dark times. If you're a fan of film noir, don't miss "The Big Combo."

The Big Combo was nothing extraordinary, the run of the mill Film Nior/ Gangster flick with dark lighting (this film actually played with lighting which made it enjoyable and is one of its stronger points), harsh noises, and quick movement. It was no surprise to me that this film lacked depth or interest in the story as it followed a predictable format. There were a few interesting parts throughout the film, but it was the acting that kept my attention. Cornel Wilde and Jean Wallace do not break character once despite their many roles as they try to please the others and deal with the conflicting relationship they share. These two may have been impressive, but it was Richard Conte who rose above and beyond portraying his character with perfection, convincing the audience he was a true mobster. Although I got a little lost throughout the film the thrilling sexual and actions scenes kept me tuned in. The ending especially grabbed my attention with the combination of lighting, film work, and excitement. However I would not particularly recommend this film to anyone unless the film would fulfill some type of requirement or guideline they were searching for.

OK, this was a total gangster movie, i thought the story was fairly strong , but also quite complex, which was good at times, but it did lose me at one point. one thing i would have done was dress people a little more distinctly, i had a bit of trouble recognizing who was who. as far as filming goes i wouldn't say it was anything exceptional, except for the last scene, they really had some fun with the lighting on that one, which was pretty cool. it seemed to be quite similar to most other gangster films, just with a few more twists to keep track of. but all in all i would say it's a decent film and worth a watch, maybe not all that much more.

The Big Combo is definitely in my opinion one of the best film-noirs ever. Sometimes I wonder how that some movies (Hitchcock's Notorious for example) are better rated on film-noir top lists than this one, because "Combo" deserves to bee at least in top 10. At first story looks cheesy and well known, but later it gets more and more interesting and really drags you into this movie. Although this movie had small budget it looks better and more elegant than some A-list motion pictures from that period of Hollywood cinema. The photography is simply fantastic. Director of photography John Alton did a really great job. "The dance" of light and shadows is simply amazing. One more thing that's not in common with The Big Combo and other noirs is that The Big Combo contains slightly more violence and "black" humor. Example of that is scene where Mr. Brown with Fante and Mingo kills Joe McClure. At the end I would recommend this classic to everyone who simply want to see a great drama or to those who are into film-noir.