Review of The Big Heat (1953) by Ricardo O — 26 Aug 2015

The Big Heat is a fantastic film noir by one of cinema's legitimate masters, Fritz Lang. This classic is highlighted by performances from Glenn Ford as a detective hellbent on avenging those responsible for the killing of his wife, Lee Marvin as the muscle of a gangster boss, and finally Gloria Grahame as Marvin's girlfriend in what certainly is one of her best performances.

All the leads give good performances but it is Gloria Grahame's performance that deserves most recognition, one which was deserving of an Oscar nomination it's just too bad she didn't get one for this film; fortunately, she won it the year before for another great film, the show biz classic The Bad and the Beautiful.

The mood/atmosphere and look of the film is quintessential Fritz Lang; his direction isn't showy or anything but it is beautifully executed. It is shot in pristine b&w photography by the great Charles Lang.

The biggest highlight in the film is the coffee scene in which Lee Marvin's character throws a boiling hot coffee pot at Gloria Grahame's character and other highlights include the car bomb that accidentally kills Glenn Ford's wife (played by Marlon Brando's sister Jocelyn) and the film's ultimate climax.

It's also interesting to note that all of the female leads are killed off. The Big Heat represents the highlight of Fritz Lang's tenure in Hollywood (a time in his career that admittedly wasn't nearly as impressive as his time as an expressionist filmmaker in the silent era and early thirties, but nevertheless featured some notable classics such as this one, The Woman in the Window, Scarlett Street and The Ministry of Fear).

Highly recommended viewing for any movie fan; a must see movie even after so many decades. The Big Heat is not only one of the greatest examples of film noir, but also one of the greatest films ever made.

10/10.