Review of The Big Knife (1955) by Julien G — 15 Mar 2012

Bitter tale of a Hollywood star who has let his ideals lapse on the road to success and now wishes to reassert his moral integrity...but the studio won't let him. Jack Palance gives an anguished and intense performance (the opening credits simply show him with his head in his hands) but he is supported by a well-cast array of other stars and character actors.

Clifford Odets wrote the original play and the dialogue can get wild and woolly -- ultimately, it might be a bit stage-bound but director Robert Aldrich and especially the psychotronic soundtrack by DeVol keep things punchy.