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The Big Clock

"The Strangest and Most Savage Manhunt in History!"

1948-03-18 Crime 1hr 35m

Stroud, a crime magazine's crusading editor has to post-pone a vacation with his wife, again, when a glamorous blonde is murdered and he is assigned by his publishing boss Janoth to find the killer. As the investigation proceeds to its conclusion, Stroud must try to disrupt his ordinarily brilliant investigative team as they increasingly build evidence (albeit wrong) that he is the killer.

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The Big Clock
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Storyline

Stroud, a crime magazine's crusading editor has to post-pone a vacation with his wife, again, when a glamorous blonde is murdered and he is assigned by his publishing boss Janoth to find the killer. As the investigation proceeds to its conclusion, Stroud must try to disrupt his ordinarily brilliant investigative team as they increasingly build evidence (albeit wrong) that he is the killer.

  • Released
    1948-03-18
  • Revenue
    n/a
  • Budget
    n/a
  • Runtime
    1hr 35m
  • Genre
    Crime, Thriller
  • Status
    Released
  • Language
    English, Italiano
  • imdb-logo
    7.6
  • Production
    Paramount Pictures

Crew

John Farrow
Director
Richard Maibaum
Producer

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Cast

Ray Milland

Ray Milland

George Stroud
Charles Laughton

Charles Laughton

Earl Janoth
Maureen O'Sullivan

Maureen O'Sullivan

Georgette Stroud
George Macready

George Macready

Steve Hagen
Rita Johnson

Rita Johnson

Pauline York
Elsa Lanchester

Elsa Lanchester

Louise Patterson
Harold Vermilyea

Harold Vermilyea

Don Klausmeyer
Dan Tobin

Dan Tobin

Roy Cordette
Harry Morgan

Harry Morgan

Bill Womack
Richard Webb

Richard Webb

Nat Sperling
Elaine Riley

Elaine Riley

Lily Gold
Luis van Rooten

Luis van Rooten

Edwin Orlin
Margaret Field

Margaret Field

Second Secretary
Philip Van Zandt

Philip Van Zandt

Sidney Kislav
Henri Letondal

Henri Letondal

Antique Dealer
Bobby Watson

Bobby Watson

Morton Spalding
B.G. Norman

B.G. Norman

George Jr.
Joey Ray

Joey Ray

Joe Talbot
Frances Morris

Frances Morris

Grace Adams
Lucille Barkley

Lucille Barkley

Hatcheck Girl
Bess Flowers

Bess Flowers

Woman in Conference Room (uncredited)
Noel Neill

Noel Neill

Elevator Operator (uncredited)
Julia Faye

Julia Faye

Secretary (uncredited)
Theresa Harris

Theresa Harris

Daisy (uncredited)
Lucy Knoch

Lucy Knoch

Secretary (uncredited)
Judy Nugent

Judy Nugent

Penelope Patterson (uncredited)
Ruth Roman

Ruth Roman

Secretary at Meeting (uncredited)
Bea Allen

Bea Allen

Betty (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum

Franklyn Farnum

(uncredited)
Chuck Hamilton

Chuck Hamilton

Guard at Janoth Building (uncredited)
Bert Moorhouse

Bert Moorhouse

Editor at Conference Table (uncredited)
Harry Anderson

Harry Anderson

Guard (uncredited)
James Carlisle

James Carlisle

Van Spove (uncredited)
Al Ferguson

Al Ferguson

Guard at Janoth Building (uncredited)
Frank Hagney

Frank Hagney

Ice Man (uncredited)
Norman Leavitt

Norman Leavitt

Tourist (uncredited)
Lee Miller

Lee Miller

Man from 'Airways' in Elevator (uncredited)
Dick Gordon

Dick Gordon

Minor Role (uncredited)
Barry Norton

Barry Norton

Man at Van Barth's (uncredited)
Lester Dorr

Lester Dorr

Cabby (uncredited)

Videos and Photos

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Movie Reviews

Reviews for The Big Clock
reviewer avatar

A Review by John Chard 9

Written by John Chard on 2019-01-05

How did I get into this rat race? Egomaniac publisher Earl Janoth (Charles Laughton) murders his mistress in a fit of temper. He then u... read more

How did I get into this rat race? Egomaniac publisher Earl Janoth (Charles Laughton) murders his mistress in a fit of temper. He then uses all his power and connections to pin the crime on another man seen close to the crime. George Stroud (Ray Milland), editor of Janoth's own Crimeways magazine, is put in charge of tracing the mystery man. Which is fine until he finds that as he digs deeper, all the evidence points to he himself being the fall guy! Ostensibly film noir it may be, but The Big Clock still has something to offer even the most casual of cinema goer. Directed by the still criminally undervalued John Farrow, The Big Clock has a touch of the Alfred Hitchcock "wrong man" theme about it. Based on a novel written by Kenneth Fearing, Farrow and his writer, Jonathan Latimer, have managed to craft a piece that is both twisty and unique in its execution. With both things working towards a quite clever and suspenseful ending. As with the best of film noir, The Big Clock has an intricate plot that's awash with dubious characters and sexual ambiguity. Headed by Laughton's tyrannical philandering Janoth (apparently based on real life publisher Henry Luce), the piece boasts what maybe a gay scar-faced right hand man? (George Macready) and a butch masseur henchman (Harry Morgan playing against type). Only in the wonderful world of film noir can such characters not only exist, but also be so riveting within the film's structure. The piece is also very funny, particularly when Elsa Lanchester's batty artist Louise Patterson is on the screen. I almost fell off my chair laughing during one scene as she hands in a sketch of the wanted man, Picasso would have been proud! But ultimately it's the story and Ray Milland's ability to see it through that wins the day. Even with the odd little problem, such as the underusing of Maureen O' Sullivan as Stroud's wife, Georgette, thus the domestic strife feels like filler. The Big Clock still finishes as an excellently constructed picture containing interesting thematics on time (this will be down to the individual viewer) that's cunningly set in amongst a media empire environment. Remade with some success in 1987 as a political thriller (No Way Out), The Big Clock still remains the essential film to see. Crime, mystery, drama, comedy and a thriller, it has a little for everyone, even if it is basically a film noir treat. 9/10

Read Full Review (The thoughts and opinions expressed here are solely those of the reviewer.)
A Review by John Chard

How did I get into this rat race? Egomaniac publisher Earl Janoth (Charles Laughton) murders his mistress in a fit of temper. He then uses all his power and connections to pin the crime on another man seen close to the crime. George St...

reviewer avatar

A Review by John Chard 9

Written by John Chard on 2019-01-05

How did I get into this rat race? Egomaniac publisher Earl Janoth (Charles Laughton) murders his mistress in a fit of temper. He then uses all his power and connections to pin the crime on anothe...

read more