Loosely adapted from Nelson Allgren’s hard-hitting novel, this is the story of Frankie Machine, card-dealer, would-be jazz drummer and full-time heroin addict. One of the most controversial and acclaimed serious dramatic roles in the Sinatra movie canon, The Man With the Golden Arm is so good because of the unlikely alliance that its star formed with the normally fearsome director Otto Preminger. Unusually for Sinatra, he invested considerable time in preparing for the role (visiting drug rehabilitation clinics) and devoting himself to working long hours on set (albeit aided by the distraction of an affair with co-star Kim Novak). This resulted in a groundbreaking portrayal of drug addiction, which earned Sinatra a deserved Academy Award nomination. More importantly in the context of the ultra conservative atmosphere of 1950s America, it drew considerable mainstream attention to a social problem that had never been properly represented in a Hollywood movie before. The film is further enhanced by an edgy jazz score from composer Elmer Bernstein.