THE BIG HEAT

US, 1953, 90 minutes, Black and White.
Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, Jocelyn Brando, Lee Marvin, Alexander Scourby, Carolyn Jones.
Directed by Fritz Lang.

The Big Heat is an effective crime thriller of the early 50s. It was directed by Fritz Lang who had made such silent classics in Germany as Metropolis and Dr. Mabuse. He had also made the film which marked Peter Lorre's debut M. Lang was popular in Germany, especially with Dr. Goebels. However, he moved to America in the 30s and made such classics as Fury, You Only Live Once. He became a Hollywood regular through the 40s and 50s.

Glenn Ford, at the peak of his career in mid-50s to the early 60s is the hero. Gloria Grahame, who had won an Oscar for The Bad and the Beautiful and was able to perform, if oddly, in roles ranging from Oklahoma to Red Skelton comedies, was the heroine. They also appeared in Lang's adaptation of Zola's Human Desire at this particular period. Lee Marvin is a particularly vicious villain. The Big Heat may seem dated by the standards of the gangster thrillers of the 60s and 70s. However, it is quite a good revenge police film.

1. A successful gangster film? The American gangster tradition? The 50s, the change of pace in later decades?

2. The film as a product of the work of Fritz Lang? His German background of the 20s, surrealism, 'M' and the 30s? A German in America treating the gangster tradition?

3. The qualities of filming in the 50s: black and white photography, musical score for gangster films, the life in the city, atmosphere, violence? The contribution of the stars in their hey-day?

4. Where did audience sympathies lie? With the hero, his wife? Antipathy towards the villains? Gangsters? How much sympathy towards Debbie? The presentation of good and evil, right and wrong and audience sympathy and judgement?

5. The portrait of social corruption and its influence on people in official positions, the police, ordinary citizens? Individual corruption and its contribution to society?

6. The vengeance theme? The provocation to Dave Banyon in his work and career, the death of his wife and its effect on his whole life? Did he have the right to vengeance? The way that he took it? Vengeance and the individual and the law? When the law itself is corrupt?

7. The atmosphere of the opening: the suicide, Mrs Duncan and her reading her husband's note, her actions, the repercussions? The sour note and the atmosphere of evil?

8. Dave Banyon as hero within this situation? Glenn Ford's style, the ordinary citizen, the ordinary policeman? The quality of his work? The sequences of his clashes with authority and his suspicions? His ordinary middle class situation confronting gangsters and their wealth? Banyon as a type who confronted people? His being under orders, his decision to move away from this? The power and freedom when acting on his own? His attitude towards law and order, towards justice?

9. The murder mystery aspects of the film: the various suspects, the details of the murders, Banyon's interrogation especially with the girl in the bar and her death? The ugliness of the atmosphere of threats and violence?

10. The contrast with the domestic scenes? The happiness of Banyon, his wife and family? The tone of the home sequences? His wife's support of his work? The dramatics of her death and the sudden off-screen impact? The effect on him, on the audience?

11. The portrayal of Mike Lagana, as a gangster type, his reputation, power? The party sequence? His hold over the police, his hold over his own henchmen? The protection of the law and society? His use of money? His lack of scruple? With Stone, with Debbie, with Mrs Duncan?

12. Lee Marvin's style as Stone? The cruel and unscrupulous gangster? His enjoyment of making others suffer? The visualizing of his torture? The famous coffee-scalding sequence with Debbie? Her revenge on him? His smug self-satisfaction and attitude towards Banyon? To the various henchmen?

13. Banyon's following of the leads - especially the crippled lady? His encounter with the minor toughs, the gunmen from out of town? His persuading them to talk? His moving on the information and his acting as a loner?

14. The characterization of Debbie? The conventional gangster's moll? with Lagane, with Stone? The effect of the coffee-scalding? Her hurt and her reaction, the physical effects? Her decision to help Banyon? Her speculation of how she would have related well to him? The final help and the killing of Mrs Duncan?

15. The portrait of Mrs Duncan as the cold unscrupulous woman? The intricacies of her involvement and the way these were explained and exposed? The clash with Banyon and the temptation for her to be killed? The impact of Debbie's killing her?

16. The physical violence, the shooting and the shoot-outs? The violent deaths of the principal villains?

17. The film as an exploration of American values and American violence, justice and law and order?