Based upon a Clifford Odets stage play, this 1955 film captured the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival and sets itself within the amoral world of the 1950's Hollywood scene and, quite specifically, the person of Charles Castle (Jack Palance), a successful actor who has opted for screen success over any concept of creating "art." He is adored by his PR guy (Paul Langton) and a producer/mentor (Rod Steiger) who has offered him a seven-year contract said to be loaded with lots of personal control. Charles's wife (Ida Lupino), however, doesn't trust the producer and gives Charles the ultimatum to refuse the contract or lose her and their son. Unfortunately for everyone involved, Steiger's Hoff doesn't take kindly to losing and doesn't give up easily. 

While The Big Knife is a mostly effective drama, there's little denying that the film's stage roots have long seemed to be a mismatch for the stoic, not particularly expressive presence of Jack Palance. While Palance never quite deserved to get pigeon-holed as he did in action flicks and westerns as happened later in his career, The Big Knife would have benefited greatly from a more nuanced lead to balance out Steiger's dark, menacing side and the layered, emotionally centered performance served up by Shelley Winters as Dixie, whose role plays out once Steiger pulls an ace out of his deck in an effort to keep Charles in the fold. 

Ernest Laszlo's noirish lensing helps to amp up the film's suspense, while Frank De Vol's original music enhances the sense of dread that occasionally radiates from the film. While my own opinion is that Palance was miscast here, others have proudly proclaimed it to be one of Palance's finest performances. To each their own, I guess. 

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS

• Brand-new 2K restoration from original film elements produced by Arrow Films exclusively for this release
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p)
• Original English mono audio uncompressed LPCM
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Commentary by film critics Glenn Kenny and Nick Pinkerton, recorded exclusively for this release
• Bass on Titles – Saul Bass, responsible for The Big Knife’s credit sequence, discusses some of his classic work in this self-directed documentary from 1972
• Theatrical trailer
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sean Phillips

© Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic