Abstract

Films

The best that can be said for the film produced by United Artists Corp., which is peculiar version of the book "The Man With the Golden Arm," is that it forced the company into defying the Production Code Authority. United Artists had this in mind. The author is reasonably sure that it re-cooked the story in the hope of getting it quietly by and decided to show fight only when the alternative was to junk a very expensive film. Nevertheless, the arbitrary dictation of the Authority has again been challenged and each time this happens, the industry can afford to be a little less timid. The plot is oddly bland. Extremists should be made of sterner stuff. Plot and performance together, the picture is charming proof that the British have no talent for totalitarian behavior.