The Big Combo

The Big Combo (1955) is director Joseph H. Lewis' black-and-white film noir. According to film critics, this film stands with others like Fritz Lang's The Big Heat as one of the great film noir classics. This dark film is a tormented story of violence and dangerous obsession. Photographed by cinematographer and noir icon John Alton (who worked on I, the Jury; He Walked by Night) with music by David Raksin. Actors Wallace and Wilde were married when the film was shot.

Main Cast

• Cornel Wilde as Police Lt. Leonard Diamond
• Richard Conte as Mr. Brown
• Brian Donlevy as Joe McClure
• Jean Wallace as Susan Lowell
• Robert Middleton as Police Capt. Peterson
• Lee Van Cleef as Fante
• Earl Holliman as Mingo
• Helen Walker as Alicia Brown
• Jay Adler as Sam Hill
• John Hoyt as Nils Dreyer
• Ted de Corsia as Bettini