The Big Clock (1948)

The Big Clock is a 1948 film noir thriller directed by John Farrow, based on the novel of the same name by Kenneth Fearing. The black-and-white film is set in New York City and stars Ray Milland and Maureen O'Sullivan, wife of the director and mother of Mia Farrow. Real-life married couple Elsa Lanchester and Charles Laughton appear in the film, as does Harry Morgan, in an early film role, as a hired thug.

The story is told in flashback. When it begins, George Stroud (Ray Milland) is shown hiding from the police behind the "big clock" ― the largest and most sophisticated one ever built, which dominates the lobby of the giant publishing company where he works.

Stroud, a crime magazine's crusading editor who is eager to spend more time with his wife (Maureen O'Sullivan), plans a long-postponed vacation from his job. Instead of meeting his wife at the train station, however, Stroud is preoccupied by an offer by his boss. He begins drinking and spends the evening out on the town with a glamorous blonde. She is later murdered and Stroud is assigned by his Hearst-like publishing boss Janoth (Charles Laughton) to find the killer.

While investigating, Stroud tries to keep the facts of his night with the woman a secret because witnesses could recognize him. As the investigation proceeds to its conclusion, Stroud must try to disrupt his ordinarily brilliant investigative team as they increasingly build evidence (albeit wrong) that he is the killer.

The Big Clock is a great movie, full of surprises and alot of fun to watch. Ray Milland and Charles Laughton are terrific together in this truly hidden film noir gem. The film is possibly a tad lighthearted to be considered genuine Noir. Nevertheless, the endless twists and turns and non-stop action will keep you entertained. Mix it all up with a wacky Elsa Lanchester and a sinister George Macready, and this film is easily worthy of four stars. Charles Laughton is as usal magnificent and Ray Milland has seldom been better.

The story was remade in 1987 as No Way Out with Kevin Costner and Gene Hackman. The 1948 version is more similar to the novel, with the 1987 remake updating the events to the American political world in Washington D.C. during the Cold War.