The Big Heat

Year:

1953

Duration:

90 min

Genres:

Crime | Film-Noir | Thriller

IMDB rate:

8

Director:

Fritz Lang

Awards:

2 wins

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 1953-10-14

Filming Locations: Columbia/Sunset Gower Studios - 1438 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Cast

Actor

Character

Glenn Ford

The Big Heat

Harry Lauter

Gloria Grahame

Debby Marsh

Jocelyn Brando

Katie Bannion

Alexander Scourby

Mike Lagana

Lee Marvin

Vince Stone

Jeanette Nolan

Bertha Duncan

Peter Whitney

Tierney

Willis Bouchey

Lt. Ted Wilks

Robert Burton

Det. Gus Burke

Adam Williams

Larry Gordon

Howard Wendell

Police Commissioner Higgins

Chris Alcaide

George Rose

Michael Granger

Hugo

Dorothy Green

Lucy Chapman

Carolyn Jones

Doris

Ric Roman

Baldy

Dan Seymour

Mr. Atkins

Edith Evanson

Selma Parker

Phil Arnold

Retreat Waiter (uncredited)

Linda Bennett

Joyce Bannion

Charles Cane

Police Guard Outside Lagana Home (uncredited)

Phil Chambers

Hettrick (uncredited)

John Close

Policeman (uncredited)

Sidney Clute

Retreat Bartender (uncredited)

John Crawford

Al - Bannion's Brother-in-Law (uncredited)

John Doucette

Mark Reiner

Kathryn Eames

Marge - Bannion's Sister-in-Law (uncredited)

Al Eben

Harry Shoenstein (uncredited)

Douglas Evans

Councilman Gillen (uncredited)

Fritz Ford

Sailor (uncredited)

Jimmy Gray

Man (uncredited)

Michael Jeffers

Retreat Patron (uncredited)

Byron Kane

Police Surgeon (uncredited)

Donald Kerr

Cabby

Lyle Latell

Moving Man (uncredited)

Nico Lek

Canteen Patron (uncredited)

Celia Lovsky

Lagana's Mother in Portrait (uncredited)

Herbert Lytton

Martin (uncredited)

Mike Mahoney

Dixon (uncredited)

Laura Mason

B-Girl (uncredited)

Paul Maxey

George Fuller (uncredited)

Joseph Mell

Medical Examiner (uncredited)

John Merton

Man (uncredited)

Patrick Miller

Intern (uncredited)

William Murphy

Reds (uncredited)

Ezelle Poule

Mrs Tucker (uncredited)

Norma Randall

Jill (uncredited)

Michael Ross

Segal (uncredited)

Ted Stanhope

Lagana's Butler (uncredited)

Robert Stevenson

Bill Rutherford (uncredited)

William Vedder

Janitor (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

Columbia wanted to borrow Marilyn Monroe from 20th Century-Fox to play the role of Debby Marsh, but Fox's asking price was too high. Gloria Grahame was cast instead.

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Bannion's wife Katie is played by Jocelyn Brando, older sister of Marlon Brando.

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When Lee Marvin first sees Glenn Ford face to face, the music in the background is "Put the Blame on Mame," a reference to Ford's performance in Gilda (1946).

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Goofs

When Bannion lets the dead Debby's hand go, it gently moves downward obviously still under her control.

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In the opening scene, after Duncan shoots himself, his hand and the gun fall to the desk onto an envelope and right next to his badge. When the camera angle changes, only the barrel of the gun is on the envelope, and it's a few inches from the badge.

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Near the end of the film, Dave Bannion has an altercation with his brother-in-law's old army buddy in the stairwell. When he enters the apartment a second later, the sleeves of his suit are suddenly rolled up.

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Quotes

Dave Bannion: [about Lucy Chapman] Where'd she live?

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Debby Marsh: [Has just thrown scalding coffee in Vince's face] It'll burn for a long time, Vince. It doesn't look bad now. But in the morning your face will be like mine.

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Debby Marsh: [to Bannion] When Vince talks business, I go out and get my legs waxed or something.

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Faq

Q

New York Opening Happened When?

A

Fritz Lang's masterwork, The Big Heat, from Columbia Pictures, opened in New York at the Criterion theatre (B'way & 45th St.) on Wednesday, October 14, 1953. The ad from the New York Times further states:Extra In Person! Jocelyn Brando---star of "The Big Heat" will be in the Criterion lobby Today at 9:30 a.m. to meet her fans and to distribute autographed photos____________________________________

Q

Chicago Opening Happened When and Where?

A

Fritz Lang's masterpiece, The Big Heat, had a mid-week opening in Chicago on Wednesday, November 18, 1953, at 8:45 am, at the Roosevelt theatre, State near Washington . . . an ad in the Chicago Tribune states:I'm Putting The Heat On . . . So I was a gangster's girl. But he worked me over once too often. Now I 'm putting the big heat on, but good. When I finish talking, he'll wish he never was born! . . . The Big Heat, Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, Jocelyn Brando, with Alexander Scourby, Lee Marvin, Jeanette Nolan . . . A Columbia Picture______________________________________The film was the top-half of a double-bill, of which the bottom-half was: "The 49th Man," Espionage Ring Smashed! "Secret War" plot against U.S. Revealed Clue by Clue!!!, Columbia Pictures Shock Hit!, Split-second action! Split-atom impact!, with John Ireland, Richard Denning . . .______________________________

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